It starts as a drizzle after dinner … a soft pitter patter on the roof of the main area at the Park. It’s dark, so we can’t really see the full effect. But, we can hear it. Within minutes, that light little drizzle gives way to sheets of rain, dumping from the sky. As weContinue reading “Blessings from a shaman”
Author Archives: dtravelsround
Escape of the Week: Nevada’s Valley of Fire
About an hour outside of Las Vegas is the Valley of Fire. Dedicated in 1935, it is Nevada’s oldest and largest state park. And, it is one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen. With a background of bright blue sky, the red sandstone formations are striking. They’ve been around since the daysContinue reading “Escape of the Week: Nevada’s Valley of Fire”
A room at the (primitive) Palace
I don’t expect much when Jack hands me the key to my room, a hut in the Palace complex. On the Elephant Nature Park’s Web site, it states the toilets are squat and the showers are Thai (meaning buckets to rinse, no shower heads), so when I walk the few feet to my lodging forContinue reading “A room at the (primitive) Palace”
Floating elephant poo and other awesomeness
“Ele poo! Look out, ele poo!” Jack screams as we wade into the rushing water, elephants at our side. Sure enough, there are huge balls of elephant poo floating by our legs. It’s like the elephants just hold it until they hit their own, big rushing river toilet. Before we get into the water, weContinue reading “Floating elephant poo and other awesomeness”
Escape of the Week: Birds on a Wire
I celebrated my one-year anniversary of returning to Las Vegas on October 30. Actually, the day came and went, and I didn’t even remember it’s been one year until today, but I digress. The day I caught the flight to Las Vegas from Maryland, I went through a photographing frenzy. As I drove to dropContinue reading “Escape of the Week: Birds on a Wire”
The Thailand Foodgasm: The ultimate Thai buffet
The lunch bell rings at Elephant Nature Park at noon. Had we really already been there a few hours? The time so far has flown by. And, while I love that the experiences were that supremely amazing thus far, I don’t want the week to fly by. I want to savor every single moment and feelContinue reading “The Thailand Foodgasm: The ultimate Thai buffet”
Escape of the Week: The Dead Sea
I love Israel. I have loved Israel since the moment I visited, on a Birthright program in spring 2001. I remember my time there very clearly. Clashes had just started breaking out between Israelis and Palestinians, and I was really scared to go visit the country. But, I did. For 10 days, my group ofContinue reading “Escape of the Week: The Dead Sea”
Feeding elephants
Within an hour of arriving to the park, I have met my first elephants. Our van is the first to arrive at Elephant Nature Park, so we drop our bags, and sit down. But, it is hard for any of us to sit still. There are elephants. Everywhere. Not just the actual animals, either. ThereContinue reading “Feeding elephants”
Escape of the Week: Fall on Fire
If there is one thing I miss when living in the desert — even if October is simply divine weather-wise — it is fall. Growing up on the east coast in Maryland, a favorite pastime was raking all of the leaves that fell from the trees each autumn. My dad would rake them up intoContinue reading “Escape of the Week: Fall on Fire”
Tuk tuks, red cabs … and elephants: arriving to Elephant Nature Park
The drive from Chiang Mai to the Elephant Nature Park is nothing short of surreal: from urban to highway to jungle in about an hour. And from cars and tuk tuks to elephants and ox on the side of the road. We start our first day as volunteers, 23 of us ranging in age fromContinue reading “Tuk tuks, red cabs … and elephants: arriving to Elephant Nature Park”
D Travels 'Round 