Hannah’s Weblog

We started our weekend in Thasawang silk village. Not too far from our house, but through beautiful green paddy fields…..Rice is what surrounds surin. The village exports their silk all over the world, and I was amazed what a slow labourious process it is. The women told us the achieve about 5 cm a day, so to finish one piece can take up to 6 months, if not more…. maybe give us a greater appreciation for all the silk we have on sale at home …. We wandered around the workshop and the little shops around the village. I bought a gorgeous silk bag, and a camera case…

Next stop was Surin’s elephant study center. An amazing place where they care for and breed 63 elephants. Most elephants work in thailand, so it was lovely to see them well looked after and really happy We spent an hour or so watching the elephants feed and play. They are sooo incredible, and it was amazing to be so up close to them. At 2 o’clock there was to be a show. I wasn’t sure if I was going to enjoy an elephant show, but they genuinely looked happy and like they were really enjoying themselves. All sorts of tricks were performed. One elephant painted a picture, another popped balloons with darts. They played football and basketball and even stood on two legs!

The best part of the day was when we went into the village. The head of the village had allowed all 8 of us to stay with him, and ride his elephants. I was soooo scared at first. O just shouted “choose your elephant, and get on!” “what??” “get on how?? exactly??” hahahha so we were eventually helped onto the elephant. I shared with Hayley but sat right by this head so that I was sure I was going to fall over and down her trunk! her huge ears flapped to cool her and also wipped at my bare feet. we were suddenly in the trees, bending to avoid branches, we meandered through the village and toward the river. Yes! The river!! Elephants are covered in long spiky, wiery hairs which itched my legs, but It was fun…it was the river I was worried about. I shouted to O, to take my camera and sunglasses…this was a big mistake, as when we got to the river he was kind of attacked and hit by one of the larger elephants trunk…he was thrown into a ditch and my sun glasses were crushed at least O was ok, if not a little sore…. We hot deeper and deeper into the river, and I was terrified I’d get thrown off and crushed myself as they role and play. But i managed to stay aboard, even when my elephant totally emerged into the muddy river!! Stuarts elephant though it would be funny to spray me with her trunk!! hahahah I got completely soaked!!! Wandering around the rice paddies was amazing……

Back at the village we began to make diiner. yellow and red curry and phad Thai. O gave us the instructions and we helped make it. It was wonderful creating dinner, then all sitting down to eat, Thai style up on the table…..We ate, then played cards, whilst an amazing electric storm brightened the sky. It was an incredible day !!