When I was a kid, we used to go to a park where a huge stone elephant was. I remember my father putting me on top and me getting so excited I’d kick and kick wishing the elephant would move.

But today, I’m riding a real walking elephant!

Bright and shiny!

Riding an elephant isn’t elegant at all. Haha. Your body sways with the elephant’s butt, thump right, thump left, thump right, thump left…

We walked round a little village in paved pathways. It’s sad that the area we passed were of cut-down trees, mini dumpsites and portions of burned land. It would have been nice to ride an elephant through untouched forests with me singing (in my head)…

Come run the hidden pine trails of the forest
Come taste the sunsweet berries of the Earth
Come roll in all the riches all around you
And for once, never wonder what they’re worth 

It’s touching to see the bond between the elephant and the guide. They would talk to each other like best friends. He could make the elephant say “hello” and “thank you”.

I was so eager for the river ride but it was a small canal that looked like a swamp…

I was expecting something like this…

But I think, this will do for now. Or else my husband wouldn’t be too keen for another ride.

I guess growing up in the real mountains, I have high expectations for nature tours. I crave for the authentic experience that could bring me back to the wild joy of my childhood.

But I also understand the need for commercialized tours to meet the growing demands of tourism in this country. And I am still proud of the Thai people for being such hospitable hosts of small tours like this.

Someday, I might live with the locals and have my own elephant and we’d go cruising the forest in Mowgli style!

Tour Package (Floating Market + Temple Stop-over + Elephant ride): 2,000 Baht per person