A quick trip to Uluru: Elephant Camp, Long Neck Woman & a huge day....

We left the hotel at 8.00 this morning and have just got back in and it's 9.15.....what a massive day....We were picked up in a mini bus, it took us about an hour to drive up to the elephant camp.....It's in the mountains and there are so many of them.....I did ask the guy that took us for the ride where the elephants came from, were they breed in captivity or were they taken from the jungle up in the mountains, but I don't think he understood as he said they were all from the mountains but there were a lot of babies there and they seemed to be with their Mum's.....
They had a show which was good the elephants all looked like they were well cared for and they were very cheeky...you could buy banana's to give them and they would come over to get their treat's but some of them would take the whole bunch....
We had a Ox cart ride that was rough as but nothing compared to the elephant...You went up to the top on the ox and then waited for the elephant to take you back down....the ride took about 30 minutes I thought that I was going to fall out from under the bar as it was so steep....I did do a couple of Oh my God's and the guy said Oh my Buddha....we also stopped at the top so he could take a photo of us with my phone, he was a real character and as soon as he got off he asked for 100 Baht to get my phone back.....The elephants seem to know exactly what their guys are saying they do seem to have a real bond with them.....
We had lunch there and it was really good, I think it's been one of the best meals we have had since we got here.....
Then a 30 minute bamboo raft ride down the river, very pleasant on a nice sunny day......

From there we went to the Long Necks they all come from Burma and have come in to Thailand because of turmoil in their country, the woman initially put the rings on to stop tiger attacks so if a tiger got them they could not attack their necks.......The rings are around 5 kilo's and just picking them up is heavy never lone wearing it all your life.....They do take it off every 5 or so years to add more rings to it.....their neck is the same size as ours it's their collar bone that has been moved down to give the illusion of a "long neck".
They are very softly spoken and when you ask them if you can take a photo they want you in it with them....
Last stop was a Orchid farm and butterfly house, the orchids were spectacular the butterfly's were just ok....
Back to the hotel to drop off the bags change my shoes and then back out for a massage, then dinner and a quick run around the market stalls, Ethan had another fish spa and then we headed back to the massage for a facial for me and another massage for the boys.....I found Greg some "Jumbo size" pants so he went off in search of more....

Tomorrow Ethan and I are cooking in the morning and there is a big Sunday night market that we are going to go to, other than that not sure what we are going to do in the afternoon....

The morning started with letting 4 little birds free for luck....I am sure the luck is for the lady that catches them and then sells them and catches them again....but the kids thought it was great...

This taxi was packed standing room only...

Elephants at the show

An old cart just left in the lane way...garden art...

The boys on their elephant...

This was our elephant going down the steps into the water...

That's us and our boy...

One of the young long neck girls her eyes were all made up....

The school room in the village

One of the other tribes....

These cages are everywhere you just stick your chickens under them...

This poor dog was so sick of her puppies, the dogs in the villages have a dingo look to them....all except the fluffies that they have all dressed in pants and jackets...