Welcome to the Jungle

On our last full day in Thailand, we went on a day-long safari in the rainforest at Khao Sok national park, a two hour drive from where we were staying.

As we approached the park, our guide told us that mudslides are a serious issue in the area. We got to see just how serious as we drove through an area where half of the road had been wiped out by a mudslide earlier in the year. Here's where the road used to be:

I just hoped that the remaining half that we were driving on was still stable!

This is where our safari began:

The first activity of our day was an elephant ride through the rainforest. While we sat on a cushioned bench, our mahout (elephant driver) sat directly on the elephant's head.

Steering was accomplished by a combination of pressure from the mahout's feet and knees behind the elephant's ears and verbal commands (sounded like grunts to us!). Mahouts also had a mean looking hooked prod - we were assured that it doesn't hurt the elephant - but I was glad using the prod wasn't necessary!

When we were done, we bought a basket of fruit to feed our elephant. It was amazing to watch her grab the fruit, roll it up in her trunk, then pop it in her mouth.

Next up was buffet-style Thai lunch at a hut in the middle of nowhere.

Then, we were off on canoe trip down the Sok River through the jungle. Fortunately, the canoe came with an experienced local rower - all we had to do was sit back and enjoy!

Another memorable day from our unforgettable trip.

We were really happy with all that we were able to see and do over just five days...and know that we only saw a tiny fraction of what Thailand has to offer. I guess we need to start a "places to go back to" list! So, good-bye for now, Thailand!