Crazy Animal Experiences : Kanchanaburi Province Thailand

So... one thing that I have learned on my last two trips into Thailand is that you can't always expect that the touristy things you do will turn out the way you expect nor will they necessarily be safe.  Almost all of the traveling that I have done before was in locations that you could expect a standard of safety if nothing else.  Not in Thailand baby. 

Part of our day trip to Kanchanaburi Province also included "Elephant Bathing" and the "Tiger Temple".  Awesome I thought.  I am all about bathing the elephants and I love temples... tigers not so much but I am sure the temple will be amazing.

We get to the place where we were supposed to "bathe the elephants" and our guide/driver starts telling us to take off all of our clothing (we had swimsuits underneath just in case we got wet during their bath) and to leave all of our camera's except one, which we were to give to him.  We looked at each other a little confused.  Not sure why we couldn't take our bags and camera's but followed orders.  When we got to the platform we noticed that all the other tourists were fully dressed and were getting on animals that had nice seats.  We were asked to get on the elephants and ride bareback to what I thought would be the location of the elephants bath........

Coming to get us..... This was my elephant.

Um... so we are going down to the water and then you will give me the brush to wash him right???

Why are they lowering us into the water??

Apparently we misunderstood.... the elephants were bathing US!!  Not only did they do it a couple of times they did it for 15 minutes straight... laughing the whole time.  We kept screaming... NO!  We are done.  But apparently they could not figure out why we would pay for the elephant bath and not want it.   All I could think of was the big poop that had just landed in the water from Jessie's and Malia's elephant and how I was now being sprayed by that water.....

After I realized that they were giving me the bath I was able to role with it!

Fun times with fun girls!

My favorite picture!  Thanks Malia!

And on to the "Tiger Temple...."  The whole way over to the Temple the guide was instructing us on all sorts of things we were not to do so we could avoid being attacked......  This was my first sense that something was a little amiss.... what had I gotten myself into?!  I was even more alarmed at the waiver that I had to sign before I entered.... Maybe this wasn't an enchanting temple after all.....

The list of does and don'ts greeted me as I entered

Hey wait.... where is the temple??  Oh.... they haven't built it yet.  They are trying to solicit funds from tiger lovers to get it built.  Bleh.

Malia took this amazing picture.....

And this one......

Monks with walkie talkies.... Leading massive tigers to a cave... sigh.

"Walking" with the Tigers....

Mysteriously all of the tigers fell asleep all at once and we were able to go around and take pictures of them.....

Our guides thought it was endlessly funny to have me hold the tail.....

This little guy was kinda cute....

He was cute until he rolled over... and then we were out of there!