Ozbus11 in Thailand - Part 2

Day 56 of Ozbus11's 92 day adventure to Sydney offered an invaluble, jam-packed day trip. Or so I thought. Now there are many extras offered as part of the Ozbus experience and day trips are one of them. This trip included a tour of the floating markets, a visit to a Tiger Sacntuary run by Monks and a visit to that bridge over the River Kwai. It was a pretty full on day and kicked off at 7am.

Only a few on the trip had decided they would use the time to recouperate in Bangkok and not be carted off on yet another Ozbus group activity. At the time I chose to go and pay the day trip fee, in fear of missing out on the Thailand experience but out of all the excursions - this was the one I would have gladly missed, in hindsight.

The floating markets were more than a disappointment. Apparently there are 2 sites tourists are taken to. I can only explain the one I saw. The coach dropped us off at a sort of embarkation station where we were put into groups of 8 and loaded into narrow, tradional boats, with ruddy great big motors on the back. Before we zoomed off on the canals, we were all stunned momentarily by someone taking each pairs' photo on a digital camera.

Off we went at varying speeds according to water trafic, halting at differnt yet surpsingly similar trinket stalls and I started to wonder when we would get to the actual markets. Well the more we stopped at these stalls selling rubbish and the more I saw other boats of tourists doing the same, it became apparent that this was actually it. Not impressed. A smooth operation of dumping us at a decent looking shop selling more rubbish, there for 15 mins or so before our boat number was called and we went off again was the best we were offered at the markets. We were taken back to where we had got on boats and were offered a souvenir picture of the pairs printed onto plastic plates. Not entirely what I'd call quality merchandise but it appealed to Dee who bought one. It was destined for our makeshift mantlepiece on top of the TV in our hotel room.

Well, the floating markets didn't get us off to a good start. Luckily we were going to the Tiger Sanctuary next which many were looking forward to. Looking forward to it not least because they would each get a chance to have their photo taken with a tiger which I guess some people dream about since childhood. When I learn't this I did ask myself the question - how does one pose with a tiger when they are in a sanctuary? To a westerner the idea of a sanctuary is something of a mimmicked natural habitat for creatures to frolic in, as free as possible from human interaction. Not so in Thailand.

First of all the fee to enter this supposed sanctuary was extorionate for the experience it offered. Secondly it was quite clearly not run by Monks, merely people dressed in coloured robes. A few of us did go on the hunt for the temple that was meant to be there, but we found all we found was a massive cattle shed. Thirdly to get the picture with a tiger, one must que up with other excitable tourists, be guided into a compound of about 10 chained up Tigers and sit behind one smiling like "this is a completely natural environment for both of us to be in", touch it gently if you like while a robed 'monk' takes your picture.

If you're questioning the safety aspect of this right now then don't worry. We were clearly briefed by many young westerners who seemed to be working there (I presume this is where some of our fee goes, they'd be fools to volunteer at the place) who told us not to wear bright colours, make sudden movements nor stray from the line. Well thank heavens for that, I felt so much safer after thata as you can imagine. (what's comp. shorthand for being sarcastic?)

After an hour of walking around coming across chained up Tigers here and there for crowds to gawp over I became depressed. I felt completely and utterly betrayed by the company I was travelling with for allowing their customers to take part in something obviously barbaric and an absolute violation of animal rights. Personally I would strongly advise against all visits to anything described as a Tiger Sanctuary by Ozbus.

Back on the bus again, it was now nearly lunchtime and took a while to arrive at where we would have it. But once there, a little place on the side of a main road, the Thai people came up trumps again with some glorious food. Back on the bus (it seemed most of the day was actually spent on the bus) we were ferryed for a long time to our next destination, the birdge over the River Kwai. On our way there though, the group were starting to wonder how necesary our 3 tour guide ladies were. Only one it seemed was able to communicate with us and the other 2 simply chatted on their mobile phone and hogged the front seat. After much gossiping it was decided that the English speaking girl must be the official guide and the other 2 were her friends who were in it for the ride.

We eventually arrived at the Bridge over the River Kawai, weary from a long day allready. It was a nice bridge. Small with a train track on it. We got to walk some of it and I wondered if trains still used the line. Then we had to get into the side on little waiting platforms as a train came up and answered my question. And then it was time to leave again. The bridge visit sort of turned into a glorified toilet stop but it's one to cross off the list I suppose.

At 7.30pm Ozbus11 rolled back into Bangkok and I had my dinner and went promptly to bed. Exhausted and annoyed at having wasted my day and my money, my only solace was that there might be another episode of Home and Away on television. There wasn't and I had to make do with something on National Geographic.