riding ernie the elephant - trekking pt. 1

2nd - 4th January 2012

The Mae Teng foothills surrounding Chiang Mai, Thailand

  

                    Had a bit of a Chiang Mai overload recently and so decided to book  a three day trek in the mountains which rest peacefully northwest of Chiang Mai. Choosing the agency upon the recommendation of a friend who had done a two day trek with them before New Years, managed to haggle the price down to 1300baht (27 quid) with the trip promising an elephant ride, a stay in a hill tribe village and jungle camp each night whilst finishing off with some white water and bamboo rafting on the final day. On the 2nd woke up early to dump my bag with Ed while I was away and headed down to the agency where a Songthaew picked me up to transport myself and the thirteen others crammed in the back to the mountainous region northwest of Chiang Mai known as Mae Teng. Doing the quick rounds of introduction it seemed I was to be doing the trek with five Frenchies, two Italian guys, two American girls, a couple from Germany and another couple from London. After an hours drive, having briefly stopped off at a local market to pick up some supplies, we arrived just after midday at the elephant camp to go for our hour ride atop these fascinating and humble creatures. Climbing a rickety set of stairs to a raised platform held up by straining wooden stilts, we paired up, boarded the elephants and set off down the dusty path as the sun reached its zenith in the clear blue sky overhead. Sharing the small metal platform - which rested on the elephant's mighty shoulders - with the  immediate oddball of the group, the French Foq later to be nicknamed 'spider man' due to his waterfall climbing tendencies, we rocked from side to side down to the river through the cloud of dust which had been kicked up by the lead elephant. Down by the river our elephant - who I personally named Ernie - stopped to get a drink of water and while he was at it cheekily sprayed us with a few squirts from his mischievous swaying trunk. About five minutes into the walk our teenage driver had jumped off leaving us at the whim of a rampant Ernie who seemed to go wherever he pleased and a nervous moment presented itself when we passed dangerously close to a deep and narrow ravine! French Spidey therefore took it into his hands to climb from the platform upon which we sat to straddle Ernie's giant bulbous head nudging each ear to give direction to the wayward elephant. As he tried and failed to get Ernie to respond to his French cries of direction; I reached down from the platform to place my hand on the dry leathery skin and coarse hair which covered his immense shoulders and felt the vast power which strutted beneath me. For the final part of the walk I swapped places with Foq, climbing carefully onto the head and commandeered Ernie into the dense undergrowth which was carpeted with vivid green vegetation, thickets of bamboo trees and vines which hung from the ceiling of branches 30 feet above. From time to time I would use my walking shoes to scratch Ernie behind the ears which he seemed to like as he contentedly trudged along only stopping every so often to scratch his itchy bum on a large rock or tree trunk. After an hour which felt like five minutes, we left Ernie behind and began our trek up to a hill tribe village which rested 6km away up a large mountain. The trek to follow!

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Not sure what his name was but it wasn't Ernie. You can see the platform which we sat on for the duration of the journey, untill I climbed out and got on the head!

Fine looking animals.

The platform from which we boarded the elephants.

Down by the riverside just before the dousing.

Me on big ol' Earnie's head. As the shoulders rocked a fair degree of balance was required otherwise it was a long drop to the path below!

Me and Ernie the elephant.