Yesterday was a cracking day. Once I’d shaken off the hangover, I jumped on the bike to see more of the countryside  around Chiang Mai. Truly a beautiful place.  The national parks are amazing, the wildlife so diverse and the riding is the best yet on this trip.

On Phil’s advice I took way os known locally as the Samoen Loop and took in the

This little fella jumped straight into my lap and wanted to play. Tigers in Chiang Mai

Tiger sanctuary which was scarey experience, but loved being in with the cats, and the elelphant camp which included an elephant ride up to the village of the long neck women. The old addage that says you can’t get an an animal to do something they don’t want to do defintely applies here. When big Billy the elephant (my ride) decides he wants to stop to eat, you just have to wait. And when he wants to pee … it’s like listening to Niagara Falls!

Spent the rest of the day riding the Samoen Loop before heading back to Rider’s Corner and another evening talking bikes and beer with everyone in the bar.

I really, really, really don’t want to go home!

This big boy is only 21 months old and already weights 170 kilos. They expect him to grow to double that weight by the time he is 5.

Song of the day – Just Like Paradise – David Lee Roth

Elephant Camo, Chiang Mai

How amazing is this?