Wednesday, November 1
After over 28 hours, I made it to Chaing Mai. Staying at the BED Phrasing, which I would highly recommend. The rooms are very clean, the people are super friendly and the breakfast is large and varied. Today was a full day tour. First up was the Living Green Foundation, for a morning with elephants. Asian elephants are smaller than African elephants, but they were still big. The group of 40+ people started by feeding the 8 elephants. We fed them mainly sugar cane and a few bananas. The oldest elephant is 52 and the youngest is 3. There were several that were rescued for a number of reasons. Nana who is 8 was very smart and you needed to close your bag of food around her otherwise she would reach around you and grab the food from your bag.
The group then headed to the river to wash the elephants although not all of them wanted to be washed which was pretty funny as they dodged the trainers who were trying to get them in the river. Equally as funny were the people that went in to wash them taking buckets of water and trying to splash the elephants. We then ate lunch at the camp which consisted of pad thai and for dessert watermelon and pineapple. I am getting the impression that Thai people like sweet food as breakfast leaned to the sweet side as did lunch.
After leaving the elephant camp, we headed to Doi Inthanon National Park. The park is part of the Himalayan mountain range with elevations ranging between 800 and 2,565 meters asl. The highest peak in the park is Doi Inthanon Mountain which is the highest mountain in Thailand and that was our first stop. The park has cold weather all year round and it was 15C when we were there.
The next stop was the two Chedis also known as Phra Mahathat Naphamethanidon and Nophamethanidon in Thai. The first of the chedis, Naphamethinidon, meaning ‘by the strength of the land and air’ was built in 1987 to honour the 60th birthday anniversary of King Bhumibol Adulyadej. The second chedi, Naphaphone Phumi Siri, meaning ‘being the strength of the air and the grace of the land’ was built in 1992 to honour the 60th birthday anniversary of Queen Sirikit.
Our last stop for the day was Pha Dok Siew trail for a 2 hour hike to see some waterfalls. The hike is pretty easy in the beginning. The trail goes down through the forest with many pine trees, but I really didn’t see many of them as I watched my step so I didn’t trip on any roots. The terrain gets more steep as you get near the falls and once there, you walk along side the waterfalls and across the river by bamboo stairs and bridges. The falls are magnificent and there were many opportunities for many pictures. After leaving the falls behind, the trail becomes more accessible and less steep. It is a relaxed hike along a little irrigation canal until you decide to let someone pass you and you accidentally step into an irrigation canal, then it becomes a wet slog back with some lovely views of forested mountains and rice terraces. WAfter we have left the falls behind, the trail becomes more accessible and less steep. It is a relaxed hike along a little irrigation canal. You will have some lovely views of forested mountains and rice terraces. The trail ends in the White Karen village Baan Man Klang Luang, where coffee and tea that the villagers grow was waiting for us.
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