"Nothing can go wrong. We have control of everything. Very Safe. But ... can you sign this release form?"

The form wants me to verify that I have health insurance . It also wants me to release everyone involved from any liability, just to be safe. It covers mauling and loss of limbs. Loss of eyesight is listed, followed by death.

I wish they had stopped at the "Nothing can go wrong" promise. But, I sign.

I'm at the Tiger Kingdom today. You recall I visited a monks' place while in Kanchanaburi. But, I was a little surprised when I got there and found the tigers you got to pet had been sedated. I didn't want to do that again.

People kept telling me the tiger place in Chiang Mai was the #1 in the country and the tigers were not sedated in any way. So, hoping this to be true I set off to see this tiger farm today. It's a nice ride up into the mountains in a tuk tuk.

It's quite an impressive place as you approach it. I leave the safety of the tuk tuk behind and walk up the steps. There are instructions and lines everywhere . 

The system here works like this: There are several groups of tigers you can visit. They are grouped by size. Very small, small, medium, large and very large. You pick as many as you want to see and your ticket price is based on how many groups you want to see. Your ticket then has the groups you paid for on it and you get a number. I am still skeptical about the tiger farm, though, and decide I will just see two groups. I choose the small and very large.

I wait in the waiting area until my number comes up. Then, with a small group, we are led through the gates into the farm. It's huge in here. We are then on our own to find the tigers we have paid to see. 

I find the smal tigers and sign on a waiting list. Only 4 people can be in the cage at a time. Each person is assigned their own personal guide and own tiger to pet and get pictures taken with.

A trainer comes out and calls my number . I follow him into the first cage which is separated from the tigers by another gate. 

Before entering, He tells me the rules. 
  I cannot get near the front paws or head of the tigers.
  Do not approach the tiger from the front or underbelly. 
  No sudden movements to startle or provoke the animal. 
The tigers are treated firmly, but fairly, by the trainers. They are trained from birth to obey the trainers. Humans are allowed to lay on top of the tigers, but not play with them in any way at all. 

Once all the rules are understood, he assures me I will be safe. He carries a stick to control the animal with, if needed. I think to myself,  "a stick?"

As he opens the gate and we start in, he asks me if I am frightened of the tigers. I start to tell him I have had the King Cobra wrapped around me and I don't think I have any fear left. But, I just say "No". And, I really am not. I guess if one starts to eat on me I might be . But, I am not nervous entering the cage.

The small tigers I chose to visit are between 4-8 months old. My trainer says mine is 7 months old. He takes me to the one I am to visit. The tiger is roaming around the grounds. He walks the fence slowly, not paying any attention to me. I follow behind. I cannot try to stop him while he is moving, but the trainer says it is okay to feel his back, maybe he will stop. 

I rub his back as he walks along, but he does not stop. He just keeps walking all around the grounds. I follow, waiting for him to lay down or stop. Just like a child, he has too much energy and wants to always be on the move, I guess. 

 The trainer laughs because my tiger is not interested in me. He just wants to wander around. He tells me to just keep following until he stops. 

Before long he decides to lay down next to some other tigers. There are more than 4 tigers in the pen roaming around, but only 4 people with personal trainers are allowed in at a time. So, there are more tigers than people. This is my chance. I can play with the tail and rub the back part of him, but not the belly. I really like the feel of their hair. 

He lays there a few minutes and plays with another tiger cub. It's obvious these tigers are not sedated in any way or had their moods changed . One is trying to climb a wire fence separating him from the larger tigers. 

My tiger wrestles with another one and the trainer points to another one laying there and tells me to lay on his back, but to press firmly when I lay on it. It seems they do not like humans to be too gentle. 

The trainer pulls back the hair from the tigers paw and shows me the large nails. The nails have been cut, but they are still large nails for a tiger 7 months old.

A trainer is playing with a cub in a small water pool. He has a stick and they are playing tug of war like you would with a dog. We are not allowed to play with them, though. It's fun to be here with them in their natural surroundings. They all appear well fed and very content. None are on chains. Despite the fact they are free to wander, they are not trying to eat any humans, at least not right now. This is more of the experience I wanted to have with tigers .

Eventually, when I have had enough time with the small tiger, I move on to the next group I paid to see. The large tiger.

It takes 5 years for a tiger to reach adulthood. They can weigh up to 500 pounds.

I sign up on the big Tiger board and wait for my tiger trainer to call me. There are 3 large tigers in the area we will be in, and only 2 people can enter at a time. Since I am a group of one, another group of one joins me. He is Andrew from Australia. We chat while waiting and I find out he is backpacking alone, also.

Two tigers are laying near the fence as we enter. They are sleeping. I wonder if they are sedated. "No" says the trainer. "Sleep in sun." I do remember, visiting zoos, that they like to sleep in the heat of the day. I think it's the same in the wild. They like to sleep during the day and roam and hunt at night .

He explains these adult tigers have been around humans all their lives and are very used to being handled and petted. Same rules apply as to the small ones. Approach form the back only.
 
We have pictures taken with the large sleeping tigers, that don't seem to care. Then we move to one laying on a table. We rub and take photos and he doesn't move. Then, the trainer splashes a little water on his face and he gets up. He was sleeping so good, too. He is not angry, though. We take the obligatory photos and I guess he was glad when we left and let him get back to sleep.

I have one regret today. That is that I did not get the package to visit all the groups of these tigers. Especially, I would liked to have seen the extra small tiger cubs. 

I really thought this would not be that good, so I just got a package to see two groups. If in the area again, I will see the others, I hope.

Andrew and I say our goodbyes and go in our opposite directions.