Sawat Dee Pi Mai Ka….erm, again.

Songkran in Chiang Mai. 

It seems the phrase of the moment is ‘Happy New Year’, for I have celebrated it three different times so far this year.  The most recent being the Thai New Year celebration, called Songkran.  It is a three day festival when traditionally elders and monks are paid respect by dousing them with fragrant water originally used to cleanse the Buddha.  The festival has evolved and the younger generation has introduced water fights on the streets, a welcome activity in the height of dry season.  The most famous place to celebrate Songkran is Chiang Mai so my friends and I stocked up on water pistols and flowery shirts (as is the custom) and bundled ourselves into a minivan for the red eye journey to the biggest water fight in the world.
 

We arrived before dawn on the day before the festivities were due to begin, had a strong coffee and headed to our hostel.  Usually in Thailand is unnecessary to prebook anything but, during Songkran, rooms and transport are scarce so we prebooked a month in advance, and even at that we were lucky.  We decided to be tourists on the first day so headed upland to Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, the temple at the top of Doi Suthep Mountain.  As Songkran is a Buddhist festival it was nice to see the locals paying respect to the Buddha by pouring water over the shoulders of the statues, which is believed to bring good luck and prosperity for the new year.  The temple is one of the most elaborate I’ve seen so far, with 309 steps to access the pagodas.  I later found out via Wikipedia that there is a tram.  Best I just forget I read that, Wikipedia’s not always accurate anyway, right?  The stairs were lined on both sides with decorative four headed dragons leading the way to the glistening gold Chedi at the top.  We descended to meet our Sorngthaew driver for our journey back to our hostel.  Little did we know before setting off that morning that the Songkran celebrations were already in full flow, pardon the pun, and that Sorngthaews and Tuk Tuks would be prime targets for buckets of ice cold water.  We got drenched and had a little taster of what was to come in the following days. 

After dinner and drinks at a little bar adjacent to the hostel, we tucked ourselves into bed at the respectable hour of 3am, full of Thai rum and excitement.  The next morning was blurry so the first bucket of water down my neck was a welcome hangover cure.  The 73 that followed made me feel even better.  We ventured out to the heart of the hoopla, where there were stages pumping out music, hoses pumping our foam and water and Thai ladyboys throwing some serious shapes.  The name of the game is fun.  At no other time and no other place is it so socially acceptable to walk up to someone, hover a bucket of water over them and soak them to the skin.  So, like naughty school children, we partook with delight.  Within minutes of going outside we were drenched right through.  Walking through the streets we got buckets lobbed in our faces, quite fiercely, by other foreigners.  I preferred the Thai approach of gently pouring it over ones shoulders and whispering, “sawat dee pi mai ka” (happy new year).  Some of the backpackers took it a bit too far hurling it in people’s faces, like a watery slap.  The Thai people were very inclusive and welcomed us with a trickle of water and a splodge of wet talc, which is smeared on the face as a blessing.  

On the second day we decided to set up camp at a bar, where we could seek refuge inside until we were ready to go to water wars with the group of Scandinavian boys we encountered there.  Plus, we had a ready supply of beer and music.  Outside, our victims were Tuk Tuks, Sorngthaews and any pretty girls the boys decided to soak through with their massive bucket.  Although the streets were awash, it was business as usual on the roads with traffic in full flow.  I resisted any urge to fling water on motorcyclists, although they were not immune to the chaos.  Nobody was safe, apart from little old ladies who managed to hobble around remaining completely dry.   

On the final day we really went for it and stayed out as late as possible wandering the streets for playmates.  As it was the last day everyone took it up a notch and I think I was the wettest I had ever been, if that is possible.  People danced on the streets and lobbed buckets of water from pick up trucks.  It was the biggest, and wettest, street party I’ve ever attended…and I was there for the Queens Jubilee, not even the British rain could soak me through as much as several buckets of water fresh from the moat in Chiang Mai.

