Thursday ,( Thailand), 27 Oct., 2016 (Tour day 7)
   Last night was the first of 2 nights at the Dusit Island Resort and we really liked the large room.  The only drawback so far was the 6am wake up and 7:45 departure.  Actually we didn’t really get away until 8 when we walked down to the river and boarded speed boats for a 45 minute ride up river to meet the elephants we were to ride.  The ‘mahout’s’ are paired with their elephant in childhood (the elephant’s, that is,) . 15 of us went for a ride lasting about one hour, 2 passengers per elephant along a well-worn path through  the jungle.

 The rocking gait took some time to get accustomed to and I think it would take a lot of practice before it was no longer  work The elephant in front of the one we were riding definitely does not like pigs.  He became quiet jittery, acting like he wanted to make a hasty departure.  We were on the largest elephant,, at the tail end of the group.  The mahout drove our elephant, who was older and calmer, between the pig and the younger elephant. . Our route took us along a paved road then a dirt road and finally through lush jungle and beside crops of rice and pineapple.  At the end of the trip they took the unusual step of entering the water for a special experience.
 
   We left on the bus then transferred to pick-up trucks to visit a kindergarten where we distributed

cartons of milk and were entertained with song and a recitation of the English alphabet.  The Thai government has set up numerous schools in the outlying areas of the country, where there is a great deal of poverty and few job opportunities.  They are determined that all the children gains a basic education.  These schools are provided free of tuition charges.  The basics of school buildings, teachers, and basic teachings supplies.  The rest is paid for by fundraising by the teachers and parents.  Our group “passed a hat” to help the school.  I have no idea how much was given.

Carrying on in the trucks we went to the Choui Fong Tea plantation for tasting of the green and oolong tea they produce.
   Lunch was at Chiang Sang in a lovely garden setting. It was a buffet with local Thai dishes, (cost 250 baht which seems to be normal).  After lunch we drove to the “Golden Triangle” where Thailand, Burma, (now called Myanmar), and Laos meet on the Mekong River.

 We first visited the Museum of Opium, then boarded a boat to take us across to Laos for a short visit where we were able to purchase and mail post cards back to Canada.  We were also introduced to a unique whisky they produce which has a cobra in each bottle.  We tasted it and it wasn’t bad. They also have one with the penis of a tiger which we didn’t taste.  Then it was time to head back to the hotel arriving after dark, at about 6:45.

   Our tour guide, Kong, keeps on producing treats on the longer segments of the bus rides.  Except for small bananas they are always some special Thai treat such as a bar made of rice, honey and spices.  On the way back to the hotel tonight he had “peppered  eggs.  These eggs are prepared by removing the egg from the shell, putting black pepper and other spices or herbs you might like, shaking the eggs to spread the spices around.  The egg was then returned to the shell and cooked |(I think be roasting).  The eggs were very tasty.