Many unique adventures awaited us as we made our way to Chiang Mai, a lush and tropical area found in northern Thailand. Having enjoyed several days exploring the modern city of Bangkok, we were heading north on a simple, one-hour flight to explore this authentic Thai city. Traveling up to 1,000 feet above sea level helped us beat the blistering Bangkok heat, but not the rain that’s prevalent in early autumn. Upon arrival, we hired a taxi driver from the airport to take us for a full day of touring off the Mae Sa Loop. This loop drive winds through the hills just outside the city and leads to elephant camps, botanic gardens and charming native villages. It was wonderful to have Ton, our driver, navigate the curvy mountain roads and bridge the language barrier. We also loved the freedom of touring independently on our own schedule, rather than on an organized bus tour.Our first stop was the Mae Sa Elephant camp. The raucous pachyderm performance included dancing, hula hoops and soccer. The highlight was when they brought out easels, canvases and acrylics, and the elephants proceeded to create jaw-dropping paintings. It was entertaining and inspiring to watch the “mahouts” (elephant handlers) work and interact with these huge, gentle animals.Following the show, we climbed onto a throne-like saddle aboard our own elephant for a ride into the rain forest -this is when the “National Geographic” moments began. Rain sprinkled as we slogged through the deep mud up and over a mountain. Fighting nausea from the jerking motion, I was hoping that my constitution would hold up to my sense of adventure. At the end of our ride, we were deposited at a hill tribe village, home to the Long Neck tribe. It was striking to see these young women in full tribal costume and makeup, with multiple gold rings around their upper calves and necks restricting the movement of their heads. They sat and worked on their weavings and crafts as they sold their goods and posed for photos, proud to display their heritage and endangered way of life. The men tended the immaculately planted farmland, as the cows grazed and colorful roosters strolled on paths through rice paddies. This was a piece of living history. Ton was there at the village to take us onward to our next stop – the Queen Sirikit Botanic Garden. The king and queen are both deeply revered and their names and photos appear all over Thailand. The perfectly manicured gardens feature a large variety of colorful orchids, lotus, cactus and other exotic flora. With all the rain, everything was lush, green and beautiful.When our knowledgeable driver recommended a good spot for lunch, little did we know that the adventures would continue. We dined next to a pair of tigers playing like kittens in a pool less than 10 feet away from our table. From there we went to a local celadon factory store with a wide selection of beautiful pottery with the signature cracked glaze that’s identified with Thai ceramics. Hiring Ton for the day turned out to be a lucky, wise choice. This is the first part of a two-part travel story.