post elephant

We left the camp on Monday morning and spent the day with a group, feeding elephants, and bathing elephants and seeing the devastation the logging camp and riding the elephant can cause. One of the rescued elephants had a back foot blown off with a land mind. The meals at the camp were terrific. At 6pm the others left and the four of us stayed to have the evening meal and watch the sun go down on the camp. We shared some beer and talked. There would be no four people I would have rather spent the time with at the camp. They had it a little messed up and thought that Dan and his wife were staying, so they put a mattress on the floor and I slept on the floor with Anne and Sheila in the bed and Dan in his own lodging. We said good night about 9:30 and then laid and listened to the dogs howl and the figs drop like bombs on the roof. I got up about 10:30 that night to use the luv... (bad thing about beer).. well there is bamboo polls that make up the flooring covered by thatching.. there is no short way to make a quiet run. I must say, I have only had to perch on a foot standing toilet a few times... my knees are pretty good, but that is a challenge. The entire time is spent wondering if your pants are out of the way and how wet your ankles are going to get. (Sasha.. we finely talked your mom in to a try.. she did well and was very proud - she thinks of you often.. and interestingly....Joe Arena.. my bunk friend with the elephants is the wife of the photog judge for the fest.... small world). Anyway.. I am coming to the best part of the elephants...in the morning.. the four of us and a family from Denmark (whom Anne the Swedish dentist could talk with) took a walk. We walked with blinded elephant.. (yes.. blinded by a handler) and her companion and the little Hope elephant.. the adolescent. We started off down the road and ended up in the forest.. walking up the mountain being led by the blind elephant.. who swings her trunk to know where to walk... I took gobs of pictures.. but it was spiritual... after our walk.. we returned for lunch and more feeding.. by this time I had touch the hair on the ear and looked into those magnificent eyes. words can not say what that was like.. The bad part of the camp was we never did find a towel.. so we returned to shower and enjoy some great food at our lodging. I managed to spend some money and get some remembrances for my back home buddies. It takes about $100 to feel the elephants a day... they only digest 40% of the food.. so the vegetation is very good.... well .. my turn to write is over.. this is a much easier place to write but still not the best. Glad you are making some sense of this .. this is the first keyboard that is not Thai letters. Sawatee Ka... b

Sunday

I have let everyone go ahead so I can spend a few minutes giving you all more than I am ok. My body is doing very well. Eating well and it is all digesting well. Which is rather unusual. Many have a cold and many have stomachs that are not settled. so.. yoga is going well .. I am not nor will I probably be standing on my head..but I am happy with my progress. For the past many days, we have done yoga from 9am to noon.. with a lunch break and then restorative from about 1 to about 2:30. That stimulates us to shop. So I now have several elephant bracelets and amulets. It is great fun. Oh my shirt/jacket arrived... she did a terrific job. Each stick is a little different but it fits me and is very Thai. Love it. Last night we took a bus.. well it is rather a pickup truck with two seats going the length of the bus and went up the tallest mt in Chiangdao. I can tell you it is not for the faint hearted. We had 8 of us in each bus. We made it up.. but we also had to make it down. I have not see too many midis break shops so... I thought we might have to drag our feet. It was better than Dari an lake. When we got to the top, we split into two groups and toured the tribe area. The hill people are rather a collection of folks from Burma/China/and other areas. The chew beatlenut... which is an opiate so their teeth are broken up and their lips are very red. We went into the kitchen and sleeping area and then sat out on a "porch" held up with bamboo and watched the moon come up. Interesting the moon year is a half moon in the shape of a saucer... rather than ) like at home. I took some interesting pictures for the happenings. We had a soup of squash - green or might have been okra followed by rice and chicken. I had a beer to take my mind off of sitting out of the edge of the world. There were chickens and pigs running around and lots of dogs. I was also glad to know that the chicken we were eating came form the nice place we were staying. We then were introduced to the shaman who did an blessing on each of us. He drank water and sprayed it out of his mouth on the woven brackets. We then picked a bracelet and he did more breathing and spitting and pulling on your arm... interesting stuff. The tribe grew Poppy's in the not too distant past.. opium and it looks like a few still had a stash. They now appear to be more whisky/beer folk I was hoping the bus driver who was going to drive down this winding road had not been offered the wild turkey... After dinner we danced.. i did my best..but it was like a jerky hora.. and it was a challenge. Great fun. To celebrate living through the ride, I had a great people of chocolate mouse cake with ice cream drizzled with a raspberry sauce... not all that rough. I have some how lost my new glasses. My friend Anne says that she is going to go through my stuff and hope to find it.. but I am fearful they are good good good. Tomorrow morning we (Anne, Dan, Sheila and I ) go with the rest to the Elephants and then we stay overnight and then the next day. A few wonderful thoughts.. the baby elephants get their food out of the mom's butt.. i will be remembering not to bed over..and I think I will think twice about accepting kisses. The other think.. they are now "house trained" ... so this will be a lots of shit experience... can not wait. Well others wait.. all is good...bye

