Heading North in Thailand (Week 5)

Our second week in Thailand was one to remember. We spent 12 hours on the train watching farmland, mountains, towns, and temples pass by and arrived in the city of Chiang Mai. After a day getting our bearings we were off on a booked excursion to an elephant sanctuary. We were just a little excited. 

We were given large baskets of bananas and bamboo and spent the first hour hand feeding the elephants. With only 10 people in our tour group and 4 elephants to feed, we had one to ourselves. We were both a little timid at first, but before long Corbin was hugging the elephants trunk. 

After we ran out of bananas it was time to relax with a mud bath. We were hip deep throwing cool mud on the elephants and each other (Tatum), and had an absolute blast. 

After the mud bath we headed to the river. We used bowls to splash the elephants clean and rubbed a soft bark/natural soap on their skin. At this point Tatum was no longer timid and became best friends with the huge animals. At the end of the bath, the guides had a blast soaking not only the elephants but the tourists as well. We were sopping wet with huge smiles. It was a great day. 

Other highlights in Chiang Mai included visiting a local market, trivia night with other nomads, and a Khantoke dinner and show. This was a night filled with Thai food, music, and traditional dancing. At the end Tatum was invited on stage to dance with the Thai women and didn’t miss a beat (Corbin would disagree). 

After a sickening 3 hour bus trip we arrived in Pai. Pai is a small town tucked in the Thai mountains known for its ‘hippie vibe’ and where we have never seen so many dreadlocks or mushroom shakes for sale (no... we weren’t dumb enough to purchase one). We spent the next three days relaxing by the pool, exploring town, hiking, and ‘floating’ the river. It is the dry season in Southeast Asia and therefore the rivers are low. We spent 3 hours ricocheting off rocks, walking through the shallow areas, and waving at locals along the riverbank. We arrived back to town refreshed and with only one popped inner tube.

Another highlight was venturing into Pai Canyon. We had a blast exploring the many trails that line the ridges. The excitement of the day involved us losing the trail and bushwhacking for roughly an hour through the dry forest. We found our way back to the trail without incident and only a few complaints about the size of the spiders. 

The first two weeks in Thailand have been a blast. We are loving experiencing a new culture, interacting with locals, and meeting other travelers. 

With Love,

   Boots Abroad

Corbin’s

   Highs: Playing with elephants, Chopmama (noodles), Hiking

   Lows: Listening to the lady in front of us puke on the minivan. 

Tatum’s

   Highs: Elephant excursion, Laying by the pool, Tubing the river

   Lows: The minivan bus ride from hell that no amount of Dramamine could prepare me for.