On the following day the streets were tranquil and dry.  Although I had the most fun since arriving in Thailand, I was relieved to see an end to the soggy pandemonium as I had scheduled a Tuk Tuk ride to the bus station for my return journey to Nakhon Sawan.  I arrived at the station dry and tired, and made my way back to my own bed.  For the last time this year (I think), sawat dee pi mai ka!

Images: Cassidi Hunkler & Jennifer Kimmerling.

Hail To The Heffalumps!

Baanchang Elephant Park

After 6 months in Thailand I decided it was time to visit some elephants.  I ventured north to Chiang Mai and booked into Baanchang Elephant Park, after some research into reputable places that treat their animals humanely.  Baanchang stood out as a pretty good bet according to Tripadvisor although there were a few negative comments on there regarding the tool the Mahouts (elephant keepers) use for behaviour management and the chains on the elephants feet.  I went with an open mind and an alert eye to check it out for myself.

My friends and I were picked up from our guesthouse bright and breezy by our guide Aof.  A little jaunt around Chiang Mai to collect our team for the day and we were on the road to Baanchang.  The journey took us upland into a beautiful setting of jungle and mountains and I was beginning to regret the several bottles of Chang beer from the night before…my first ‘Changover’ as they call it here.  I tumbled out of the van gasping for air to eliminate the queasiness, vowing to never drink beer again, at least until this evening. 

We assembled to be welcomed by Aof and given some mahout clothing, a fetching denim pyjamas, to protect us from the spiky elephant hair.  Next we were led outside where the elephants were hungrily waiting for feeding time.  We were shown how to hand them bananas and sugar cane so they could whip their trucks around them and shovel the food into their mouths.  They were greedy impatient creatures, one even thumped me on the back whilst I had a photo taken…or perhaps he wanted to get in shot.

After the beasts had their fill we were shown how to mount an elephant, we learned the commands used to get him to lower himself to the ground and also to move in the directions you want him to go.  I watched as my team mates proudly soared into the sky on the animal’s neck and dreaded my turn.  As you may remember from a while back, I have a crippling fear of heights and I’m sorry to say my climbing experience back in Bristol did not cure me.  The thought of being high up on an animal so colossal it could trod on me left me shaky and hot.  I swallowed my fear and clambered on top of the elephant, god help him, and as he raised his body from the ground I saw my life flash before my eyes.  My heart beat like a thousand drums and I lost all thought from my head, apart from “get me the hell down!”  I couldn’t shake it, I had to descend.  There’ll be no elephant riding for me today, or any day.  I spent the rest of the day on the ground but nonetheless I had a fantastic fear free experience.  

After lunch of delicious fried rice and fresh fruit, I followed as the Mahouts led the elephants and their human cargo around the park, uphill through jungle and down to a watering hole where the animals enjoyed bath time.  I grabbed a bucket and a scrubbing brush and joined in at this stage, and I think I enjoyed the bath experience as much as Mr Elephant who was lying on one side lapping up the attention.

After bath time I was soaked and possibly carrying remnants of elephant excrement in my clothing so I was eager to have a shower myself.  We were shown to our rooms, in a very comfortable building reserved for overnight visitors.  I had a lovely hot shower and headed down, clean and refreshed, for dinner.  We had a delicious meal of red curry, rice, stir fried veg, fresh fruit and access to a fridge full of beer with an honesty box type system – write down what you take and pay tomorrow.  This is just an example of the laid back atmosphere in the park, but not at all reflecting their attitude to health and safety which was rock solid.  I felt safe at all times there and the aforementioned doubts gleaned from the Tripadvisor comments were dissolved when Aof explained to us that the elephants’ feet are chained during feeding time to keep the animals and visitors safe.  The animals are mostly rescued from elephant shows and bad owners and have many emotional, aswell as physical, scars.  These elephants are anxious creatures who are undergoing rehabilitation and rebuilding their trust in humans.  If anything were to happen to spook them, ie low flying airplanes or the crackles of distant forest fires, they would panic and bolt.  The Mahouts have to be near and keep them secured to the ground to keep visitors safe.  Another concern on Tripadvisor is the tool used for behavioural management, it is called an Elephant Hook and the use of this was explained very clearly by Aof, it’s a communication tool used to keep the elephants under control.  The skin of an elephant is 2 inches thick so it may seem brutal to see a Mahout thumping an animal but they need to use force if that animal is going to feel it and understand the command.  Imagine a mouse giving you a nudge, he’s going to have to kickbox you to get your attention.  I saw animals getting the odd thump while at Baanchang but mostly what I witnessed was a deep respect and care for the welfare of these animals, and a careful maintenance of the health and safety policy regarding visitors.

