Elephant camp adventure!

This morning we had a 5:30am wake up call. So early, it also doesn't help that we were out at the night market until 11 and didn't go to bed until 12! I had to get my blog done! The lack of sleep is catching up, so please be aware that I most likely have lots of errors on my blogs! We needed to have our bags ready by 6:15, then to breakfast because of the elephant camp! We had a wonderful breakfast on the River! Then we left for our day.

We arrived at the elephant camp at 8 am! As we turned in we saw a baby elephant walking along the road with their trainer! 

Once we got off the bus we went straight to the ride! Mary and I got on a large elephant and off we went! His name was Sum-Bun. The man who takes care of the elephant is called a Mahouit. They stay together until one of them dies. Did you know that elephants drink up to 65 gallons of water and eat 500 lbs of food a day? They also eat 6 to 7 times a day! 

We started down a path and in front of us all the elephants were crossing the River. We were next! We started across the River and it was exciting! We swayed back and forth as we clomped forward. There was a baby elephant that tagged along for the whole ride! Our adventure was 45 minuets! We stopped at small shacks to purchase bananas and sugar cane for our elephant throughout the walk. We took lots and lots of pictures! 

 Mary and I on our ride!

The booth to buy sugar cane.

I also got to feed an elephant sugar cane!

After out elephant ride we got to watch a show! The elephants walked around together. We were able to see them dance and play musical instruments. We also got to see them play soccer and paint! It was amazing to watch the elephants paint! They held the paint brush in their trunk and painted strokes. One elephant painted a tree while the other elephant painted an elephant by a tree. After the show I went to buy one! 

 He is showing us his teeth!

A Beautiful painting

Once everyone was ready we then traveled down a path to the river. The rivers name was Mae Taeng. We then took a bamboo raft ride down it! It was 4 km to our destination down the river, a 45 min journey! It was peaceful and quiet! Once passed some rapids we were all able to take a turn steering it! Katelyn was first. Then I got my chance! While I was steering the front Nicole, (Miss Ball), was steering the back! We used team work to float us down the river! Mary got a chance as well as Diane and Mary Ann. We all had a great time.

Nicole and I ready for the raft ride!

Some of our group floating down River!

Katelyn and I

Our raft!

Me steering the raft!

Entonces we were off to lunch! We went to the Orchid Farm for a buffet lunch! Once we finished eating we were able to walk around to see the orchids and the butterflies! 

Our next excursion was to see the tribes! We had to take a small truck to get where they live! The first tribe we encountered was the Karen tribe. They originally came from Tibet, they wear clothes they make for themselves! The second tribe we encountered was the Lahu Shi Bala tribe. They wear big metal earrings. The third tribe we encountered was the Palong tribe, the women wear belts or loops called "Nong Wong". We also encountered the long neck tribe. The women wear rings around their neck. They start at the age of three. The young girls recive 7 rings at that time, then every year the add one more ring! They wear the rings because they believe it will protect them from tigers.

Nicole and I on the truck!

The group on the truck!

This is the village.

This is a young girl from the Karen tribe!

This is her mother, notice her earrings.

Those are rice fields!

 Lahu Shi Bala tribe

This is the Padong tribe, they have rings around their knees. It is said that it is painful to wear them.

This is the long neck tribe. The rings around their neck can weigh 7 pounds.

This is a mother and her daughter, she is weaving.

 This is what the rings look like if taken off.

After the tribe visit we had a 5 hour bus ride to our next hotel! 

Until tomorrow!