December 11th - Day 2 of Tuk Tuk Tour

Walked down to the end of the drive so Juniper could get real coffee instead of instant. 

The breakfast patio at our hotel

After breakfast we're back into our Tuk Tuk (everyone is already possessive about which Tuk Tuk is 'ours'!) and we head through the countryside and small communities to a fantastic pagoda at a hill top Temple with great views of the surrounding mountains, giving us a glimpse of where we’ll be heading tomorrow!

This is the creepiest looking thing ever. 

The best thing about this pagoda is we could climb up to the top for an amazing view. 

Juniper is staying far away from the edge. She is not fond of heights. 

Apparently this highest ranking person was born in the year of the rooster and wife and child were the goat and rabbit. The gold thing on top of the rooster is the highest angel. 

179 steps down to the maze. 

Almost there 

And looking back up 

The maze

Workers in the fields 

Headed back to our hotel to change clothes for wet adventures this afternoon. 

Working under umbrellas

We stopped at this stand

Yuth (pronounced yoot) is showing us some of the different produce 

and other foods. He bought these for supper. 

Banyan tree at the hotel 

We then head North up the valley in our Tuk Tuk to a fantastic small elephant home that is leading the way in taking elephants away from a life of trekking and instead creating an environment where people can learn about and spend time with elephants on their terms, not ours!

Hauling the onions they are harvesting

Don’t see many animal crossing signs like this in the US. 

This was delicious!

This dancing elephant was rescued from the circus and that’s why she dances like that. 

On arrival we learned about the history of the elephants and what the team at the Elephant home have been doing to continually improve the lives of the elephants. Then, after a simple but filling lunch at the home (right next to the elephants), it's time to enjoy the company of these wonderful animals. We are able to help their mahouts feed them and then walk with them (no riding allowed!) to the local river where they take their daily bath.

And this one loves to give kisses that feel like she’s sucking your face off. 

Walking down to the river we pass a wooden toy factory. 

Passion fruit

We follow the elephants down to the river

And cross the river several times. 

The mahouts let them wander where they want. 

Feeding them homemade vitamin squares 

After the elephants are clean we have a change of pace as we float gently downstream on bamboo rafts before it's time for a late afternoon Tuk Tuk convoy as we head back to the base camp to freshen up before heading out for another great dinner at a local family restaurant. If we keep eating like this, it’s going to be hard to get into our clothes by the end of this trip.

Arriving at the rafts

This is the only male elephant we saw and he was a beauty!

Absolutely loved this! It was so peaceful and beautiful, we didn’t want it to end. 

Another gorgeous sunset as we head back to our hotel 

Fruit salad 

Fish with sweet and chili sauce

Chicken curry

And the fried crickets…yes, I ate one. It tasted like crispy fried okra. 

The family at the restaurant had several bins of hedgehogs. This one is one month old but they also had some babies that were four days old. 

It was the most incredible day, a joy to see a family that loves and cares for the elephants. This farm is not open to the public as a money making attraction. Only the Tuk Tuk club supports them and is allowed to feed, walk and bathe them. There are many elephant tourist attractions in Thailand that are not responsible elephant farms. 

Here’s a little bit about the founder of the Tuk Tuk club and his love for the elephants. 

Bruce Haxton is known for organizing fundraising efforts, including cycling challenges, to support elephant homes, especially those struggling financially, like MaeVang Elephant Home. 

He made an epic 1,400 mile cycle ride across Thailand. The ride would be tough enough at any time of the year, but to do it in the middle of the hot season makes it even tougher. Add in the fact that Bruce is, in his own words, “a middle-aged man with a penchant for cigarettes and beer,” and you have to question whether the gregarious Yorkshireman has thought this through. But thinking is something that Bruce has done plenty of since the Covid pandemic hit. Like most travel companies across Thailand, his business has suffered and this has had a knock-on effect for the staff and elephants at MaeVang Elephant Home in Chiang Mai.

MaeVang Elephant Home is a cause that is close to Bruce’s heart. There is no riding allowed at the small, family-owned centre which is home to nine elephants. Bruce is an advocate for responsible tourism in Thailand and has struck up a close bond with Khun Noom and all the people involved with MaeVang Elephant Home. Before the pandemic, Bruce brought customers via tuk-tuk to the scenic location in the hills south-west of Chiang Mai city. Covid changed that.

Although there were no visitors and no income for elephant centres across North Thailand during Covid, the elephants still needed to be fed and cared for. Bruce was determined to do something positive to help. Recognising the challenging times for the elephants and mahouts, he wanted to set himself a challenge too, a journey across Thailand to raise awareness and funds for the elephants and mahouts.

The challenge was to cycle across Thailand covering over 1,400 miles. Starting in Chiang Mai and cycling south-east up and down the hills of North Thailand towards Isaan and looping back to the finish in Chiang Mai. And all this at the hottest time of the year.

The numbers speak for themselves:1,429 miles (2,230 km)

• 18 consecutive days of cycling
• 76 miles (123 km) a day
• 40C (104F) temperatures
• 11,099 metres climbed (approximately 1.5 times the height of Mount Everest) 
• 42,426 calories burned (approximately 500 servings of som tam!)

Deciding on a 2,000+ km ride wasn’t a random selection. The number 2,000 is significant because 2,000 Thai Baht is the approximate amount needed to feed and look after two elephants each day. The elephants eat 10% of their body weight every day. They weigh between 3-4 tons. 

One of the joys of this tour has been being out among the people and not with the hundreds of buses unloading at all the tourist attractions, (like our day tour to Chiang Rai).

The guides took more photos of us so I will post some of those when they are available. What a joyous day among God’s great creatures and creation!

Joy of every longing heart

“What happened to the promise that Jesus is coming again?” The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient. (2 Pet 3:4, 9) We are looking forward to the new heavens and new earth he has promised, a world filled with God’s righteousness. (2 Pet. 3:13)

Lord Jesus, as I meditate on these words of encouragement from the Apostle Peter, I’m sitting in my art room, listening to this great hymn of intense craving.

“Come, Thou long expected Jesus, born to set Thy people free. From our fears and sins release us, let us find our rest in Thee. Israel’s strength and consolation, hope of all the earth Thou art—Dear desire of every nation, Joy of every longing heart.”

I join believers today, all over the world, resting in the good news of your first coming, but restless for your second. Truly, Jesus, you are the hope of all the earth, the Desire of every nation (whether they know it or not), and the Joy of our longing hearts.

May the patience of heaven translate into kindness in our hearts, while we wait for your return. We’re stressed, but, hallelujah, we’re yours. We have fears, but, hallelujah, you have us in your heart and hands. Loving Jesus, “By Thine all sufficient merit, raise us to Thy glorious throne.”