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Published: August 5th 2007
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We were really in need of some hardcore backpacking knowledge because i'm sure
you realised that from the last blog we really got into the party scene of
Thailand.
This little two day excursion would give us all we need to fulfill our demands.
After booking a bus to take us to Kanchanaburi we were told the journey would
only take two hours so we only planned to go for a couple of days as everything
we wanted to see would have filled the time quite nicely.
It was an early start from Bangkok and two hours later when we thought we would
be arriving at our destination, we were still picking up people in Bangkok and
on bus no.2 already :-(
We finally arrived at lunchtime and after browsing the tours our hostel had on
offer we realisd there was a trip to the Tiger temple departing in the
afternoon....PERFECT.
Ok, so what is the tiger temple????
In the 70's the chief monk of this certain temple took pity on a young tiger cub
that was unable to survive in the wild. Starting off with just one cub he
obviously had a soft touch to
Tigers and as time has evolved so has the amount of Tigers roaming his Temple.
It is now known as a Tiger sanctuary for this area and the plans have been
approved and building work started for a huge tourist attraction to view the
tigers roaming (nearly) wild with the protection of a moat.
Glad we came when we did though because the plans made things look a little
arificial we felt.
At this present time though the Tigers are kept in cages overnight and during
the day are on show to the public in a small quarry area.
The Tigers are actually chained up to a stake in the ground and monks and
workers actually assist you in getting up close and personal to them. Just check
out the photos...............MAD!
After paying the entry fee and crossing into the grounds of the temple we were
greeted with hundreds of 'Pumbas' (wild boars) frantically running round the
grounds. Not sure for certain but sure they are just kept here for Tiger fodder.
We followed the signs to the quarry and were eager to eye our first big cat.
"WOW"
As soon as we
Stud Jest and the Bridge over the River Kwai
Stud Jest and the Bridge over the River Kwai
turned a corner there they were, quickly jumped in line to be escorted around
and then my time had come.
I didn't really know what to do and think for that matter when a guide took me
to pose with the first Tiger. This was a frigging huge killer cat and after
hearing horror stories in Africa about Big Cats and Safaris and also seeing the
occasional programme on Animal Planet where 'BIG CATS GO MAD' i was a tad
nervous. Still, smile sweetly, place my hand on it's leg and smile at the
camera....."hurry up though bruv, i'm feeling a tad uneasy about this".
No problems then on to the next.................this one looked stoned, he was
lying like Hobie would on a hot summers day without a care in the world. I was
instructed to actually lie with my head on the cats belly for my photo, no
probs, just about to kneel down when the chief monk himself instructs me to
stand as he fans the cat with his hat. Again he motions me to slowly lie down,
just about on the floor when 'wait wait wait'' as the Tiger lifts his head to
see what's Stud Daz and the Bridge over the River Kwai
Stud Daz and the Bridge over the River Kwai
going on. Frigging hell mate, what's going on, not exactly aiding the cause of
calming the butterflys!!!!!!
Take 3 and i was down........................phew!! "take the frigging snap and
let me get outa here"
There was five Tigers in different positions to have ur pictures with and a few
roaming around in the background that looked like they'd had enough of playing
'happy tourist' for the day. We left them well alone.
Daz then had his tour and we proceeded around the grounds to check out the cute
little cub that was kept in a cage.
We could have had our photo taken holding the cub if we'd arrived half hour
earlier but it had been put back in his cell after drawing blood on a german
tourists face haha 5-1!!
Job done, some amazing photos that are guna be framed on the bedrom wall for
years to come.
The evening was spent chilling and planning the next morning at
our hostel as
the bus departed back to Bangkok @ 1pm and we had some hardcore sight seeing to
do.
Up at 8am off our own accord (that was murder) and a short taxi
(not exactly a taxi but a moped with a steel frame welded on the side, gota luv
thailand) ride to the bridge over the River Kwai. A few snaps but we didn't have
time to partake in the two hour train ride along the 'death railway' as it's
known because i wanted time to visit the railway museum which was in the town
centre.
Reason i took such an interest was because my Uncle was a prisoner of war (POW)
here.
For that fact i don't wanna explain to much about it but jesus, it certainly
puts things into prospective when you lose a camera for example and get the hump
about it. Does it really matter????......................NO.
The museum was interesting though and actually spent nearly three hours in
there. Correct, myself and Daz spent THREE hours in a museum, what's happening
to us!!
Back to the hostel and boarded the bus back to bangers.
We had to spend
the following day travellig to Cambodia to do a visa run, what a
waste of 17 hours and then the following morning our Danes arrived back from
Chang Mai. Three more days here and no Ping-Pong
i'm sad to announce and we left the lasses to return to Denmark as we headed
back to Samui to meet the crew.
What a whirlwind three weeks with team Denmark but will pick u up from stansted
early in the New Year to reminiss the good ole days xx
Watch out Thailand, Chris, Lou ,Bish, Kaz and Shaz were on the plane heading
this way!!!
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Sidsel
non-member comment
Aaaw
Can't believe you put that picture on - thanx!! (NOT) But the comment underneath it kinda makes it up, as I'm probably the only one reading this blog, who actually understands it!! And - Jeg savner oz dig!! - You'll probably figure out what it means easily! So sad you didn't get to hold the 4 month old tiger, coz when we were there about a week after you, we got to hold it, and wow it was the cutest little thing, I just wanted to bring it home with me.. But if I had brought all the animals home with me that I wanted to, I would have to start up my own Zoo... xxxx