The Adventures of Doug and Bec: Thailand - Chiang Mai Bec & the Elephants

I was nearly going to pull out of a day with the elephants because I was so exhausted from the trek, but Doug reminded me that it was the number 1 thing on my list to do in Chiang Mai, so I had to do it. The elephant ride on the trek was enough for Doug so I was off on my own.

Pick up time was between 8-8.30am. I was waiting in the lobby of my hotel when at 8.40am a mini bus was approaching with the name of the elephant camp on it. So I stood up and went out to the road with my ticket in hand expecting it to stop. But it did not, it just went on by. Confused I went back inside and the hotel owner told me not to worry that the tours are always late and it was probably the wrong bus. 5 minutes later a guy on a motorbike turns up. He said he was to take me to the bus for the tour. As anyone might know I'm not keen on motorbikes but I didn't really have a choice, so I got on the back of the bike with Jackie and closed my eyes for the 2 minute ride.

Low and behold it was the same bus that had passed me, I got on and met the 4 other people who were also going to the elephant day. Then the guide - who I can't remember the name of - introduced Jackie and their 'sister' Lucy. I say 'sister' because in fact the 'girl' sitting beside me was very much a boy, but he wore eye shadow and ran on his tip toes.

We stopped at the market for food for the elephants and our lunch. After about an hours drive we got to the Chang Siam Elephant Mahout Training School. We were given uniforms to wear for the day which I really wanted to keep and given information and instructions about the elephants by our guide.
Did you know -
- Elephants have 40,000 muscles in their trunks
- They drink a minimum of 70L per day and up to 200L
- They eat 1/3 of their body weight per day
- The average size Thai elephant weights 2 tons
- They can carry 300kg on their backs
- They have the same life span as a human, but a healthy elephant can live up to 150 years
- A mothers gestation period is 18-24 months.

We were also told the commands of how to control the elephants. Then we went to practice on the 6 year old elephant Doe Doe, because he was born at the camp he had the best training. The older elephants were brought there after they had been working in the jungle and were not needed anymore, the machines took over. We each got introduced to Doe Doe and gave him some food, then climbed aboard and practiced the commands. It was difficult because Doe Doe didn't want to listen to us because he knew where the food was. He was being very cheeky. He also showed off by putting a hat from the ground onto our heads and giving us kisses with his trunk, he even made the kissing noise. We had a break for lunch where we were served a feast, the curry was amazing.

After lunch we went for a trek on the elephants. I got to ride Doe Doe. At the beginning of the ride Doe Doe was not listening to me at all, he just wanted to stop and eat and my legs were getting very tired from trying to move him on. Then I worked out how to work Doe Doe, when we went past a tree I would break off some leaves and feed him as we went. If he went to stop I would tap him on the head with my leaves and he would eat some more and keep going. It was a brilliant system. I don't know how long we trekked for, the concept of time was lost for me, but it wasn't long enough. We got back to the camp and fed all 5 elephants a feast. There was a daddy, 2 mummy's, Doe Doe, and another baby who was about 3. They were all pretty greedy and you had to be quick because they didn't like it if they had to wait to long for you to get more food!

Then it was bath time. We took all the elephants down to the river, the 3 adults lay down first while we scrubbed them clean and Doe Doe and the other baby had a marvelous time swimming in the deep end and diving under. Then when they were done playing - which I don't think they actually were - it was their time for a scrub.

All too soon the day was over, I just love love love elephants! All of the elephants went back to their areas for dinner, and ruined their baths by putting dirt all over themselves. We gave back our uniforms and went back to Chiang Mai where the bus did stop at my hotel.