It's not just paradise

Somnuk Elephant camp, Nam Tok, 21-01-2005

Bathing with elephants, is that possible? Yes it is, because I did it today. Awake at 4.30, not because of excitement but because my biological clock is still confused, I still had to wait 3 hours till the big moment, but then it was time. My girls laid down so I could climb on and together we walked to the river, of course with the mahood sitting safely behind me. Luckely it was not my first time on an elephant so I felt relatively comforable, although climbing down the riverbed was pretty scary. It was so steep that she almost had to slight down on her behind. I was silently praying that elephants never slip or trip over anything.
When we reached the water she didn't appear to be very enthousiastic about that bath. All her friends were in already, but my little dumbo just kept standing there. Then she thought of something else, a shower, that's a good idea. She dips her trunk into the river and 3 or 4 times splashes a big gulp of water over her back, leaving me soaking wet. Then she decides it time to get in and I start scrubbing her with the brush. It's one big feast of splashing, scrubbing and showering. (A couple of metres up stream are our huts of which the showers and toilets empty straight into this river. Nice thought !) The elephant riding we get to do a little bit later, sitting neat and comforable on a seat on the elephants back, seems rather boring to us, after this close encounter we had with them in the morning.

Less boring, actually very exciting is the visit we pay to the tiger temple. At this temple the monks try to safe the tiger from extinction with a breeding programm. Because all these tigers are born and raised surrounded by people, they are tame. Well, as far as tigers can be tame. Anyway, its possible to have your picture taken with them or even have a walk with one of them. When I heard about this I was afraid the animals would be drugged or somehting, but they didn't seem to be so.
My highlight came when a few of us were allowed to feed these tiny young tigers, only 6 weeks old. Still, I left the place with mixed feeling. It's a good thing that these monks try to safe these beautifull creatures, and I know they need these tourist to supply the money to feed them. But really, what is the point? They will never be able to live in the wild again. They wouldn't know how and there is no room for them anymore.
After a short trainride (to see the magnificant view I'd already seen the day before. There still messing up our programm), they take us back to the elephant camp and I jump into bed for a short powernap before dinner.


Somnuk elephant camp, Nam Tok - Bangkok, saturday 22-01-2005

You all know that you will never forget your first love right? And how all your new and fresh loves will be compared to that first one? Well my first and biggest love is Africa, South Africa and I can't help comparing Thailand to her, especially today.
We have a good hours ride to Erawan National Park (driving over and killing a dog on the way over, I'm sad to day) where we will go and see the biggest waterfall in Thailand. Of course, Thailand not having a "waterfall kind" of landscape, I didn't expect the Victoria falls and therefore I'm definitely not disappointed by the size or the beauty of it. The fall consists of 7 levels and a 1,5 km long path will take you all the way to the top. But at each and every level there is people, loads of people. Swimming, chatting, schoolkids on cellphones, ladyboys and sometimes people making music. I know, it's culture, Thai culture, but I can't help my mind drifting away to these beautifull, deserted waterfalls in Africa. How magnificent would it be to enjoy all this beauty in silence. None the less, at the last most beautifull level I have a dip in the icy bleu, almost white water and prepair myself for the way down.
On the way down I don't feel to well and first I think it's just the excercise I'm not used to anymore.....the heat maybe. But it keeps getting worse. At the bottom, when I recycle my lunch so to speak, I know what the problem is. Same thing that bothered one of my fellow travellers last night: food poisoning. It made my ride back to Bangkok very long, I can tell you that. Back on Khaosan road I found myself a rather descent room, got some pills and put myself to bed.

Bangkok, sunday 23-01-2005

Just a day of trying to keep at least some fluids in my body and rest.

Bangkok - Ayutthaya, monday 24-01-2005

Luckely I feel better today. As long as I don't look at Thai food, I think I'll be okay. It's really getting time to leave Bangkok behind me so I take an early bus to Ayutthaya, about 1,5 hours north of Bangkok.
Being the former capital of Thailand, of Siam actually, there is plenty to see and I rent a bicycle to do so at a leisure pace. For the more remote wats (temples) I have Bob. Bob has a tuk tuk and together with his wife and 6 month old boy, he drives me around the major sites of Ayutthaya. This place is a relief after the hectics of Bangkok. Some of these wats are being hardly visited by tourist and therefor really quiet and peacefull. There is a big parc in the centre where it's really nice to ride your bike or have a walk.
It's a shame my stomach can't handle much solid food yet, because it keeps me a bit weak still and I have to cal it a day.

Lopburi (Ayutthaya), tuesday 25-01-2005

To be fair, this day has been a big disappointment. A little after 8.30 I get on the train to Lopburi. It's only an hour and 15 minutes away, so I go just for the day to this old city. On arrival it's really hard to refuse to get into one the saamlors (bicycle taxi's) and since I hadn't decided on what I wanted to see yet, I agree to a tour. First stop is the Narai Ratchaniwet Palace. Beautifull, although completely in ruins and I've already seen in on my first trip to Thailand. The museum there that I missed the first time and was really eager to see this time is closed on tuesdays ! I visit a few more piles of rock, excuse me, ruins and a nice little hindutemple. That temple is rather nice for a couple of reasons. First of all, it's busy, people actually use it quite a lot. Also I'm quite content with myself that i recognise this temple as hindu and I'm even able to identify the god it's dedicated to as Vishnu. I am learning something out here. And finally the monkeys. There are loads of monkeys in Lopburi and especially around the temples. At this one it's feeding time and that makes it a zoo. Speaking of which. To pass the time, it's only 12.15 and my train doesn't leave till 18.30, I go to the Lopburi zoo. As expected it is small without really impressive animals, but they are working on improvements. The reason I went here was that I expected to find a nice quiet place to read and write to pass the time, which I did. A couple of hours later I walk back to the trainstation and wait for my train.....and wait. I know it's the last train of the day so where is it? Ok, it's 45 minutes late.
15 Minutes after we left the station the train stops, in the middle of nowhere. What's going on? After 15/20 minutes it's starting to bug me. As the only farang on the train I'm surrounded by friendly smiling Thai of whom not one speaks English. Nobody can tell me what's going on. 40 Minutes later. How long is this going to take? Will they get buses or something? 50 Minutes. And when I do make it to the trainstation, will there still be taxi's to take me to my guesthouse? 1 hour and 10 minutes. Yes !! We're moving. 1 Trainstation before mine we stop moving again. No, not again ! But then I get it, I see what's wrong. They change locomotives. Finally at 21.45, more than 2 hours later than expected, I'm back in Ayutthaya. I know, 2 hours doesn't sound like much, but it is if you've alreay spent half a day waitnig for your train. It is if you're wearing a white top in an open bright lit train in a pitch dark field, so you attract all the bugs imaginable. And it is if you're stuck in a train that's not moving with people smiling at you but not able to explain you what's going on.