Off on another motorcycle tour from Chiang Mai while I wait for my Vietnam visa to be processed.
Yesterday I stopped at the Elephant Conservation Centre enroute to the provincial capital, Lampang. Felt like a real tourist ... but it was great .. I got mixed in with a school group of 70 or so giggling 6or 7 year olds for the tour. There is something qute special about these huge beasts ... I went for a ride on one for about an hour in the jungle ... the mahout sat on his neck, I in the seat strapped onto it's back, holding an umbrella as we lumbered thru the jungle - very much the great white toursit - but it was a good experience ... very peaceful ... the mahout sang and talked to the elephant all the way ... stopping occasionally for it to drink or grab some begetation to eat.
I visited the elephant hospital .. very touching .. where sick and ageing elephants are taken care of, then watched the show .. a demonstration of 20 or so elephants at work. I must admit I found the whole visit quite an emotional experience .. there is something quite special about these large peaceful animals ... and the extremly close relationship with their mahouts ...
Lampang is a pleasant change after Chaing Mai, smaller .. and very few falangs (westerners) The first night I spent in the Asia Lampang hotel ... a modern 70's style hotel ... lot's of teak panelling ... a grand lobby .. full facilities ... I was so hot after riding in, I splurged on a deluxe room - air conditioned, huge, kinbg sized bed ... etc ... for the grand sum of $16.00 I slept in and was woked by drumming .... I went down for breakfast about 9:00 to be confronted with a wedding procession proceeding thru the lobby complete with giant drum pounding... quite a sight!
Lampang is quite charming ... lot's of horse drawn carriages, parks, on the banks of a river, with a great night market.
Today I rode 75kms north to a National Park with hot springs ... quite lovley .. you can swim in the pools .. a bit murky though ... or rent a private jacuzzi thing with the healing waters ... I had lunch, chose the latter .. . and followed it up with a Thai Massage. Good day.
I'm staying tonight at the Riverside Guesthouse ... much more funky than the Asia Hotel ... totally charming.
It's getting hotter ... up to almost 40 in the heat of the afternoon ... I try to ride in the morning or late afternoon ... and hole up between 1:00 and 4:00 in the afternoons ... In the evenings the night markets come to life .. amazing places .. all kinds of food ... you can buy anything at them!
Getting hungry here ... so that's where I'm off to ...
Yesterday I stopped at the Elephant Conservation Centre enroute to the provincial capital, Lampang. Felt like a real tourist ... but it was great .. I got mixed in with a school group of 70 or so giggling 6or 7 year olds for the tour. There is something qute special about these huge beasts ... I went for a ride on one for about an hour in the jungle ... the mahout sat on his neck, I in the seat strapped onto it's back, holding an umbrella as we lumbered thru the jungle - very much the great white toursit - but it was a good experience ... very peaceful ... the mahout sang and talked to the elephant all the way ... stopping occasionally for it to drink or grab some begetation to eat.
I visited the elephant hospital .. very touching .. where sick and ageing elephants are taken care of, then watched the show .. a demonstration of 20 or so elephants at work. I must admit I found the whole visit quite an emotional experience .. there is something quite special about these large peaceful animals ... and the extremly close relationship with their mahouts ...
Lampang is a pleasant change after Chaing Mai, smaller .. and very few falangs (westerners) The first night I spent in the Asia Lampang hotel ... a modern 70's style hotel ... lot's of teak panelling ... a grand lobby .. full facilities ... I was so hot after riding in, I splurged on a deluxe room - air conditioned, huge, kinbg sized bed ... etc ... for the grand sum of $16.00 I slept in and was woked by drumming .... I went down for breakfast about 9:00 to be confronted with a wedding procession proceeding thru the lobby complete with giant drum pounding... quite a sight!
Lampang is quite charming ... lot's of horse drawn carriages, parks, on the banks of a river, with a great night market.
Today I rode 75kms north to a National Park with hot springs ... quite lovley .. you can swim in the pools .. a bit murky though ... or rent a private jacuzzi thing with the healing waters ... I had lunch, chose the latter .. . and followed it up with a Thai Massage. Good day.
I'm staying tonight at the Riverside Guesthouse ... much more funky than the Asia Hotel ... totally charming.
It's getting hotter ... up to almost 40 in the heat of the afternoon ... I try to ride in the morning or late afternoon ... and hole up between 1:00 and 4:00 in the afternoons ... In the evenings the night markets come to life .. amazing places .. all kinds of food ... you can buy anything at them!
Getting hungry here ... so that's where I'm off to ...
posted by Andrew Smith at 4:00 AM
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