We Rode a Whaaaat? (Elephant!)

Friday's adventure took us to the neighboring town to Cha-Am... Hua Hin!



ELEPHANT VILLAGE!! Yes please!!

I never actually thought I would ride an elephant in my life. But there's a lot of things I never thought I'd do... like live in Africa or travel the world so much, for starters.

But anyway... God's plans for me are way more fun (and challenging) than the plans I might have made for myself, eh?



So here we are, climbing on elephants in Thailand!

Why not?!



We feared that H would be scared. But he wasn't. I think since we mentioned how fun it would be to ride an elephant approximately sixty-five times in the previous day he was all ready to go.



Sweet N hadn't a clue what was happening.

But someday she'll look at these pictures and say: "See! There I am on an elephant with my Mom!" Cool, huh?

And all her friends who don't know what to say will roll their eyes and say "Yeah, N... cool...."

And then she'll run home and thank me.

Yes. I'm certain that's exactly how it'll go.

He he.



Now this was no 'walk in a circle for ten minutes' sort of elephant ride.

It was a long ride, that involved steep paths and rocky parts that made my bottom slide forward on the bench and made my knuckles turn white gripping the armrest while yelling over my shoulder "MIKEY!!! You hold tight onto that boy!!"



But it was perfectly safe, I assure you.

Elephants are nimble, like ballerinas.

I learned that from the movie Fantasia.

Remember the movie Fantasia?

My elephant didn't have a tutu though.

Bummer.



This photo was taken by my friendly elephant driver that took my camera and jumped down to get some shots of us and then expressed the budding photographer deep in his soul by taking a half dozen photos of the pineapple plants.

Nice, huh?

Shall I also show you the half dozen photos of some bird in the distance or the ten dozen shots he took of us?

No? You're not interested?

Okay then.

By the way, do you know how the drivers get back on the elephants neck? The elephant bends up her leg and gives the man a boost. Neat, huh?

I thought so.



This is a shot of the elephant that my friendly elephant driver repeatedly pointed to while saying "Me no control dat elephant."

Uuuuhhhh... not sure what to say.

"Thanks for your honesty" (?!)



Through the river. So fun!

And a great photo, too, I think.



Hot, hot sun.



When it was all said and done we gave some treats to my elephant.



Can you see how my boy's face is lit up?

That light could make the world go round.

Or at least my world...