Friday - first week

The most difficult thing about the trip is getting to and on a computer. There are many folk who are puter challenged.. so I have been sitting here for about 1.5hrs waiting to tell you all about what is happening..but no time now.. so good bye. Only kidding...have not lost my humor.. but I am sure some things have changed. I was going to start telling you about the folks on this journey. There are 13 counting our yoga master Rick whom some of you know. We range from about 40ish to 77 and some of those in the middle are much older than the older ones. I am third oldest.. We are doing yoga from 9:30am to about 3.. then we go by a few very poor stands and since we are shopping deprived we just shop... i now have a purse but no money...and some soap to wash my face.. but I wonder if I was hard will I take off the eye lash color that i put on in Bangkok... I am looking at myself in a mirror with someone else's toothpaste left on he mirror. I brought about everything except a good mirror cleaner... I am sure one of the folks at the cave "mini mart" will be able to sell me some snake that can even do that. I am very please to tell you that i have not bought a hat.. amazing .. i have tried on many.. but have not.. and I have not bought a pen...I have not seen any.
Ok.. the yoga is going fairly well.. for me.. I am able to walk and get of bed..so what more do i want.. I can tell Rick is leading up to head stands.. and that is very scary to me .. tossing an extra 40 pounds in the air does not sound like a great vacation.
The food is great... last night we had a bbq.. salmon, chicken, scrimp and lots of veggies.. we all had some good laughs and then to bed. Before dinner i had a Thai massage.. i thought she might have thought I was a chicken since she appeared to be making a wish as she split my legs apart. but again.. after some tiger balm stuff and herbs.. i was groggy but walking. We all appear to be getting into a routine. There are some - two that are good yoga folk.. and there are the rest of us.. I am delighted to say.. my friend Sheila appears to be getting most of the the... try it this way comments from Rick.. yesterday.. i got a good.. .and today.. another praise.. so .. going well. Tomorrow I will try to get up early so I am not last in line.. doing well... miss non of you.. I am here... wish you were beautiful... or I am beautiful and wish you were here... the bonz.

Chiangdao

This is a magical kingdom. We are in the middle of no place. Seeing elephants walking in the field and a naked man walk the road. The place we are staying in our little huts is surrounded by heavy trees and an amazing mountain range. We walk to the little primitive village into a school and have our yoga.. the kids are terrific and creative. No one speaks English except .. hello what is your name. Better than I . Since we must us the computer that is in the home of the owners of the area that we are staying in.. it is a little inconvenient for them. I am actually in the bedroom of the boy watching the sister get her bath etc. So I will only be able to write if there is an opportunity and I feel that I am not unconvincing the. In short.. my body is getting stronger. my toe is healing. my yoga poses are not as rusty as I thought they would be. I slept like a log under 2 quilts and the food is terrific. Know that I think of all of you..hope the pooch is doing OK without me.. and I might not come home. I will keep a diary and write a long narative about my ventures. I can not say enough about the people we are with.. it is like a ship fool... b.

