After a night in Chiang Mai, we took a one-night trip out to the mountains to
see an elephant sanctuary. This (plus the next elephants we saw a few days
later) was easily Anna's favorite part of the trip and I had a great time, too.
She just loves elephants so much.
These trucks were the standard transportation around Chiang Mai. I forget what
they're called but they get the job done.
Feeding them was a little intimidating. They are super strong and not the best
at sharing.
Our guide, Bebe, was a lot of fun and liked playing with the baby.
Lunch was cooked in bamboo on a small fire. Pumpkin, chicken, and some other
stuff.
Bebe took us on a hike past some rice terraces and a waterfall.
The cabins were cute with nice views, electricity, running water, and open
air. This was our only night of the trip without AC.
Nice view for dinner, then Bebe joined us to hang out and play games
afterward. He was laughably bad at the card game he taught us and we all had a
great time. He brought out a water bottle of "happy water" (boot liquor common
around both Vietnam and Thailand) to liven up the party.
The next morning started with "elephant room service". We were up and ready
after anticipating this for weeks or months, but the girls in the next cabin
over seemed surprised when the elephant knocked at their window and woke them
up.
Took a little raft ride and met a few locals at a nearby village to see how
they weave clothes, sift rice, and grind corn. Learning about the cultures was
always my favorite part and more interesting than I expected.
