Elephant Sanctuary, Chiang Mai

We opted for a half-day excursion to one of the elephant sanctuaries for $50 US per person that included transportation and lunch. The domesticated elephants have been purchased and registered with a microchip to protect the wild elephant population. The sanctuary is about an hour and a half from the city, in jungle and sparsely populated countryside. After an educational briefing, we fed the elephants bananas, sugar cane and grass. The bananas and sugar cane account for only 10% of their diet with the grass providing the balance. The night before, one of the elephants got into the banana storage bin and helped himself. No question, they loved the sweet apple bananas that we offered. We could hand the bananas to the elephant’s trunk or put it directly in his/her mouth. We were instructed to hide the bananas behind our backs and hand over just one at a time but the elephants clearly knew where to look for more.After the snack, we went to a pond where we scrubbed mud on the elephants which is supposed to be healthy for their skin. They seemed to like it; some tilted their heads and looked us in the eye as if to ask us to continue. After the mud scrub, we walked down to the river for a bath in fresh, running water. Both the elephants and we loved playing together in the cool water. We had to be a bit careful when they rolled over as their legs are heavy and could cause minor injuries.What a great way to spend our last day in Thailand! Time for showers and one last delicious meal then we began the long flights home.

As with all adventures, it will take a while for my thoughts to settle but I can say without any hesitation that this was a great family vacation full of all the things we value–cultural exchange, good food, history, religion, natural beauty, new geography, and time away from our daily routines to focus on each other.  So many days throughout the year seem to blur from one to another. The time I spend with my children sharing, exploring, laughing, and bonding gives me strength and joy that I carry with me always. When I think of 2016, these are the days I’ll remember.

The year is ending but the future is ours. I leave you with these thoughts …

“You don’t choose your family. They are God’s gift to you, as you are to them.” Desmond Tutu

“Ring out the false, ring in the true.” Alfred Lord Tennyson

“Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year.” Ralph Waldo Emerson