This will probably be my last posting from Thailand for this adventure, which ends one week from tonight. I have had endless problems with the internet here, both at apartment and at local eateries...I will explain when I am out of the country. I was just at Black Canyon Coffee, logged on to internet, and got "The Girl and The Pig", really...a high class restaurant, nearby...it does attract attention.
The family got their rice all harvested, and it was a poor crop. They usually get about 80 sacks of rice at 60 kilograms each, but this year, due to little rain, only 30 sacks, but did not harvest all because it was such poor crop in some places, they did not bother.
Tomorrow, at four in the afternoon, I will have my final dental appointment. Then, just some site seeing. On Friday, I will meet my friends, they want to take me for dinner to the Baioke Tower, they have reservations for the 77 floor restaurant. It is the tallest building in Thailand.
I heard a rumor here that a football team from Toronto won a game in Ottawa last Sunday. I must admit, I was wrong, but maybe someone will do an investigation....it should never have happened.
The temperature remains around 34 degrees, so there will be quite a change when I return home...but I did bring winter clothing, so am prepared.
My next posting will be from home in Ottawa, unless things change with the internet here.
Wednesday 29 November 2017
Friday 24 November 2017
Bangkok, November 24, 2017
I am now down to under 14 days for this trip to Asia. I depart just after midnight on December 7, and follow the sun as it were, arriving home just after dinner on same date. I am having some long planned dental work done in my spare time. On my first trip here just over five years ago, I met many folks from Australia that came here for major work, and were very pleased with the work and the cost. They could fly here...around eight hours, stay in a three-four star hotel, have the dental work done, and be thousands of dollars ahead of the costs back in Australia. While I just had a dental cleaning, and will have several fillings, nothing major, it will come to a total of about one hundred and seventy dollars, Canadian. Back in Ottawa, I was quoted just over two thousand for the same work. The equipment is very modern, and the staff very professional. I am totally happy with the work.
I have just finished the work on my photos, about one hundred and seventy. I had them printed, and have them all in order, in albums, so am making good use of my spare time. Since I will not be out of Bangkok again this trip, my remaining photo work will mostly be of buildings...some at night. That is my project for this evening.
I hear my team from Saskatchewan let me down last week, but I did get one of two, and am sure you will see Calgary winning the game on Sunday. As for me, I will not be watching it in any event.
My computer is still acting strange; Type style changed just now, it did the same on my last post.
I will do my story on the monks upon my return home.
I usually find something to do when I have idle time...some folks take naps, but I am usually more constructive. This summer, I discovered that after an hour or so, I could balance a pen on end. Some of my friends back home at the coffee club, we call "The Liars Club", have seen this. Now, I have discovered I can stand three in under one minute. The other day, I took the puzzle page from the Bangkok Post, three pens and went to Macdonalds with some of my friends. I told them to act as if they did not know me...it might be better. They did not know what I was up to. As I had coffee, with the pens standing in front of me on the table, I would take one, maybe the blue ink, do some words, put it back standing, and do the same again and again. Did I ever attract a crowd!!!. Fun and games.
I have just finished the work on my photos, about one hundred and seventy. I had them printed, and have them all in order, in albums, so am making good use of my spare time. Since I will not be out of Bangkok again this trip, my remaining photo work will mostly be of buildings...some at night. That is my project for this evening.
I hear my team from Saskatchewan let me down last week, but I did get one of two, and am sure you will see Calgary winning the game on Sunday. As for me, I will not be watching it in any event.
My computer is still acting strange; Type style changed just now, it did the same on my last post.
I will do my story on the monks upon my return home.
I usually find something to do when I have idle time...some folks take naps, but I am usually more constructive. This summer, I discovered that after an hour or so, I could balance a pen on end. Some of my friends back home at the coffee club, we call "The Liars Club", have seen this. Now, I have discovered I can stand three in under one minute. The other day, I took the puzzle page from the Bangkok Post, three pens and went to Macdonalds with some of my friends. I told them to act as if they did not know me...it might be better. They did not know what I was up to. As I had coffee, with the pens standing in front of me on the table, I would take one, maybe the blue ink, do some words, put it back standing, and do the same again and again. Did I ever attract a crowd!!!. Fun and games.
