Tiger Petting Zoo?!?!?!

The Tiger Temple or Wat Pha Luang At Bua is a Theravada Buddhist temple in Thailand and has been a sanctuary for many endangered animals including several tigers that walk around freely once a day and can be petted by tourists. The temple received several tiger cubs where the mothers had been killed by poachers. As of 2007, over 21 cubs have been born at the temple and the total number of tigers is about 12 adult tigers and 4 cubs.

The tigers are tamed by being fed with cooked meat to avoid giving them a taste for blood. The staff keep the tigers under control and the abbot will intervene if the tiger gets agitated. They are treated as family members in the temple and visitors are asked to give a donation if they want to take photos with the tigers.

This looks like a great adventure. You always see or hear about people swimming with dolphins & I have swam with the sting Rays before and recently I put up a post about swimming with 1000's of jelly fish but would you rub the belly of a jungle tiger. I think I would but not with Siegfried and Roy.

Travel Pic of the Week

Earlier this year, Michelangelo's famous David Statue took a United States of America Tour for 12 weeks. Perhaps he should have stayed in Europe or even better went down Under to Austrailia. According to the World Health Organization, the following countries are considered the top 10 healthiest: Japan, Australia, France, Sweden, Italy, Spain, Greece, Switzerland, Monaco, & Andorra. The UK barely made the top 15 and the USA just eeked into the top 25. So when you are travelling, perhaps follow the old standard of doing as the Romans do.

A Fat Traveller!

There is nothing worse than being overweight and out of shape. However, you get used to it and find comfort zones in your own world. This all ends and can humble you when you travel. Sweating in hot locations, sitting uncomfortable in a "small" airplane seat, or struggling to participate in some great outdoor adventure cause you are too fat, is all the challenges of being a FAT TRAVELLER! Unfortunately, I have become a FAT TRAVELLER!
Therefore, I, Eric Gamble, the Travel Beggar am on a mission this summer to not only have great travel experiences, but also get in shape so that I can better enjoy my vacations, outdoor activities, and adventures. I am inspired. I have joined a new program at my gym. You can check it out online by CLICKING HERE. Erik Frank & his partner Rebby Riche are teaching essentially a training boot camp and they aren't letting me out of this program until I have become a lean, mean, healthy MACHINE!!! I want to be able to do great adventures without wondering if I can breath.
Here,you will see my before pictures taken on May 14th! You can see them closer, if you can stomach it, by clicking on any individual magazine
Therefore, I am starting Eric's 25 for Angel's Place . As many of you know, I also have promoted charity to children's charity. Often, I see and help others who are taking pledges or donations to walk/run or do something for Cancer Research, AIDS Research, Education Against Violence, etc. So I am taking donations to lose weight on behalf on Angel's Place.
Right now I weigh 224.5 lbs. My Personal goal is to get to 199 lbs. The program is a 14 week program that will essentially end on August 20th. I am asking for a $25 donation or $1 a pound. You can donate via paypal right now. If you donate now, I will note the amount donated & if by some horrible chance that I dont make the 25lbs, I will refund you a dollar per pound I missed. (ie: if I only lose 20lbs by August 20th then, the Angel's Place will receive your generous $25 donation & I will refund you $5 from my own money...not the Angel's Place. Please consider helping me on my mission to become a healthy Travel Beggar as well as a way to help these great children.

Travel Pic of the Week

Make sure if you ever go visit the Great Wall of China, you go to the bathroom before you go. Otherwise, you better be a very fast runner!!

Travel for a Great Cause - Friends of Orphans: Nicaragua

Often people take trips to see new worlds, seek adventure, search for relief from stress, or just to get away. To do this, they often visit countries that are poor, devasted, or suffering. Yet where they "vacation", they avoid that situation either on purpose or most likely without any knowledge at all that those situations even exist.
Well to remedy that, I the travel beggar, will do my best to promote travels that provide an alternative adventure - the chance to do something good adventure. Now these "adventures", while supporting a good cause, often don't lack fun, new experiences, or times to relax.
For the Travel Beggar's first "Travel for a Great Cause", we are strongly recommending you look into the Friends of the Orphans: Nicaragua trip. They are embarking to Nicaragua: August 18 - 23, 2008. Nicaragua is an exciting place with interesting politics, friendly & outgoing people, and an interesting terrain with mountains, volcanoes, Lake Nicaragua & open fields. So what will you do with the Friends of the Orphans? The trip will include:
• Tour Casa Asis on the shore of Lake Nicaragua & Casa Santiago on Ometepe Island.
• See the property on the mainland where construction has begun on the new permanent home.
• Spend time with the children & meet NPH staff & volunteers.
• Sightsee & shop in Rivas, one of the most popular beach towns of Nicaragua.
• Relax & enjoy the accommodations at a lovely hotel.
There will be an interest meeting on Monday, June 2, 2008. The time & location are to be announced. If you are interested, please contact the trip coordinator for reservations & more information:Alina Fleury at (703) 848-2072. Tell her that Eric the Travel Beggar sent you!
Learn more about the Friends of the Orphans by clicking on their name or CLICKING HERE!