Kanch - Installment Three (Tigers!)

My 12 year old self is over the moon.

In grade 7 we were made to create a poster showcasing our lifetime goals.  Some of the "goals" I had back then were to speak five languages, jog the entire Great Wall of China, and, probably, climb Mount Everest.  Well, I speak two languages, have been known to jog from time to time, and daily climb several sets of stairs.

One goal, however, that I can check off of that not-so-realistic list is my dream of petting a tiger.

While we were in Kanch we visted the Tiger Temple.  It has a wide assortment of different kinds of animals (incidentally, most of the animals are ones which seem like they would be good chow for a tiger: deer, water buffalo, pigs....but apparently the tigers are fed chicken)  The main attraction, however, are obviously the tigers.  

You can opt to go into this area that has a bunch of tigers in it. Once inside, you are led around by one worker while another worker takes your photos.  For safety reasons you are only allowed to pet the lower back and belly of the tigers - no shoulders, neck, or head.

It actually wasn't too scary either.  Sometimes while you were petting them the tigers would yawn, stretch, or roll over, which occasionally put me off ease, but overall I was just ecstatic of what I was  doing.

Some of them were really big, like the guy whose's belly I was petting, while others were smaller, adolescent tigers.  Some would roll over for you to give their bellies a nice scratch, while others seem to not even notice that you are petting them.  All of them were very, very dozy.  They only allow people to do this at a certain time of day when the tigers are most sleepy (nocturnal animals, you know).

So amazing....I feel so lucky.

Lots of love,

Kelsey