Describe any new experiences
My family and i went to Thailand (Chiang Mai) this holiday. It is said to be one of the most important and largest city in the country. First stop, we went to the Mao village to observe opium poppies. Opium poppies are able to bear flowers of three different colours. They are white, red and pink. It is known that their sap, which is used to create opium, can only be obtained from opium poppies that grow on soil 5000-6000 feet above the sea level. Not an easy task right? Later that night, we sat on a boat and sailed down the Mekong River. It was a fine experience because you could see many different things during the ride.
On the second day, we went to the Elephant Camp. It was marvellous. They have elephants roaming the entire camp unrestrained! We bought some sugarcane and bananas and tried to feed the grey giants. Instead of eating the bananas one by one, the elephants simply wrapped their trunks around the bunch of bananas and swallowed it whole along with the bit of rope tied to it! Next, we took the elephant ride. The ride was fun even though there are times where you could feel that you are slipping off the elephant's back.
On the third day, we went to Chiang Rai and to the borders of Laos and Myanmar. And also, we visited the White Temple in Chiang Rai. The White Temple was built and designed by Thailand's artist, ChaloemChai Khositphiphat. The structure was breathtaking! Here is a picture of it.
http://images.google.com.sg/imgres?imgurl=http://rogerinthailand.com/Chiang%2520Rai/Chiang-Rai-Thailand02.JPG&imgrefurl=http://rogerinthailand.com/Chiang%2520Rai.html&usg=__xq8TYFDeZxjWrxcD3ZoSOmU-CMM=&h=600&w=800&sz=149&hl=en&start=5&um=1&tbnid=Psztnr9hs5TepM:&tbnh=107&tbnw=143&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dwhite%2Btemple%2Bthailand%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26channel%3Ds%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26sa%3DN
Not too bad huh?
On the second last day of the trip, we went back to Chiang Mai and arrived in time to see the Snake Show. It was frightening. The tamers would attempt to scare you by swinging the snake near you. Unfortunately, i did not take a picture with the snake when i had the chance. I felt that i was not yet ready. We also went to the Monkey School, where they teach monkeys tricks such as riding a tricycle, playing a basketball, counting numbers and even looking for coins in the pond! We were all amused by the monkeys and their abilities.
Discuss any new perspectives
On the fourth day itself (second last day) , we too, went to the Long Neck Village. There, we could see people with layers of rings around their neck. It is said that they are to add in an extra ring every few years. I realised that they are doing all this just for the sake of their culture and this made me respect them all the more.
Evaluate any learning points I've gained
The trip to Thailand has taught me a few things. There are many families in the world that are living in poverty. In some parts of the trip, i could see children holding babies on the streets, pleading for passer-bys to spare them some money. And also, there are many teenagers out there, who are almost the same age as myself, trying to make a living by setting up their own stalls. This made me realise that we should all the more be grateful for the things we have and be appreciative about them. And also, I realised that there are oppotunities in life that are not always offered a second time. Take me for example. When I learnt that we were going to the snake farm, I was determined to take a picture with a snake. But what happened? I backed down at the last second when i saw how thick the snake was! The chance was offered to me but i chose not to do it. I regret making that decision because I do not know when I would have a similar chance. That is why when I am given an oppotunity to take a picture with a snake in the future, I will not make the wrong decision again.
