NYC. It has everything… including bad weather. I never considered the weather when I picked up and moved from warm, sunny California. Snowstorms were a novelty the first year. The second year I was lucky enough to be shooting in Arizona during the winter months (I'm a TV Producer). Then came year three… brrrr… I finally understood the idea of tropical vacations. Anyone who knows me knows I'm not much of a "sit on the beach" kind of girl. I like adventure… and Thailand is my "easy", "quick trip" destination. It's warm, it's cheap and there's a lot to do. The question was, could I find something new to do in a country I'd been to a dozen times?
Years ago, a friend told me about a Buddhist temple where the monks live with and raise tigers. For a fee, tourists can hang out with adult tigers, bathe adolescent tigers and feed cubs. Now don't get me wrong - I did think it was little odd that monks were profiting from tourist dollars. That aside, where else can you play with tigers? Plus, the monks do need money to feed all those tigers, right?
It was decided. I was going. I bought a ticket and two days later I left for hot, humid Bangkok. The capital city is like a second home to me. I have a routine: Drop my bags at my hotel… walk a few blocks to Soi Langsuan… pick up a frozen watermelon drink at my favorite fruit stand… Get a $15 two-hour massage. Nothing cures jetlag like a Thai massage!
The next day, I was ready for the tigers! My guide picked me up at 6AM and off we went… the monastery is 3 hours north of Bangkok in the Kanachanaburi province, not far from the border with Myanmar.
On the way, my guide, Boon, told me the story of the temple. In 1999, poachers showed up at a local market with a tiger cub. The villagers pooled their money to save the cub. The only problem was that no one in the village actually wanted to raise the tiger. There was only one thing they could do - take the cub to the local monastery. Somehow (the guide couldn't explain it) another tiger showed up. The temple now has 118 tigers (118!!).
We arrived before the gates opened. As I roamed the grounds, I noticed a first-aid "booth" selling bandages and ointments. Not a good sign. To top it off, I was required to sign a legal waiver saying no one would sue them if a tiger ate me. Was this place a disaster waiting to happen?
Ding, ding, ding… a bell rang and the gates opened. In the distance I could see 15 majestic tigers. Each one was wearing a collar and leash and was led by a monk. Boon told me this was my chance to pet them. I immediately forgot about the dangers and hiked up the hill. The closer I got, the bigger they looked.
I walked around giving each one a at. There were rules of course. Never approach the tiger from the front, don't startle it, etc. Phew! I didn't get mauled. Now it was my "once in a lifetime" chance to spend an hour in a cage with 5 tiger cubs. As soon as I stepped inside, a little 6-week old cub tried to climb up my leg. He held onto my shirt with his teeth for support. An older cub jumped up and knocked him off (and knocked me down in the process). these little guys were proving more dangerous than their bigger relatives.
After all the playing, the cubs were hungry. We were both covered with milk by the end.
Smelling like a tiger, I headed back to the city with a quick stop at an amazing little coffee café in the middle of the jungle.
Next up? I never leave Thailand without visiting the gentle giants of the north. They say elephants never forget - and it proves true every time...