Huts lined up along the river's shore.

 

 

Here's a view from aboard their raft, with Mike, Gee and I way ahead.

Niklas, Emma, Rikard and Emma.

These Swedes caught up with us and we were soon racing through more turbulent waters.

On the shore, about to embark on our bamboo rafting adventure down a calm and shallow jungle river.

Left to Right: Gilad, Mike, Batsheva, Vicky and Gee.

A typically-jungle rope and wood-plank bridge crosses the river as we come accross a group of elehpant trekkers.

This other group got to walk through water!

Not for the whole journey though.

We took turns at the helm, myself and Gee taking a break in this photo...

 

I was first in control of the raft while, once more, Mike and Gee sat back and enjoyed the ride!

This is the view down from the driving seat.

 

 

They seemed hungry for food and reached out their trunks whenever you reached for anything in your bag or your pocket.

 

 

 

 

 

Somehow, they managed to pass us.

Riding an elephant through the jungle was high on my list of things to do in Thailand, and is included in all the trekking tours and most day tours around Chiang Mai.

 

 

I took this photo of myself atop the elephant - not an easy thing to do, considering the position I was in.

I was quite nervous in this position as we followed a path over some steep terrain, when the elephant's neck would be like a slide and I held on for dear life.

I soon repositioned on it's head with my legs in front of it's ears, as it kept it's head up at all times and made it a bit more comfortable.

Mike and Gee were my backseat passengers.