3rd day in Chiangmae

This is actually the 4th morning writing about the 3rd day. I stayed out last night with my buddy and had a beer on the steps of a building and watched the people go by. It was a wonderful feeling and reminded me of so many days of my travel when I was younger. Just chilling out and watching. If I was not so aware of how long and hard it is to get up, I would think/feel like 30 again. So back to some highlights of yesterday..
We took a "open bus" to a temple. - These deals are like a pickup with a little bench and a roof. You sit looking at the other bench of riders. We are very squished so that when you go to stand up it is not an easy task. The ride up was on a hill that killed an elephant in the early days and the ride down is at a pretty good pitch. The exhaust from all the bus travelers is very hard on the lungs. It was a cool morning and I wanted to take in some air to warm me.. but i could also feel my lungs fill up so.. I just felt the body heat of the other travelers. After our return I did more shopping. The shopping stuff will be a wonderful story when I return./.. some of my treasures for me (will not mention what I am bringing for others) in addition to pants and my shirt have been a rice cutter, Buddha head, and tobacco pouch from long ago hill tribes. Every one should have rice cutter. For lunch I went to a garage for cycles and cars.. and walked thought to stairs and went down to a open market looking place and had the best Som Tom I have ever had. Washed it down with rice/green drink.. (health bonny). I was in a real hurry for my apt with the Dr.. so I did not stay for a picture or two.. There were only 5 Frang.. non Thais in the place.. wonderful. I returned to the acupuncturist yesterday and she did some work on my legs and metabolism.. When I finished, I was happy to be traveling with another of the group.. I was ready for sleep.. so took a nap. I met Beth, our guide at Starbucks (and you thought I went to Thailand) and we started the evening. Met some terrific people that Beth has known for a long time and spent money. Avoided the bathroom last night until we ate a late snack and they had a western bowl... ;) happy bonny. I also stopped at the pharmacy and showed them my poor blister. They gave me a dressing and gel back.. feels great this morning. And that brings us to today. In a few minutes I will get in a "taxi" .. this actual lets us sit looking forward and has air conditioning. We will travel about 1.5 hrs to the middle of no place and that is where I will be for the next few days. There is Internet so I will continue my report.. but not sure when.. I can not tell you how much I am enjoying myself and how good and glad I am that I took this chance. It will not be my last.. my warm thoughts to all that read. I don't hear from anyone.. but this is my blog for bonny.. need to be a good neighbor and not keep the taxi... bye for now...b

Day 2 in Chaingmai

Last night the group went to a sit on the floor dinner that also had entertainment. My knees reminded me that I am not a child, but it was great fun. The "floor show" was the typical floor show involving "sexy Ladies" and strong while slight male dances. They has paper balloons that were sent flying up to the sky by torches ignited. As the smoke and heat built up in the balloon... up went the balloon. I wondered what happened when the flame went out and was told...what goes up comes down and sometimes on a motorcycle. Interesting stuff. After the floor show (and i have the picture to show it ) I vented out the night market and my first bathroom experience. I was mistaken about the hole in the ground.. the toilet here gives new meaning to "throne". The commode is actually off the ground.. as in you step up on this wet slippery porcelain and then squat over a sawed of toilet. There is nothing to hold on to...scary stuff. I did some walking around the night market but did not buy anything.
Today was the first cooking school.. Pat Thai, soup, green curry and lots of great tips on cooking and life. The cooking instructor was great fun...but it was a little primitive. While in class one of the cats at the school ate one of the students muffins... the instructor was barefoot.. but no one got burned and it was great fun.
When I returned, I had a foot massage.. but you did not know that your foot go from your ankle to your shoulders. It was great.
Today I ended the day with a walk about the Sunday market. I got some things for the folks at home and saw a shirt/jacket that I wanted. Of course they had nothing to fit. no problem. she took out a piece of string and measured me. I hope she remembers what knot mark goes with what part of the body. She will have it for me on Tues. lots of people .. lots of fun.
Very tired from the long day.. so over and out.

