Days 0 and 1

Day 0: The Baby and the Tourist

Our happiest moments as tourists always seem to come when we stumble upon one thing while in pursuit of something else. ~ Lawrence Block

Before I begin the daily blogs proper, I have a little story I would like to share. It is about a baby and a tourist whom I encountered during the Sunday night bazaar.

The Sunday night bazaar was intriguing. Set in the heart of Chiang Mai, the market is bordered by the city moat and Tha Phae gate. The Tha Phae gate is the entrance of the old palace, when Chiang Mai used to be the capital of Thailand. It was indeed a mix of both old and new, historic and trendy. Shopkeepers tended their stalls with their children in tow, some lounging in sun chairs, some cradled by their mothers. All around them were city walls and temples from centuries ago, shrouded in darkness compared to the stark white lights hung at the stalls to illuminate their products. It almost seemed as though the market had travelled back in time and planted itself in the ancient city.

Whilst shopping at the night market I saw a baby in a shopkeeper’s arms. The poor thing was crying, until a Caucasian tourist came by and began cooing at him. The resulting smile from the tiny baby was the brightest that I have seen in a while. It was a simple sight that spoke volumes about how the language barrier, between a Thai baby and a Caucasian man no doubt, can easily be overcome with actions that transcend cultural boundaries and the warmth of the human heart. That scene gave me hope that despite all the faults that we often find with one another, there is an underlying humanity, an unshakeable characteristic we all share, that binds all of us together.

I leave the night market with new souvenirs, new knowledge, and new hope for the future.

Day 1: Gentle Creatures

The Elephant Nature Park, or ENP for short, is the first stop of our research journey. The park is situated next to a small river, surrounded by hills on all sides, a morning’s ride away. The purpose of ENP is to rescue elephants who have been put out of work or have been injured due to accidental injury or mistreatment.

The day’s activities started off with feeding the elephants, followed by touring the park and getting up close and personal with the magnificent animals themselves. Throughout the tour our guide told us stories of how each of the elephants was rescued, and how these elephants have managed to form relationships not just with each other, but with the humans, buffaloes, dogs and cats around them as well. I did not know that elephants like to chase dogs but dislike buffaloes. I even learnt that elephants can form hierarchal relationships within their own community!

One of the most memorable activities for me was bathing the elephant in the river. Compared to the scorching heat of the afternoon sun, the river seemed refreshingly ice cold. We waded in, armed with our buckets, and splashed the elephant with water.

Not only did I have the experience to treasure for a lifetime, but also gained a lot of knowledge by listening to the stories and the plight that elephants in Thailand face. Prior to their rescue, some elephants had been blinded by bright circus lights, others blinded due to the cruel use of the mahout’s hook. Still others had gotten into accidents during logging, when wandering the streets, or met with trouble with hidden landmines, resulting in broken backs or legs. As depressing as these stories might have been, I was greatly uplifted by the determination and passion the staff at ENP have to provide a good life for elephants upon their ‘retirement’, and to educate the masses about the mistreatment of elephants.

The daytime activities at ENP were a great opportunity for me to reconnect with nature. Having spent most of my life in Singapore, a concrete jungle, this was a rare chance to get my hands dirty, and to experience nature for the greatness that it is.

True enough, at the end of the day, elephants no longer seemed like the tall giants that I saw fifteen years ago. They seemed more real, and more connected to the human race than I could ever have imagined. Their lives are directly connected to the way we live ours.