#20. Tempted by Tigers to Thailand...

"I'm sorry madam, but we can't let you on this flight at this time". With my passport having less than the stipulated 6 months remaining, we resigned ourselves to the fact that we would be going home early. With traveller fatigue setting in, we were past caring. But, with several other onward flights already booked and paid for, we were not going to give up so easily. Thus, after a mad rush to find a nearby hotel with internet and some very persuasive pleading, we were able to print out evidence of our onward flight and, after authorisation from the Air Asia staff, we were again on our way. With the lure of food and the furore of Koh Sahn Road, we just couldnt resist one more visit to the City of Angels (and ladyboys), Bangkok.

With Bangkok so much hotter and busier than only 2 months before, we resumed our normal position, supping ice-cold Chang, watching the throngs of people as they aimlessly milled around Koh Sahn Road. We couldn't resist another weekend venture to Chatuchak market and of course, tucking into the sumptuous delights of Pad Thai, red and green curries and, as Steve afffectionately calls, grotty Roti (banana pancakes). But, with food being only our second motivation to come back, we returned to Bangkok with one aim in mind...to visit Wat pa Luangta Bua Yannasampanno aka Tiger Temple (entrance B300, http://www.tigertemple.org).

I had my reservations about the Tiger Temple having read many conflicting reviews on the interenet regarding the tigers being drugged, mistreated, hit blah blah blah, hence why we didn't visit before. However, having met Ariaan in Laos, a lovely Dutch lady whom had volunteered at the temple for 3 weeks and whom put our minds at ease, we decided that Steve's dream of wrestling with...well...cuddling a tiger could finally come true.

As we approached the temple, walking along a red, dusty road through calm and peaceful scrubland (not too dissimilar to the Australian outback), with cars few and far between, we could have been forgiven for thinking that we were heading in the wrong direction. There is nothing that remotely resembles a monstery here, we thought. Nevertheless, a mile walk and a turn around the corner revealed tour buses galore! Indeed we had been beaten by the crowds.

And so the story begins. Once upon a time, the monastery was established by Abbot-Phra Acharn Phusit (Chan) Kanthitharo in 1994 and soon gained reputation as a wildlife sanctuary due to the many waifs-and-strays being taken there to recuperate from illness or injury. The first tiger cub arrived in 1999 having lost his mother to poachers and he himself left with incisions and drugged up to the eyeballs whilst awaiting his fate on the table of a dodgy taxidermist. Somehow, by some miracle, he survived and found himself in the safe hands of the monks at Wat pa Luangta Bua Yannasampanno. News spread and before long more and more cubs, many intercepted from poachers, arrived at the temple, redefining the wildlife sanctuary as the Tiger Temple. And they all lived happily ever after...

Walking through the very rustic, almost primative grounds was pretty surreal, what with buffalo, deer and a wealth of other random creatures casually strolling around. And then there were the tigers. Until you've seen a tiger up close you cannot truly comprehend how huge and powerful these potential man-eaters actually are. Padding around on huge paws with retractable seemingly razor-like blades for claws and a yawn revealing 2-inch fags, you realise that one swipe and you're mincemeat! These majestic beasts you don't want to mess with and you certainly wouldn't want their oversized head resting in your lap...unless, of course, you are Steve.

I happily observed from the sideline as the hordes of camera-wielding tourists were escorted one-by-one into the canyon where the sunbathing tigers eagerly awaited (licking their lips, I'm sure!). Although a couple were chained up, presumably being the most aggressive, the majority were unleashed and happy to roll around amidst the wide-eyed and somewhat scared looking tourists. Safety was clearly paramount, with the alert and protective staff quickly (and rather regimentedly) dragging the visitors from one tiger to the next. As for Steve, well, he clearly didn't appreciate the potential danger he was in and went straight in for a kiss, trying to plant a smacker on the hugest (unchained) tigers furry fanged face, much to the annoyance of the Abott who soon yanked his head back. Trust me, the tourists get manhandled more than the tigers do!

