On the flight and Arielle and I watch Wine Country together on her phone and it's like gazing into our future. Time flies by (pun definitely intended) and soon we're stepping out into sunny Chiang Mai.
There are several awaiting airport cabs offering a flat rate into town. Our driver is a jokester, he opens the trunk and starts singing to himself, "Open the trunk, open myyy miiiiiiind"before bursting into a fit of giggles at his own hilarity.
He tells us he wants to make us smile and laugh so we'll love the people from Chiang Mai. He asks a lot of questions about Canada and tells us about the culture of the area.
We roll up to our hotel, Karou Lotus Boutique Hotel. We drop our stuff and head off to find food. It's late afternoon and all we've had to eat is one doughnut each. Arielle's sussed out a couple good food options nearby so we walk.
Crossing the highway is a chore in itself, but eventually, we get to the other side and down the street to the first restaurant. It's very much closed. We head in the opposite direction in search of the other one, cautiously crossing the six lanes of traffic once again. It is also closed, seemingly for renovations. It's a between meal time-of-day so there's no street food available and everything that is open is Western and expensive. I also have no desire to eat Mexican food in Asia.
Hot, hungry and desperate, our starved brains flounder to make a decision.
Finally we see something, it's open, cheap, and busy. That's enough for me. I smash a huge plate of pineapple fried rice and we head back in the blistering heat.
Back at the hotel, we float in the shady end of the pool, our body temperatures finally dropping, until it verges into evening and the mosquitos make their appearance.
After dousing ourselves in bug spray, we head to the Night Baazar. It's overstimulating, with bright fairy lights hung from every corner, lit-up old vehicles serving cocktails, live music, and hundreds of vendors. We explore and purchase a couple keepsakes, I'm pretty sure I've overpaid for everything, but I managed to haggle them down a little so I'm significantly satisfied. A group of stunning drag queens (or as their lovingly referred to in Thailand, Lady-Boys) covered in head-to-toe sequins and wearing elaborate headpieces are handing out flyers for their upcoming show. I happily accept one and I'm Hell-bent on attending.
The rain starts. It's gentle at first but soon it's enough to send the merchants scrambling in every direction. All around us people are running and yelling, climbing on stools to drape tarts, trying to protect their wares. Now seems like a good time to leave.
Our timing is perfect because mere minutes after we arrive to the safety of our room, the rain starts falling in buckets, then the thunder and lightning join.
We're a little concerned because the forecast is calling for more rain and tomorrow we have a date with some elephants.
It's a beautiful morning as the sun persists against the impeding clouds.
The shuttle arrives and we're the first ones on. Once we're all aboard our guide puts on a video about safety at the park and then another about the horrors of the elephant trade. I'm already crying.
Finally, we arrive at Elephant Nature Park. The gorgeous grounds are expansive, filled with all sorts of animals including dogs, cats, water buffalo, horses, and cows.
The first thing we get to do is feed them fruit. It's a bit frenzied with everyone clamouring to have their turn while also trying to get the photo and low-key fighting with another over the watermelon (apparently this particular family prefers it to bananas.) It's so incredible, holding out this bit of fruit and seeing their sweet little trunks coil around it and pop it into their on-waiting open mouths.
At one point a nice little water buffalo wanders over and waits expectantly for some fruit as well, but mostly gets ignored.
Once most of the fruit is gone, the mahot leads the family away and we continue with our guide.
We stop to meet a few of the more mild-mannered elephants and even get to touch some. Their skin is like rough reptilian leather, with short coarse hairs jutting out.
We meet another two elephants who are feeding facing each other, using their trunks to plop food into each other's mouths. One has a swollen, bandaged foot. It's so engorged that it's twice the size of her other legs. The other is blind with a tusk broken from human abuse. I'm amazed at their capacity for forming complex relationships with one another.
We pass a large enclosure with big brick pillars spaced apart and an additional barbed wire fence. Our guide tells us the males must be kept separate or they'll fight or reproduce with the females. There used to only be one wall, but the elephants were mating through the open spaces, leading to a couple surprise pregnancies. Considering females don't show during pregnancy and their gestation period is nearly two years, the influx of new calves was a big surprise to the staff.
Finally, it's time for lunch and we head to the giant vegan buffet. The food is delicious; I only make it through half the hot dishes and my plate is already overflowing. I'm stuffed, but insist on going back for spring rolls. During lunch, we walk around and read the posters with all the elephants' stories. Each one is sadder than the last: a lot have been injured by landmines and hit by cars because of illegal logging or abuse related to the tourism industry. But it seems even the females with extreme trauma, who don't like humans or other elephants, will still bond with the babies.
After lunch, we get to watch them bathing from a distance. Two youths fully submerge themselves and playfully climb on each other's backs. They remind me of children at the public pool on a hot summer day.
We watch a family as they eat corn husks, crunching down loudly with their strong teeth and wagging their tails happily like dogs.
As we pass by another pen, our guide warns us this particular elephant is a "naughty boy." He likes to pick up rocks with his trunk and chuck them at guests as soon as they look away.
After an exciting day, we drag our overheated sunburnt bodies back to the main platform and pile back into the van.
It's a long drive and we're tired so most people doze. My eyelids weigh a ton, but I hate sleeping sitting up so I promise myself a nap as soon as I can get horizontal. So naturally, when we get back to our room and lie down I'm suddenly wired and can't sit still so Arielle and I go out for dinner instead.
We get back and start going through all the media from out day, while I tenderly apply aloe vera to my now scorched skin.
