Elephant Sanctuary! - Genie

We've already posted pictures from our big day with the big mammals, but here's the tea!

It all started very early in the morning - before even complimentary breakfast had started! Amanda got me a piece of toast while I braided my mom's hair. Then a truck arrived to bring us to the Elephant Sanctuary! There were already two people in the back so we climbed aboard with them and off we went.

About 30 minutes into the drive, we stopped at a 7-11/gas station to fuel up and get coffee. Then we were off again.

I was not ready for the car ride that was to come. I knew it was about an hour on Thai roads to the sanctuary, but OH BOY was I not ready for the twisting, turning, and hairpin turns that were to come.

To say this place was "in the mountains" was an understatement. It was near the top of the fourth mountain we drove through. My carsick body was not ready. On the second mountain, we stopped for giant bags of sugar cane. They sloshed around in the back of the truck with the three of us and two Poles.

By the time we reached the sanctuary, I was never more excited to see an elephant in my life. It meant I was getting out of the back of the truck.

I found the nearest bathroom and lost the entire contents of my stomach. I then took a Dramamine for the return trip.

When I exited what I then realized was the "employees only" bathroom, I was greeted by Jacky (our guide) who was handing out our elephant shirts and giving everyone the run down on what would happen throughout the day.

As soon as we were changed, we snapped a quick picture and headed down to meet the elephants!

They were... magnificant.

I don't have a lot of words for what the next three hours were... but there was feeding, there were mud baths, and there were shenanigans. Mom got a boyfriend (Jacky). There was a waterfall.

Just... follow the pictures.

Then we moved down to the water with our elephant friends!

After about 10 minutes in the water, the elephants collectively decided "it's too cold for this shit" and went back home. We carried onto see the beautiful waterfall about a mile hike through the woods!

They cute.

We ship it.

We stayed and waded for about an hour before heading back to the main cabin for lunch.

Lunch was a delicious curry, mixed vegetables, rice, fresh fruit, and as much ice water as we could drink. It was fantastic and I definitely needed the food after all of the hiking and swimming!

We spent the next hour lounging, snacking, and watching the elephants wander around their home.

When lunch was over, we didn't know it, but we were done with the elephants! :(

We took off for the river to go on a raft ride.

I also found this cool bug.

Then back in the truck and back to our hotel. It was a long, exhausting day. And it was worth every minute.

Also look how cute my mom is...

Go team elephants!

A Side of Thai Pad: Home Edition

With street markets basically shut down, we've had to figure out how to cook with what we have in our "kitchen." We have a microwave, a kettle, and a toaster oven - not much to cook with one would think. Well that one would be wrong. We crafty kitchen witches have whipped up some amazing things in our studio and this one is by far the highlight.

Massaman Curry - The 'No Kitchen' Edition

You will need:
1 Toaster Oven
1 Kettle
1 Microwave (optional - there should be leftovers)
1 Amazing girlfriend to do the mountains of dishes you're creating and to peel more garlic than you've ever seen in your life

6 cubed chicken breasts
2 cubed yellow potatoes
2 cubed purple potatoes
2 large cut carrots
20 medium sized portabella mushrooms - halved
1 white onion - quartered and separated
50 peeled cloves of Thai garlic (3 Thai garlic cloves = 1 US garlic clove)

Massaman curry paste (1 package or 3tbsp)
Massaman curry soup (1 box or 1 cup)
Coconut milk (3 cups - 1 for chicken marinade, 2 for in the curry soup)

Salt/Pepper/Hot Peppers (to taste)

Garnish:
spring onion (diced)
cilantro (roughly cut)
Unsalted peanuts
1 lime

*

Marinate chicken in 1C coconut milk mixed with the curry paste overnight.
Cook the chicken in the classiest toaster oven you have in your tiny apartment.
When the chicken is cooking, add the garlic and let it cook in the chicken juice. I know it sounds like a lot.
You gotta trust me here. Garlic is your friend.
Add the onions after the last batch of chicken comes out of the toaster oven. Let them cook in the chicken juice with more garlic.
Boil your potatoes and carrots in the kettle until they're soft.
It's important that you DO NOT read the instructions on your kettle. They will say this is a bad idea.
They are wrong.
Definitely don't cook the chicken in the kettle. They are correct here.

Finally, mix everything except the remaining coconut milk together in a large bowl.
Add the coconut milk to taste if you would like it more soupy. Otherwise add water if you don't love yourself.

Season with salt/pepper/hot peppers to your liking.

Garnish with spring onion, cilantro, unsalted peanuts, and a wedge of lime.

Serve over rice.

Amaze anyone who says you can't cook a full curry in yo tiny apartment.