Thew and I took a five hour journey to a tiger conservation project almost on the Thai/Burma (Myanmar) border.

It specialises in caring for orphaned tiger cubs usually the result of poachers.

They are trying to raise money for a larger reserve to enable them to train tigers to re-introduce them to the wild.

The opportunity to stroke a full grown and totally unrestrained tiger is not one I ever expected to have. (I have to report that Thew 'chickened out' but he did take a photo of me stroking a tiger).

Thew's philosophy was if there are tigers about always have at least one person in front of you. That way if he gets eaten you have a chance to run away.

I'm relieved to say that the tiger that attacked me was a cub. A little bit bigger than a domestic cat. He wanted to eat my right trainer and trouser leg and took some disauding. He was a very engaging character though so I didn't mind.

The reserve area was staggeringly hot and is suffering, like much of Thailand, from a prolonged drowt.

It's been a fairly tiring and busy few days so far but I'm off to the coast tomorrow for a quieter time.

All the best from Thailand

Jon