Krasae Cave and Tiger Temple

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We decided to go see the Tiger Temples today and go see a few other things in that area. We hires a motorbike for the day and head off at about 9am. We heard that you can play with the tiger cubs and have photos touching the big tigers. They start at about 1pm and the tourist buses come around 2.30pm so we wanted to avoid the tourist bus.
Our first stop was Krasae Cave, which is situated along the Death Railway. It took us a while to get here as the road signs from the main road all of a sudden change to the Thai language, so we stopped and had to ask directions 100 times. We eventually got there. These caves were used by the Japanese to house the POW who were working on the railway. Inside is a big statue of Buddha and smoke from the incense. We had lunch there then made our way to the Tiger Temples. This roved harder than expected. Again we were forever lost, going up and down the same road 10 times. Everyone we asked had a different idea on how to get there. At one point, poor Linda had to jump off the bike and walk up a steep hill because the bike didn't have enough power. So after passing the turn off to the Tiger Temples we ask a cop and he says go back 5 km and turn there. So we do and pass it again and finally some girl shows us the road there. The sign is hidden in the bush, very cleaver!
We get there at 1.15pm so now I we are keen to get to the tigers before the mob. You pay 500 baht per person to go in, this includes having photos taken with your camera, and the take a lot! The park its self looks run down but Linda says its because there are upgrading it. There are wild pigs, water buffalo, deer, cows, horse etc all running free. The first tigers we saw were 4 month old. You could sit behind them and take photos while you stroke them. Then we moved on to the big tigers. We were very excited to be touching these beasts in the open. We got there and you stand in a line. One by one there is a person who takes your camera and another takes your hand. The person who holds your hand is the person who dictates to you what to do for the entire time you are around the tigers. For us it felt like you were a puppet on a string, being carted from one tiger to the next, snap snap with the camera and on you go. Amazing as it was because I don't think you will ever get to get so close to these beasts, you still have a feeling of being a puppet. I think its because one is used to do things on their own and all you want to do is hug, scratch the head, etc of the tiger.
Once that was over, we head back to the hotel as we were exhausted from the bike ride all morning.
The rest of the day was spent by the pool and I went a did some fishing in the river with my kids rod I bought. Piece of crap, reel was broken before I even used it! So I had to improvise and managed to catch one fish!
That night, we went to the night market, I can't wait to get to South Africa, no more markets! Linda bought another pair of shoes and I got a belt and some gifts. NO MORE MARKETS PLEASE!

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