Wednesday 22 November 2017
Some Odds and Ends, Wednesday, November 21...Bangkok
In the story of rice, I did not mention that the legal wage per day in Thailand is three hundred Baht...that is 12 dollars Canadian. This does not apply to farm work and a few other very hard types of work. It would upset everything if one farmer started paying their help more. Four dollars for a twelve hour day is the norm here. That includes being totally covered because of the mosquitoes and other nasty biters. in the 35 degree heat....and when nature calls, you find a private space in the forest!. All the women use baby t-shirts over their heads, with the neck hole for the eyes...works well.
Regarding my post upon return from Laos.Bangkok has one airport in the Northwest corner of the city called Don Muang, it is the original airport, and handles most of the domestic and the short hauls from within this part of Asia, including China. Probably around four thousand passengers per hour. There is not enough taxis for the service demands, and, with our quick thinking, we got to the head of the lineup before the next hoard. When we departed with the driver, about 400 were waiting for a car. It was rush hour also, and I am sure many were there four hours later.
In one of my earlier posts after arriving here, I spoke of the trailer cart being towed by a small motor bike. From a farm background, I have seen the damage that can be done when the load is too much for the power source. I had two friends that were killed when their tractors flipped backward because it could not pull the attached load. Several years ago, I lost a nephew for the same reason. In all cases, family members were there, but could do nothing.
In a few days, I will write about two monks, and, just maybe, about a stunt I did at Macdonalds that attracted a bit of attention.....all while just doing a puzzle and enjoying a coffee. Usually, we use that old adage,"What happens in Rome stays in Rome", but I might make an exception.
Regarding my post upon return from Laos.Bangkok has one airport in the Northwest corner of the city called Don Muang, it is the original airport, and handles most of the domestic and the short hauls from within this part of Asia, including China. Probably around four thousand passengers per hour. There is not enough taxis for the service demands, and, with our quick thinking, we got to the head of the lineup before the next hoard. When we departed with the driver, about 400 were waiting for a car. It was rush hour also, and I am sure many were there four hours later.
In one of my earlier posts after arriving here, I spoke of the trailer cart being towed by a small motor bike. From a farm background, I have seen the damage that can be done when the load is too much for the power source. I had two friends that were killed when their tractors flipped backward because it could not pull the attached load. Several years ago, I lost a nephew for the same reason. In all cases, family members were there, but could do nothing.
In a few days, I will write about two monks, and, just maybe, about a stunt I did at Macdonalds that attracted a bit of attention.....all while just doing a puzzle and enjoying a coffee. Usually, we use that old adage,"What happens in Rome stays in Rome", but I might make an exception.
Tuesday 21 November 2017
Bangkok, November 21,2017
The growing of rice. This is my third time trying to get this page out to you.
Rice needs lots of water. Where there is plenty of water, farmers usually harvest three crops, a year. The area where my friends live is dry, so they get but one crop. Rice farming for about 90 percent of the farmers is very labor intensive. The season begins when rice seeds are planted in a field of water, the seeds just thrown at random into the ground. After the young plants grow about six inches, they are pulled out by hand and replanted in neat rows with the plants about eight inches apart. The new planting is actually a cluster of six to ten stalks, which grow to a height of about three feet. These rows are up to a kilometer long, depending on the field dimensions. A rice field is level, and can be easily flooded if the field is near a canal system meant for this purpose. If not, rain becomes the only moisture, so those farmers with no water system are at natures mercy. They wait for the monsoons to come...the planting timed for that wet season. One can fly over the country side and see the land flooded for miles. My friends have no rice if the monsoons come too soon, or too late. After about 90 days, the rice is ready to harvest. This is a backbreaking process. Farmers using sickles cut the clusters, one at a time about eight inches from the ground. When they have an arm full, in is stacked in neat rows to further dry for a few days. After that, the stacks are baled and taken to a plant where the rice is threshed into what you see in the store. My friends have 40 acres, which are harvested this way. It takes on average, about 30 days to harvest the 40 acres, two people working twelve hours a day.
