Sunday 15th October

Woken from a dreamless sleep by the alarm. Noom and a different driver picked us up at 8.45. He was depressed because Liverpool had drawn 1-1.
We arrived just in time to see the elephants bathing in the river at the elephant camp. Then hurried up to the ‘stadium’ to see the most spectacular show. Elephants dancing, playing football, working with huge logs and painting! They obviously each had a close relationship with their mahout (trainer) who, we later saw, even slept beside their elephant in their shelter. There was only only one elephant per mahout.
Noom had earlier asked if we wanted an elephant ride and taken us to the kiosk to buy our tickets. Only when we went for the ride did we see that we could have gone for just half an hour instead of the hour we had bought. After just five minutes on the elephant we wanted to change to the shorter ride because the mud he was walking through up a step incline was over a foot deep and we were convinced the elephant would slide and we would fall off. The ride turned out to be absolutely awesome but our calves were killing us once we got off. Must have been trying to balance ourselves.
Noom asked if we wanted to see a monkey show on the way back. As we both love monkeys agreed but how we wish we hadn’t! The tricks were fun but the conditions terrible. The babies even showed signs of severe trauma.
Both felt gloomy as we drove to our next destination, an orchid farm. As ever this was designed for tourist. The orchids growing there were beautiful. Unfortunately my camera battery was flat but Mim was able to take about four photo’s before her spool ran out. Bought some souvenirs. Would have loved to have seen a real orchid farm where the flowers were being grown for the market. They are so beautiful.
Back at guest house, I checked with reception that it would be ok to stay longer then got Tiffee, the receptionist, to ring the airline and change our flights then to ring Hotel Manhattan in Bangkok and change our dates. That done we sat at the pool with a cocktail and Thai snacks before our afternoon nap. Woke up with a start and realized it was 5.40 and church was at 6. We had collapsed onto our beds in our clothes so just a slap of lippie and our shoes and off in a tuk tuk to the Sacred Hearts Church. Tuk tuk driver offered to pick us up afterwards. When he picked us up he told us we had to eat at Antique House. Said no wanted to go to night market. He said “Yes but eat first Antique House” and promptly drove us there. Welcomed by smiling waitress. Told her we did not want to eat but could we have a drink. She said that was OK. So we had a beer and thought of mom who would no doubt have approved of us going to mass first before having our beer!
Walked through night market and found an IT plaza where I had my photos put on a disk. Walked back to our guest house – quite a trek. Hadn’t eaten so thought we’d have a drink before bed (sounds logical). (Had poured some vodka and whiskey into empty small water bottles when we left Bangkok!)