Day 36: Love in Thailand

While my friend went to party on Nikki Beach, I took a private tour of Phuket. The first stop was at Tiger Kingdom, where I cavorted with tigers inside their private enclosure. Ok, maybe it wasn't so much cavorting as staying away from their gigantic paws and piercing teeth. The tigers were hand-raised from birth, so they are well-trained, but wild animals nonetheless, so best play it safe :)

Next, we stopped at a cashew factory, where I watched workers painstakingly deshell cashews, one by one. I tried a cashew drink, which had an interesting flavor. Along the way to the Big Buddha, I took a short elephant trek, mounted on the elephant's back by a makeshift carriage. I held on tightly as we precariously navigated the mountainside.

At the Big Buddha, which is still under construction, visitors could purchase a bell to hang beneath the buddha, along with a wish or private message. The bells chimed harmoniously, sending out their messages of hope and love into the wind.

Finally, the tour ended at a scenic lookout at sunset, a perfect way to end the day.