Well, maybe not Sally (that one is for you Mom) but I sure did ride! Not a horse, as I sometimes do, but an elephant! It has been twelve years since I dared jump on the majestic animals, and the last one was at Marine World so it didn't really count.
My wondrous elephant trek began on the island of Koh Phangan. It is a lovely island where the beaches are long, white, and uncrowded. The tourists were much different on this island than the last Christine and I went to, where, as her Dad calls them, white men are with "rentals." I nearly wet myself when he belted out, "Most people rent cars on vacation, but in Thailand you can rent women!"
Ahhhhh so true Gary, so true. Christine's parents arrived over a week ago and we left for the island on a blistering day where the sun was high and strong and the ferry ride was long and bouncy. But, after a life-threatening and back-breaking tuk tuk ride to the northeast part of Phangan, we arrived to our rooms which were all glass windows facing the ocean. We explored the beach and the room and discovered many quaint beach side restaurants as well as outdoor (private) showers and no door on the bathrooms in the rooms. But, the views were incredible, and indeed there is something to be said about pulling up your blinds in the morning, with some ferocity mind you, to let the rippling aqua water pierce your sleepy eyes.
After two days of vegetating, we decided to do an organized trip and that was where we saw the blessed creatures that we got to ride (see photos on facebook for a visual play by play). There big brown eyes and sagging tough skin was all too familiar, but what I hadn't remembered was the hair the sprouted all over its monstrous body. And, of course, Christine and I got the rebellious one that continued to wander into the jungle and off the path, causing more than a few scrapes from nearby bamboo branches.
After our cowgirl riding we then spent the day on the beach and snorkeling in a small cove, where the fish were plentiful and the coral was bright. It is amazing how you can dip your face into the water and the world is silent. It constantly amazes me how beautiful our oceans are, and I am reminded how desperately we need to conserve them.
On Tuesday we found out school was cancelled that Thursday and Friday because of Swine Flu (I know I know, how wonderfully horrible) so we took the parents to another beach on the mainland by where we live and proceeded to swim in their hotel pool and frolic about in the cool water like children!
Now, we are preparing for our friends to visit; one from Orange County, one from Germany, and one coming from Espana, though ALL are Chico people, born and raised!
So, here comes the never-ending craziness that will ensue starting Thursday, and we are SO ready to have them here to remind us we DO have amazing people in our lives!
More later........ ;-)
My wondrous elephant trek began on the island of Koh Phangan. It is a lovely island where the beaches are long, white, and uncrowded. The tourists were much different on this island than the last Christine and I went to, where, as her Dad calls them, white men are with "rentals." I nearly wet myself when he belted out, "Most people rent cars on vacation, but in Thailand you can rent women!"
Ahhhhh so true Gary, so true. Christine's parents arrived over a week ago and we left for the island on a blistering day where the sun was high and strong and the ferry ride was long and bouncy. But, after a life-threatening and back-breaking tuk tuk ride to the northeast part of Phangan, we arrived to our rooms which were all glass windows facing the ocean. We explored the beach and the room and discovered many quaint beach side restaurants as well as outdoor (private) showers and no door on the bathrooms in the rooms. But, the views were incredible, and indeed there is something to be said about pulling up your blinds in the morning, with some ferocity mind you, to let the rippling aqua water pierce your sleepy eyes.
After two days of vegetating, we decided to do an organized trip and that was where we saw the blessed creatures that we got to ride (see photos on facebook for a visual play by play). There big brown eyes and sagging tough skin was all too familiar, but what I hadn't remembered was the hair the sprouted all over its monstrous body. And, of course, Christine and I got the rebellious one that continued to wander into the jungle and off the path, causing more than a few scrapes from nearby bamboo branches.
After our cowgirl riding we then spent the day on the beach and snorkeling in a small cove, where the fish were plentiful and the coral was bright. It is amazing how you can dip your face into the water and the world is silent. It constantly amazes me how beautiful our oceans are, and I am reminded how desperately we need to conserve them.
On Tuesday we found out school was cancelled that Thursday and Friday because of Swine Flu (I know I know, how wonderfully horrible) so we took the parents to another beach on the mainland by where we live and proceeded to swim in their hotel pool and frolic about in the cool water like children!
Now, we are preparing for our friends to visit; one from Orange County, one from Germany, and one coming from Espana, though ALL are Chico people, born and raised!
So, here comes the never-ending craziness that will ensue starting Thursday, and we are SO ready to have them here to remind us we DO have amazing people in our lives!
More later........ ;-)
