One Day in Chiangmai
In 2015, my family visited Chiangmai, which is called Thailand’s “Rose of the North”, and we really had a good time there. In the second day of our wonderful journey, we were told by our tour guide that we were going to visit Mae Tang Elephant Camp. Elephant camp! The very second I heard this term, my heartbeat was accelerating, and everyone could tell from my cheerful smile that I expected this visit very much. I love animals and I couldn’t wait to see those lovely elephants!
When we arrived and got the tickets from our tour guide, I rushed to the stadium and managed to find a seat that offers the best field of view. After what seemed like an eternity, a group of elephants presented themselves and waved their trunks as a way to say hello, so we audience knew that the fantastic show began! Under the guidance of an elephant trainer, these elephants began to kick a ball and passed it to each other either with their feet or trunks. What an enticing beginning! I pressed the shutter button like a thousand times! The climax came when elephants took brushes with their trunks and began to draw pictures. One of the elephants amazed us all with a simple but beautiful scenery artwork and there was even a signature on it. At last, audience was allowed to feed these hardworking elephants with bananas bought from the shop in this camp.
Later, we headed to go white water rafting; however, it was not so exciting as I had expected. What impressed me most was how happy those tourists in our tour group were. The average age of our tour group was over 50, but these tourists were very energetic. These fellows sang songs loudly during the rafting, and took pictures together with many funny gestures. Even the raftsman was infected by their happiness and couldn’t help smiling. They really knew how to enjoy themselves.
In the afternoon, I took a ride on an elephant. At first, I thought it would be interesting and relaxing to enjoy the scenery on an elephant’s back, but my mind changed when I saw the elephants. Their backs and necks were rounded with iron chains used to fix a large chair. Each step took them great efforts. I thought they were really poor, and this feeling became so strong when the elephant trainer sitting in front of me lashed the elephant heavily with a whip that I shouted “please don’t do that!”, but he just laughed with embarrassment. I knew from this elephant trainer that these elephants had to work eight hours a day, and their babies had to follow them when they were working to get familiar with the route. On these words, my heart was broken. It was too cruel to get these innocent animals overworked for benefits.
I had a great time in Chiangmai and I will definitely visit it again, but I don’t think I will go to elephant camp next time since it will easily get me sad.
