Jungle Fever

Tiger on an Elephant

King of the jungle, but only for a day! And one day was enough for me. Elephant riding is far more difficult than you think, still sore. I don't see how the trainers do it. Makes me glad I have a desk job.


Gentile Giants

It was a great day in Chiang Mai. One of the best tourism experiences I've had in a long time. There are numerous elephant 'camps' deep in the jungles of Northern Thailand where you can interact with these massive creatures in a variety of ways - feeding, bathing, riding, etc. Some have better reputations than others, often fueled by news reporters who feel compelled to write everything from a PC perspective to make the story more controversial than it really is. The only thing I didn't like at my camp was the stupid animal tricks, giving the elephant a paintbrush and teaching it how to create some artwork. But it's no different than what one would see at Sea World or many zoos, nationwide.



Beast of Burden

Other than elephant riding, I found the log rolling, pulling, and stacking demonstration to be culturally significant. It helped me understand the interdependence between animals and people in a work-related context. Today, it's within a tourism context, thanks to modern machinery which has replaced many of our traditional customs and practices. This is one of the main reasons I like visiting Asia so much, especially the developing countries. You get to see first-hand what life was like long ago. Rapid advancements in Western society foster the idea that new is good and old is bad. Technologically savvy and culturally insensitive we all rush to ruin.



Trainer and Trainee

River to Nowhere

Fishing for Giants

Giant Mekong Catfish

Stalking two Thai giants on a fishing trip yesterday - the Giant Mekong Catfish (morning) and the Giant Snakehead (afternoon).  Hoping to make a twin killing, but only managed to slay one of the beasts. BTW, King David only got one too! Among catfish, the Giant Mekong is the world's largest. I'd like to see someone try to noodle one of those bruisers. Mine weighed about 25 kilos. I know, sounds more like a drug deal than a fish. The Giant Snakehead would have been a prize, but it wasn't meant to be - at least not on this trip. Fished all afternoon and only saw a couple of them. Not a single strike for me or the guide. But I left happy. There's no such thing as a bad day fishing!






Catch-n-Release

Snakehead Lake

Getting (Unsettled) In

I'm staying at a hotel on campus - same place I stayed last time. Kwanmor is functional - clean and convenient, on the bus route, and offers breakfast. Most importantly, the room has AC. :) Not exactly a 5-star accommodation, but plenty good enough considering I'll only be here for a month. Check it out for yourself. http://home.kku.ac.th/kwanmor/index.php It didn't take long to unpack my stuff.

I had no intentions for dinner to become a small misadventure. The place I ate was familiar, behind the student center. Imagine a partially-enclosed flea market with many food stalls, all of which are privately owned and operated. There's an eating area in the back with lot's of tables and chairs. The food selection is enormous and all written in Thai. You can just point and pay - all the food is in plain sight. This is one of the reasons I like it. No need to worry about any menus here.

After checking out the food stalls, I decided to get some freshly-cooked vegetables. You get what you want and put it in a small plastic bag. They weigh it and you pay it. The conversion rate is 35 Baht to 1 USD. A bag of vegetables, about 20 Baht. Good start. Next, I went for the main course. If you are reading this blog then you already know how much I like fish. Seafood in Thailand is a no-brainer. It turned out to be a fish soup, and I watched them make it. Water, vegetables, and fresh fish. 50 Baht, yikes I actually spent over 1 USD!

They put this boiling mixture into a plastic bag and tied a rubber band around it very tightly. I don't see how they do it. I got a bowl, spoon and chopsticks - ready to go, or so I thought. What could possibly go wrong? I sat down at a table meant for four and started eating my vegetables. Then I was ready for the fish soup. I finally got the rubber band untied (keep in mind the bag was still very hot) and dumped the contents into the bowl, carefully holding the bag by both edges. Everything worked perfectly until I realized that the bowl was too small and the hot broth gushed across the table and partly into my lap. I didn't know what to do. It's a good thing others weren't eating with me.

Much to my surprise, a couple of the cooks (but not the ones I had ordered from) came over and started wiping the table with napkins that I had failed to get. One brought over a bigger bowl and I successfully made the transfer. Afterwards, they checked on me a couple of times to make sure I was doing okay. Not sure if this made me feel better or worse. But it just goes to show that people can have mercy on strangers, especially dumb Americans. Whew, glad that meal was over!  

Arrived Alive!

Not sure which felt better, a hot shower or brushing my teeth! Arrived in Bangkok last night about 10:30 pm after a grueling flight - over 24 hours in the air or sitting in a terminal.  St. Louis to Minneapolis to Japan and finally to Thailand. And that doesn't count getting up at 4:00 am in Columbia to catch the early morning airport shuttle to St. Louis.  But, I'm here and well, I think.

Off to Khon Kaen this afternoon to start another adventure. I have been to the campus a few times before and look forward to returning. Some good faculty friends and always look forward to meeting the students. Amazing Thailand! Come and see for yourself.

https://www.tourismthailand.org/