Up at 3.30 am. Picked up at 5am in a Camry and drove through Bangkok and into countryside. Picked up guide in Kanchanbriu then stopped at 7 to 11 to buy food for monks, only spent 70 baht on yoghurt drinks and cakes. Then onto the Tiger Temple. Had to put food on table and then wait for monks to come along and hand it to them, doing the Wai sign also had to take your shoes off.
Walked up to temple, so many steps and really high treads. The baby tigers were chained all around and with your tiger guide you got a bottle to feed them. You had to kneel down or sit crosslegged, a bit hard for me, but it was a great experience. Their feet are huge and they are quite calm, except one we were told to stay away from, he is a biter. The monks finished their chanting and came to breakfast, I had a small plate of very selected food - a bit wary of some of it.
Much preferred to pat/stroke the cubs rather than eat breakfast. Then down the stairs to where a baby moon bear cub was in a cage, he was so cute he had just been brought in, he was playing on the rods they had set up, but kept trying to swing and kept falling down. They then brought the tiger cubs down the stairs and we got to take their leads and lead them to their bath, or they led us. They are very strong. My guide kept taking photos and carrying my bag and hat.
At the washing area, we soaped them up and then fed them chicken, and then they were rinsed off. On the way to the play area, we saw the big tigers being brought out and also two very young cubs, they were crying just like babies.
Then off to the play area, when the tiger guide was positioning me against the wall, she missed seeing two of the cubs behind me and they were playing and got caught between my legs, I thought I had been bitten and the skin broken, but they were playing with each other and I am only bruised. She was really stressed when she saw what had happened and moved me to another area. I didn't really like this part as I felt some of the people were a bit rough with the tiger cubs, but the cubs were like kittens chasing the toys, plastic bags on a stick with bottle tops in it, and jumping.
Then we left the cubs and moved to the big boys. We helped walk them to the canyon and then each took turns at sitting down and having the tiger's head in our laps. Amazing, I didn't feel frightened at all. Worst part was getting down on the ground, my knees don't work as well as they should, but the Thai boys were great helping this poor old lady.
Then we went behind the shaky chain wire fence and the tigers went into the water. They loved it and played around for ages with the keepers holding the sticks with plastic bags up and trying to get them to jump from the rock into the water. Tiger Man - a Thai guy in only black shorts and with a fag hanging out of his mouth - went right in with them to get back one of the toys that one of the tigers had taken. He then chased them up the cliff face, no fear. They then took them back out and we were finished. It was only 11 am but felt like it had been a full day. Had lunch at local restaurant, very nice but me at a table on my own, pretty wierd.
Drove to bridge over River Kwai, it was very commercialised so just took photos and then left. Also felt a bit uncomfortable with the two guys.
Back at hotel at 2.30 so decided to do something for the night and booked a dinner cruise for $55 Au. It was fantastic. Great food, saw all the temples by night, saw the bridge all lit up, great entertainment. Worth the money.
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| Monks collecting food |
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| so hungry, nearly took the bottle out of my hands |
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| Playtime after feeding |
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| Sleep after feeding |
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| Don't really know who's walking who, my guide carrying everything |
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| Playing in the compound with the young tigers |
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| the real babies |
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| Walking the big ones |
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| Did not think I could do this |
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| Bridge over the river Kwai |
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| Monuments by night |
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| Dinner Ship |
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