On to Chaingmai

Before I relate about today, I want to tell you of my experiences last night. A group of us wandered through the alley ways, over dogs, under laundry to an alley with an amazing chef. He cooked with the flare of a samurai tossing the food and pan in the air. We had to wait awhile to get a table since there was a large group. Again, Beth ordered and out came papaya salad, morning glory stir fried and some fish soup. I picked out the prawn with whiskers, but that soup could make me a fish lover. Admittedly I was very hungry and I did have a real beer, but the food was remarkable. I think there were three tables of us, all with food and drinks and the entire bill came to $50. Amazing. We split up after dinner and walked back to the hotel. When I went by a facial place at about 10:30 and before I really thought about it, I was down on my back in a window with about 10 other women with cucumbers and pink stuff all over me. She did her magic and "only take a minute....whack.. off came my mustache.. and more papers and eyes closed and my lower lashes were hennaed. The woman next to me, who spoke English but sounded German kept saying.. no cucumbers.. and the Thai person repeated no cucumbers as she tossed more on. When I can tell you, my upper lip feels like a babies bottom.. it was all great fun. The streets are just like worms ... a moving mass. I watched a woman making a banana something.. she cooked the dough and then sliced up banana's and then topped it off with chocolate sauce. Again..very wonderful, but I just watched and took pictures. I was about to go to bed when the merrymakers that I had dinner with were on the street and off to a Ska band. I was the responsible adult and went back to the room and got organized for a busy morning.
After breakfast, we hustled into a van..tossed the suitcases on top and went the length of Bangkok to the airport. A few of the folks that were nor responsible were in rather bad shape.. but lived. The other day, the blog said my pants cost 32... not so There were $3.20. but the bad news is I had to pay for the blue towel I used to clean up the room.. so that was 200 bhat.. the pants being 100bt.. so my pants are now pretty expensive. Although I was checked out, I went back to the room and picked up the towel... 200 is almost 8 dollars.
Today, after the airport, airplane, and airport taxi, I went to the Chinese doctor and had needles in my knees.. She told me I was in pretty good shape for an old girl. I walked the city for most of the afternoon and now my posting. We are off to an other dinner and dancing... so.. I want to show.. and this should not be too long. b.

Bangkok - land of smog - smiles & sites

2nd day – Bangkok. I don’t think I can express in words what I have seen and experienced today. The grandeur and extensive detail of the Palace and Wats are bigger and more spectacular than I had read or seen in the pictures. We started the day with a wonderful breakfast –eggs, fruit etc. and of course rice and what is called coffee. Then off for an unbelievable Thai massage. I know it was good since every spot hurt while he was working on me. It was a very different experience to have a room full of 21 folks in our party all prone getting receiving a massage at the same time. We went to many of the important religious and political places that are very old. Our guide was great and told us of many details of Thai Buddhism. For lunch we ate on a floating barge. It was very good but some got sea sick from the rocking of the boat and the very big meal. Now for the very unbonny event. We went to the national gem store and I actually bought a new ring and earrings…. Sapphire.. If I come home wearing a sarong, I might be in therapy. We fly out of Bangkok tomorrow and I hope to fine an Internet shop to send some pictures. I have seen scooters carrying a baby on the front of the seat, the driver, another child on the back and a poodle standing on the foot area. It is amazing what can be packed on to a little scooter. Martin and Beth got me a Vespa t-shirt.. very cool. The street sales are very interesting also. I was going to go to a hair extender and challenge them, but it was not a challenge; she assured me that they could do it. I have seen bugs to eat.. but I have passed. I will tell you one funny bonny tale. Last night I bought two pair of pants. In getting organized for today, I dropped a blue pair into the toilet. Within seconds, there as blue water in the toilet and I had blue dye all over the room and me. My hands are still blue. I think if it rains, the 32 dollar pants will leave a long trail. Time for another swim and dinner. I truly wish you were all here in the 9 2 degree temp. bye for now

I made it

Everything went very spoothly on the way over. I actually think that travelling 17 hrs is easier than a short trip. I got about 6hrs of 3x2hr naps. The plane had plenty of leg room and the meals were very good. The group feels like a great group of people. We all laugh a great deal, but why would we not - yoga and thai massage folks. While there were four people to a seat row on the plane, there was lots of leg room. I did the no jet leg homeopathic and I am here at 11pm Thai time at the hotel internet. I will have a swim before bed and then get ready for my first real day in Thailand. Tonight we went to street markets. I have decided prior to my travel that I would honor the veggie meal only when possible and not at the expense of the experience. I went with Beth and did lots of different curry. I even had squid which was like eating and old sock.. but with the right hot stuff.. it was great.
The airport is magnificent and has everything you could want. The streets are crowded and busy. Tomorrow I will go to the big Vespa shop on the street. If you can think it.. they have it.
I am very excited and more comfortable about my decision to venture this way. Until the next post when I will hopefully be more familiar with the key board and internet connection.
bye for now