thailand

This country was many things to me...provider of good thoughts, good food and adventure travel.......but most of all my time with "our big friends" is what sets it apart. The elephant camp gave me good cause to remember my younger, more naive days where my agendas included hanging a peace sign in my bedroom window (not for too long...the peace sign means different things to different generations...smile), send in my monthly contribution to Earth First, Greenpeace, adopt a whale...you get it. But no....my adult response was one of care and concern accompanied by the reality that I do not have enough time, resources or more genuinely, the priority to devote myself to every worthy cause on this planet.

These last two pictures are of Malai Tong, who stepped on a land mine while working in illegal logging and then was taken to beg illegally on the streets in Bangkok. Mae Mai is on the right who had her leg broken when a log broke loose from a load and crushed her from above. Oh I had my favorites, but all the counts of misfortune whether in logging (long long days and drug use common), trekking (prone to abuse),

traditional training (the details are not pretty but 40% +/- die during this) or from tuskers (yes, still), abusive handlers (whether from lack of knowledge or sheer disregard for their well-being) or time and chance. Anyway....feedings, communal washings...Asian elephants have course thin but wirey hair, by the way....and other menial tasks gave me high regard for Lak and her Elephant Nature Park. Notably, I've had a hard time believing that one life can truly make a difference (with one notable exception for which my hope and faith are rooted in)...but this experience gave me some hope that an individual (Lak...a tiny beautiful Thai daughter of a shaman) with courage, enthusiasm and complete devotion can effect change. Even the mahouts are Burmese refugees and the dogs rescued from various locals/menus and used to promote Rabies vaccinations...and the list goes on.

Then there is the contradiction of the Thai people who use the elephant in much of their worship, yet are content with rampant abuse of the same. Ah...that is how we humans are, I suppose?




Ever seen someone chew their dinner with their mouth open? Hah.

This evening shot of downtown Chang Mai was a good moment after some good food. At this time I was scheming of running around the 2K x 2K moat around the Old City. In fact I did twice the following morning, however the tuk tuks would honk and slow down when passing...wondering why I was running...I must need a ride if I was in such a hurry? Or maybe I just looked like a white woman dying in the heat...smile!



This was the moment of leaving Thailand to cross and get to Laos. Notably watching for the border guard stamp the passport is a good lesson for future travel. Incidentally, he didn't and so I had to cross back again....what is time and effort anyway...all an adventure on vacation...on to Laos!!