We enjoyed an evening of beer in hammocks, how much more relaxed can one get?  However, our hour of recreation was interrupted by the crackling sound of wood on fire.  What could possibly be…..oh bugger!  We ran up in the direction of our rooms, which were surrounded by jungle, to find a forest fire in full flow.  Panic stations!  Grab passports!  Where’s the rescue bus?  Why isn’t anyone implementing an evacuation prodecure?  Ah, it’s a controlled fire, s’ok, chill out, it’s all good.  I was only pretending to panic!  The staff at the park had set a fire as there was a forest fire headed our way, so as the saying goes, fight fire with fire.  The result is that once the forest fire reaches us there will be nothing left to burn.  Panic over, let’s get back to the beer.  By the way, my friends and I were still clutching our cans of lager.  Anyone want to play ‘Spot the Irish’?

The following day we had a tasty breakfast outdoors and then set off for a day of hiking

and rafting, as part of the package we booked.  We were handed over to another guide who took us trekking up through the jungle to a pretty waterfall where we had a refreshing swim.  We trekked back down through the trees and streams to the river where we were kitted out with helmets and oars and given a crash coarse in white water rafting.  Again, my fearfulness took hold and I was a bag of nerves getting into the boat.  The water slushing around on the inside wasn’t a reassuring sign at all.  Shortly the water in the boat was explained as our playful guide started sloshing water at us as we trundled over and through gaps in the rocks.  Luckily for me it wasn’t so much ‘white’ water rafting as simple calm rafting.  No fast rapids so a nice pleasant float along the river, to the disappointment of my comrades, but I was smiling on the inside.  We were told that after wet season the river can rise several feet, again I was relieved at our timing.  We disembarked our inflated vessel in favour of a rickety bamboo raft for a little meander along the remainder

of our route, a calm shallow part of the river leading to our lunch quarters.  We were given some delicious fried rice wrapped in banana leaves before being bundled back onto the truck to visit a Karen Hilltribe village nearby.  The village is one that had a repuatation for growing opium but, following a scheme implemented by the King, they are now proudly farming and growing food.  We were met by local village women selling trinkets so I dutifully bought a bracelet for the tidy sum of 40 baht and set off for a little stroll to the top of the hill.  A beautiful vista opened out before us, jungle, flowers, a cute little Catholic chapel that looked like it was plucked straight from a rural European village.  We headed back down towards our truck where some kids were playing a game I had long forgotten about, we used to call it ‘Elastics’.  My friend and I looked at eachother with a mutual nostalgia, amazing that childhood games seem to travel the world over and find their way in any language.

We were later dropped off at our Guesthouse in Chiang Mai where we exchanged accounts of our experiences over a few bottles of Chang (I’ll never learn my lesson).  The general consensus is that the place is a very positive sanctuary for elephants but the group was divided in it’s opinions on the hooks and chains.  The jury is out on that one but each to their own.  We all agreed it was a positive experience.  In Thailand, elephants are lucky so I’m hoping I’ve soaked up enough good luck to get me through the year. 

http://baanchangelephantpark.com/

Images: Sinéad Millea.