I didn't have anything planned as I thought I might need some chill out time after the trek but whilst having brunch, a french guy asked me if I would like to share a taxi with him and his friend to go to the tiger kingdom? How could I resist? What better way to relax than cuddling baby tigers!
It was about a 30 minute drive to the tiger kingdom as its not in the city, I suppose that's incase they ever escape. Your have to pay a certain amount for each tiger group: babies 6500 bh adolescents 4500 bh and adult 4500 bh you could get package deals but I was happy just to pay for the babies, the guys went for the adults just because there men and want to look tough, Tim secretly wanted to go to the babies but the peer pressure got to him.
The baby tigers were the first stop, you had to wash your hands before entry and you weren't allowed to touch their head or front paws as it affects their training. You also weren't to allow them to bite you for obvious reasons. My hands were washed I knew the tiger rules so in I went.
They were so cute and cuddly, just lying about or jumping on each other play fighting. They were so soft and there wee faces were just adorable. They do try to bite your clothing and things because they want to play with you but the carer just hits a thin piece of bamboo on the floor to frighten them into submission. Their paws were already massive at 3 months old and you could already feel how strong they were, made me glad I didn't choose the adult ones.
My time was up and had to go, I really didn't want to though, I could just have stayed in there for ours just playing and cuddling them. 'I want one' was the first thing that came out my mouth when Tim asked me how it was. I don't know how my mum would feel about that though, she was pretty pissed off when I brought home a gerbil!
So now it was the boys turn to go be eaten by some big tigers. They were play fighting in a big pool, not quite as cute as the baby ones fighting, bit more terror inducing but great to watch from outside the cage.
They really are big beautiful creatures, I just stood there watching them in total awe. The guys had fun lying on top of the tigers, patting them and rubbing their bellies (they like that apparently). Once their time was up we went to look at the adolescent ones, not as little as I was expecting. They grow pretty fast by the look of them.
There was a no entry area where the new born tigers were and the guys snuck in to see them more closely. I stayed where I was supposed to cause I didn't fancy mummy tiger getting pissed off or getting caught and flung in a thai prison for a week!
They didn't get caught though and mummy tiger must have been relaxing by the pool or doing her hair or whatever tigers mum do.
As we had paid for a taxi to do a return journey we thought we should do something else nearby so went to the monkey show, not such a happy place unfortunately.
They were all chained up, even when they were in the enclosure they were chained to the trees but the chain was too short from them to even climb them.
There was a little baby monkey you could play with (also tied up) he was very cute and I think a professional thief as he tried to get my camera bag off me a couple of times.
They announced the money show was about to start so we all say down in anticipation of the grande show. It was semi-entertaining but the whole feel of the place put a bit of a downer on it for me.
The funniest bit was when they were getting a monkey to throw a basketball into the hoop from a distance. He kept missing and got so frustrated he launch the ball full force into the audience and nearly took a girls head off. Good on you mate but I dread to think of his punishment.
Once the show as over we left promptly as i really wanted to Run out screaming, I just wanted to get the hell out of there. The other option was a snake or crocodile show but I really didn't fancy either of these and was slightly depressed from the chained up monkeys.
Back to the guesthouse we went. It was a more enjoyable day than expected and I got to play with baby tigers, just had to try forget about the poor wee monkeys
Things I want: a baby tiger and to free the money's!