This year, I did not go to the orphanage at Pattaya to work,but members of my "Thai Family", donate rice to the orphanage. I gave the family three thousand Baht, the equivalent of 120 Canadian dollars, which is what they pay to hire someone each year. That will hire a second person for thirty days, or until the rice is harvested. The family member doing their work is the mother of my friends, and she is 56 years old. It is the women that harvest the rice; I have yet to see a man in a rice field....anyplace in Asia.
Rice needs lots of water. Where there is plenty of water, farmers usually harvest three crops, a year. The area where my friends live is dry, so they get but one crop. Rice farming for about 90 percent of the farmers is very labor intensive. The season begins when rice seeds are planted in a field of water, the seeds just thrown at random into the ground. After the young plants grow about six inches, they are pulled out by hand and replanted in neat rows with the plants about eight inches apart. The new planting is actually a cluster of six to ten stalks, which grow to a height of about three feet. These rows are up to a kilometer long, depending on the field dimensions. A rice field is level, and can be easily flooded if the field is near a canal system meant for this purpose. If not, rain becomes the only moisture, so those farmers with no water system are at natures mercy. They wait for the monsoons to come...the planting timed for that wet season. One can fly over the country side and see the land flooded for miles. My friends have no rice if the monsoons come too soon, or too late. After about 90 days, the rice is ready to harvest. This is a backbreaking process. Farmers using sickles cut the clusters, one at a time about eight inches from the ground. When they have an arm full, in is stacked in neat rows to further dry for a few days. After that, the stacks are baled and taken to a plant where the rice is threshed into what you see in the store. My friends have 40 acres, which are harvested this way. It takes on average, about 30 days to harvest the 40 acres, two people working twelve hours a day.
This year, I did not go to the orphanage at Pattaya to work,but members of my "Thai Family", donate rice to the orphanage. I gave the family three thousand Baht, the equivalent of 120 Canadian dollars, which is what they pay to hire someone each year. That will hire a second person for thirty days, or until the rice is harvested. The family member doing their work is the mother of my friends, and she is 56 years old. It is the women that harvest the rice; I have yet to see a man in a rice field....anyplace in Asia.
Friday 17 November 2017
Bangkok, Thailand November 17, 2017
I am going to keep this page short, as I just lost a full page report...just disappeared before I hit the post button.
As noted, I am back in the big city after a 45 minute flight from Vientiane. We went to the museum called That Luang, which is the second site of importance in Laos. We took a took-took, and went there for an hour, then back to the hotel to finish packing, then off to the airport with the same driver.
Here is why travel these days is not very exciting for a lot of people. We arrived at the airport at 1145, the required three hours for check in, security and just plain waiting. The flight took 47 minutes. Passport control and Immigration another two hours...very busy airport here...both of them. The taxi from the Don Mueng airport to my apartment took another two hours, it was rush hour, which here usually means any time.
I will relax for a day or two, then complete a project I decided to do. Many friends have asked me for advice on Estate settlement from a will, and I have gave them what they wanted. In my spare time, I have most of what will be a ten page brochure ready for typing when I get home...title...The End Of The Line...an aid to those charged with estate settlements.
I will do another page mid week .
Watch Saskatchewan demolish Toronto on Sunday...then watch them get the same treatment from Calgary.
As noted, I am back in the big city after a 45 minute flight from Vientiane. We went to the museum called That Luang, which is the second site of importance in Laos. We took a took-took, and went there for an hour, then back to the hotel to finish packing, then off to the airport with the same driver.
Here is why travel these days is not very exciting for a lot of people. We arrived at the airport at 1145, the required three hours for check in, security and just plain waiting. The flight took 47 minutes. Passport control and Immigration another two hours...very busy airport here...both of them. The taxi from the Don Mueng airport to my apartment took another two hours, it was rush hour, which here usually means any time.
