tiger temple and elephant rides

We booked a tour to the tiger temple and elephant riding for the Friday 20th (i think) Most of the tours included a whole heap of palces that we had no interest in so this one having only those events was EXACTLY what we wanted. done sold we will take it.
Alas we were to find out later that this tour, like all the others, would also included all the places we didnt want to go to.
We got up at 5 45 to catch a taxi to the pick up place, grabbing maccas on the way and racing to be there by 6 30.
Sitting, waiting, waiting and sitting.
We did this for 45 minutes and then my phone rang. Where are you? we at times square, where are you, me at times square too, oh cool later but better than never.
Our bus rides is 2 hours to our first stop.

Wow, it was the war cemetery, we passed on this and walked the streets looing at stuff.
Second stop was the war museum. Cool, we skipped this too and went shopping at the markets instead.
An hour to the next stop which willbe lunch. Bout time we both agree.
We have a traditional thai buffet which was really nice. We sat next to a chick from canberra whom was sharing the swame experience as us. She was lost about where she was and what event was happening next.
Water rafting just hapeened to be next, which we really knew nothing about. anyways,in we jump and head up stream on little bamboo rafts tied together with rope and half sinking.
We all survived. The water fall was next which we were not told about and thus, did not have swimmers, thats was cool the water was brown and full of thai children so I was happy to go and stroll the markets again.

Elephants next, Lukes only ,ustdo in thailand was no here.
It was pretty relaxing and riding elephants is not exactly comfortable. They take such big steps that you really move with each step.
The tour guide rider people were all kids I would guess about 11 or 12 and this is there jobs, 364 days of the year. No school and no time off. They all spoke very good english thought and were out for a good time. making jokes and kidding around the whole time.
We then had a small drive to the tiger temple.
We were basically left to wander the grounds by ourselves with a map.
We headedstraight to the canyon where the tigers were. We had to line up for about 10 miutes and then with 2 guides, one to hold our hand and the other to take photos, we walked aroung the 10 tigers or so and patted or just touched them.
It was kinda scary when they moved and one snarled at me. the guide was quick to pull me up and move to the next tiger.
All of this happened way to quick and we were back on the bus. We now had a 3 hour ride home. Shit shit shit.
I was soooo tired at this stage and with no cat naps on the bus was ready for sleep.
After 14 hours of travelling I went straight to the hotel had room service and off to bed
Luke on the other had being Luke, took of to visit the thai girls.
Im not sure what he got up to that night, but he came home around 6 30 am with the statement, I lost a contact lens and now im fucked.

Another huge story is that on the saturday we had to catch taxis and subways and skytrains to several optometrists to be told the same story. They could not help.
I tell you, I was so impressed that I had to take him, since he was blind.
He had payed out on my body giving up the night before and me not going out.
Now karma was back. His eyes had given up on him, except I had to help.

So we are off to Jakarta and ill be keeping up to date there too