Following a little wander away from the crowds we stumbled upon a monk sitting with a napping tiger cub. He allowed us to sit with the cub who, at only 4-months old, was huge, already having the strength of two men. "Kiss, kiss", the monk ordered as we stroked the docile cat. However, awaking from his slumber he became more boisterous and playful, flinching sharply when I went in for the smooch. You've never seen me move so fast! He may only have been a wee nipper in tiger terms but these cats don't know their own strength and I wasn't taking any chances. He became slightly too fiesty with the monk giving him the occasional bop on the nose, as you would when disciplining a domestic cat.

Which brings me onto the so-called "mistreatment" and "drugging" of the tigers. As was pointed out to me by Ariaan, you cannot drug a huge creature like that without it turning wild once it regained consciousness, becoming more and more disorientated as the drugs wore off. And these tigers weren't exactly comatose! They were merely sleeping and basking in the sun during the hottest part of the day, as do all diurnal animals in such climates! As far as the mistreatment is concerned, these are wild animals at the end of the day. Sadly the elders can never be released back into the wild therefore they require a degree of domestication, enforced through mild discipline such as a smack here or a bop on the nose there. Luckily there is hope for the cubs who, after rehabilitation, will be released back into the wild, a project funded by the very reasonable B300 entrance fee and photo fees (the chance to sit with a tiger and have a photo being free, unless you specifically want a tigers head on your lap which will cost you B1000...your choice!).

Thus we left the Tiger Temple and Kanchanaburi, following some riverside R&R by the Bridge over the River Kwai, with Steve a very happy chappy indeed. Walking back to the river from the station, a scene straight out of the Pied Piper of Hamelin (seriously, the rats in Thailand are HUGE and send a shiver down your spine), we started to dream about the Filippino fantasy that our penultimate destination would entail. Snorkeling with whalesharks in Donsol. Climbing volcanoes. Visiting the most spectacular rice terraces in the world. The Philippines were to be the perfect finale to an amazing adventure.

Excitedly arriving extra early at the airport in time for our 1am flight we headed straight to check-in, trying to ignore the "6-month minimum passport" requirement emblazoned on the desk. As the clerk took our luggage I thought we had been cleared. Sadly, my hopes were dashed.

"Sorry, but you only have 5 months left on your passport". Tell me something I didn't know. After enquiring as to whether there was any way around the policy to which was responded a very firm "no", we skulked away, heading straight to the departures board. Where can we go, we pondered, running through the list of flights. Burma? Too dangerous. Indonesia? Minimum 6 months passport. Home? NO WAY!!! Pale, tired and all Bangkok'd out we headed back to...Bangkok! We clearly couldn't get enough of the place! Hey ho! Another day in the life of luckystours!

After only a few hours kip we were up bright and early in order to head to the British Embassy in the hope of getting a passport extension or new passport, the former no longer in existance and the latter taking far too long! Let's try the Philippine Embassy, we thought, by now seriously clutching at straws. Our hopes of perhaps obtaining a Visa as a back-door entrance were also dashed. As much as we liked Thailand this wasn't how we had envisaged our last two weeks! Nevertheless, after some quiet contemplation over some delicious Thai food we realised that two more weeks in Thailand wouldn't be such a bad thing afterall thus, after a night mooching around hookers-ville Sukhumvit, we decided to hit the beach!

I am a firm believer in tempting fate - NEVER say never and all that - and it was only the night before we left Bangkok that Steve and I were discussing the issue of taking any means of transport whilst travelling and how we are literally putting our lives into someone elses hands the minute we step on a bus, in a cab etc. If that's not tempting fate I don't know what is! Lo and behold the following morning we had the taxi driver from hell, a serious speed demon with a real need for speed. Not good when you're as nervous a passenger as me! Bless Steve for holding my hand which I completely squeezed the life out of. Cruising at Christ knows what speed our driver cut-in so as to avoid a helmet-less cyclist on his left, colliding with another vehicle on his right. I had visions of the poor cyclists innards being smeared across the motorway. Luckily, by some miracle, the driver retained control and continued along the road, stopping off to partake in a spot of fisty-cuffs with the other driver. Who was at fault I really do not know. At this point I was more concerned that the meter was still running! Finally, just as Steve was about to show his more aggressive side, we arrived at the bus station. Nerves more than slightly rattled we threw the driver the money and walked away, too shaken to complain. It was at this point that we decided that it was okay to say never. Never EVER again would we take a cab in Thailand. Or any other country where they drive like lunatics for that matter!


TO BE CONT..............................