15 Rai of water melon, almost ready for harvest, was eaten by a group of elephants one morning, close to the village where our family has their house. The same day the more adventoures (i.e. swedish) part of the family was out on an elephant treck themselve, by motorbike around the sea in the nearby national park. One Girl in the family is now working in this national park and had been out with the rangers several times and seen wild animals, and she pointed out the direction where she had seen a large group of elephants, including several baby elephants.
So, did the meet any? Not face-to-face, but the smell was strong and both the Elephant track as well as the Elephant dropping was fairly fresh. And the elephant grass ahead of them seem to be moving….
We have spend one week in the small Isaan villiga Ban Rat Samaki. New years eve was celebrated in thai-style. Everyone brought a small gift (nicely wrapped) and then it was a lottery. The challenge was to buy a gift that would please both adults and children, but it was good mood and a lot of laughter during the lottery, so I think most of us manage pretty well.
One day we went on a tour to the Jim Thompson farm. The farm tour contains different parts, including exhibition and education of Isaan architecture and Isaan villages. Since our travel company were all Isaan woman they could teach us more by sharing childhood memories of the heavy farming job they need to help out with. So we all put our passion and enthusiams on the beautiful flower and pumpkin fields. At the end of the farm tour we all enjoyed the tasting of Tea and sweets made of mulberry. (Mulberry leaf is used for feeding the silk worms)
The last day we visited the winter-land in one of the shopping malls, the youngest girl had asked for a vist here every day the last three weeks, so finally everyone got the opportunity to play around, throw some snow balls and ride the ice-slide.
skaugentravel 