I don't know what it is about this hostel but I can't sleep here! The dorms are great, nice and secure, not noisy or too light, yet I found myself checking my watch every 10 minutes last night. I had to wake up at 6am as I was being picked up for a tour between 6:45am and 7am, and so as to not disturb anyone else I had packed my bag the night before and had my toiletries and clothes laid out on the end of the bed. 

Worried that I would miss my pick-up, I didn't have breakfast (not that there were many options for breakfast that early in the morning - most people are just getting home!) but of course the pick-up was late, not until about 7:20am. 


 The tour I had booked was for the floating market, River Kwai and the Tiger Temple - all located about 100km outside of Bangkok. It was more a "co-ordinated transportation option" than a tour - we were dropped off at each location rather than given a tour of each attraction. I didn't mind this actually, as I prefer to explore attractions on my own, and the transport was a lot quicker than had it been done on my own.

First stop was at the floating market. We drove about an hour and a half out of Bangkok and then boarded a motorised long-tail boat to the market, and transferred to more traditional long-tail to cruise the waterways. Half of the 'stalls' were on the water in 'floating shops', and the shop-keepers would 'reel in' your boat if you showed interest in an item. Unfortunately, most of the shops simply sold the same souvenirs that you can find anywhere else in Thailand - I'm hoping the floating markets in Vietnam are a lot more lively. 

Bridge over River Kwai. (Leggings look is due to requirements at the Tiger Temple, not a fashion statement!)

As I said, the 'tour' seemed to be simply transportation, with every person on a different type of tour (i.e. half-day, full-day, overnight), so after each stop we were herded into a new van with new people. Lunch, which was included in the ticket price, was at a roadside truckstop - the meals (rice, omelette and vegetables) were already laid out waiting for us, and we were quickly herded back into the van to our second stop, the river Kwai. This is best known from the book/movie 'The Bridge Over the River Kwai', and I had the opportunity to walk across the said bridge. Apparently most of it had been destroyed after the second world war and only the outer steel part remained, but it was still interesting, along with the nearby War Museum. 

 Another hour in the car and we were at our final destination, the Tiger Temple, which is what we had all been waiting for. The Tiger Temple is a Buddhist retreat that is best known as an animal refuge, most notably tigers.  There are 75 tigers on the property, and in the afternoon, after they've eaten and stretched, the tigers sleep in an enclave and tourists can pay 500 BAHT to have their photos taken with them. There's a heap of rules for visiting them: no bright clothes (as this is what the trainers wear); women must have their legs and arms covered (as it's a Buddhist retreat); no bags, sunglasses, hats are allowed to be worn when with the tigers etc. 

Note to self: When a tiger turns to look at you, do not laugh!

  When it's your turn to have your photo taken, you give your camera to one of the staff and another staff member holds your hand and escorts you to tiger after tiger, where photos are taken of you patting the animals. They are extremely placid - the retreat claims it is because they have been reared around humans, but there are a lot of claims that the tigers are drugged (I'm more with the second line of thought). There are also numerous other animals seeking refuge, including peacocks, camels and deer - I thought I was in Africa when I spotted a dam full of water buffalo cooling themselves, and I was held up at the exit because a tortoise was making its way down the path!!

We were dropped back at Khao San Road about 6:30pm and I was STARVING so I headed for something greasy and Western that I knew would fill me - pizza. I also treated myself to a Thai pancake (seriously addicted to them) and walked the strip of Khao San, taking in the people and lights. 

It's 8:25pm now as I sign-off, and after a long day on tour and very little sleep, I plan on heading straight to bed! Tomorrow will be sightseeing in Bangkok at the Grand Palace (and probably a few more shops .... )