Warning...ELEPHANT EDUCATION TO FOLLOW

How's it going? James and I are getting ready to head to Koi Samui this afternoon...can't wait to park it on the beach for a few days. We have had some amazing adventures since we came to Chiang Mai!! We spent 2 days at the Elephant nature park (www.elephantnaturepark.org) which was one of the most amazing and sad places I've ever been. It was started and is run by a Thai woman named Lek (means small in Thai). She rescues trekking elephants and mistreated elephants from all over Thailand and gives them a place to live that is free from mahouts (elephant trainers) that beat them with big metal hooks. These elephants are free to roam and do not have to give curious tourists rides. Because tourism is the only way for captive elephants to make money since logging was banned Lek gives tourists a better way to interact with the elephants. Instead of sitting on them in a basket that sits on the weakest part of their spine you get to help out with their morning feeding session and you get to walk with them down to the river where you can help wash them off. James and I had a great time and have tons of pictures to show you all soon. Check out the website it is such a cool place and they could definitely use financial support if someone is looking for a good cause to support. They don't charity status because of some PR damage that PETA did 5 years ago(way to go PETA). But it is a great establishment and Lek is really trying to change the way elephants are trained. Right now most elephants (around the age of 5) are forced into a cage that is too small for them to move in and are beaten until they submit to their trainer. Most people, including most Thais, don't realize that this is taking place so Lek is trying to make people aware. The problem with this practice, besides the obvious, is that because tourists like the baby elephants the mahouts are doing this process on younger and younger elephants and the process can lead to their death. Lek is trying to use a positive reinforcement system instead of beating the elephants. James and I got to meet some of the baby elephants that are being trained with a postive system and it seems to be working great. I got a big wet kiss to prove it. :) The training is not the only hardship that elephants are facing...we met an elephant that was a drug addict because her mahout worked her 24hours a day and gave her "uppers" so she could had the energy, we met a blind elephant that had her eyes sling-shotted out, one that had her back broken because she was chained to an aggressive male elephant and another that was missing part of her foot because she stepped on a landmine....very sad. Anyway, sorry for my big soap box speech but Asia elephants will be GONE by the year 2015 if methods aren't changed soon. We've done lots more in Chiang Mai but I think I've said enough for now :) We both loves Thailand and have TONS of pictures to share. Love you all!