I will relax for a day or two, then complete a project I decided to do. Many friends have asked me for advice on Estate settlement from a will, and I have gave them what they wanted. In my spare time, I have most of what will be a ten page brochure ready for typing when I get home...title...The End Of The Line...an aid to those charged with estate settlements.
I will do another page mid week .
Watch Saskatchewan demolish Toronto on Sunday...then watch them get the same treatment from Calgary.
Wednesday 15 November 2017
Vientiane, Laos November 16, 2017
Vientiane is a small city by most standards, even more so to be a Capital city. It is great for walking, and has food outlets, markets and sites of interest in all quarters. The most visited site is the mini "Arc de Triomphe", which was started in 1962, and has not been finished due to the turbulent history of this country. We walked there on Tuesday, and spent about an hour.The structure is about ten stories high, with the observation deck on the seventh. There is no elevator, but for a small fee, one can walk up the hundred and some stairs. The temperature is 34 degrees so we passed on that offer.
behind the structure is a magnificent garden with fountains ans plants galore.
About two kilometers west of the Arc, is the Presidential Palace. We walked there, and visited museums and other places of interest, including a long walkway and night market on the side of the Mekong river.
The money here in Laos is called the Kip, pronounced "Keep", with one Canadian dollar worth 6300 Kip, one USD at 8385...one needs a backpack to carry the money....just last evening two of us dined for 93000!!!.
Today is to be one of leasure, maybe the night market after five, and a look at the setting sun over the Mekong about five thirty. Tomorrow is the flight back to Bangkok.
Yesterday while walking near the Presidential Palace, I heard someone calling, sir, sir; I looked back and saw two young ladies were trying to catch up to me...they were about 15 or 16 years old. I stopped to talk; they had been assigned by their English teacher to go out and fine some English speaking tourist for a five minute interview. They had met others but no one else wanted to be bothered. I st down in a temple grounds and we had a nice chat for about ten minutes, The one girl asked questions, the other filmed on her cell phone, for presentation to the class today. I made their day. Both were so polite, and happy that I would spend the time with them. Maybe tonight, I will be on the National News here!!!
Next page will be from my Apartment in down town Bangkok
behind the structure is a magnificent garden with fountains ans plants galore.
About two kilometers west of the Arc, is the Presidential Palace. We walked there, and visited museums and other places of interest, including a long walkway and night market on the side of the Mekong river.
The money here in Laos is called the Kip, pronounced "Keep", with one Canadian dollar worth 6300 Kip, one USD at 8385...one needs a backpack to carry the money....just last evening two of us dined for 93000!!!.
Today is to be one of leasure, maybe the night market after five, and a look at the setting sun over the Mekong about five thirty. Tomorrow is the flight back to Bangkok.
Yesterday while walking near the Presidential Palace, I heard someone calling, sir, sir; I looked back and saw two young ladies were trying to catch up to me...they were about 15 or 16 years old. I stopped to talk; they had been assigned by their English teacher to go out and fine some English speaking tourist for a five minute interview. They had met others but no one else wanted to be bothered. I st down in a temple grounds and we had a nice chat for about ten minutes, The one girl asked questions, the other filmed on her cell phone, for presentation to the class today. I made their day. Both were so polite, and happy that I would spend the time with them. Maybe tonight, I will be on the National News here!!!
Next page will be from my Apartment in down town Bangkok
Monday 13 November 2017
Vientiane, Laos, November 14, 2017
The family picked me up at 0700 Monday morning, and drove me to the local bus station; this is an open air restaurant. I knew I was in for a surprise when the staff told us the fare would be two dollars and thirty cents Canadian for the 75 kilometer trip to the border city of Nong Khai. The bus appeared right on time..a twenty year old school bus, modified for these type of trips...seats removed for luggage at the back, other seats installed for some comfort, and a door on the left side, front and back which were never shut for the entire trip. We started with 13 passengers, and as we went along, people along the road waved us down, got on at the back, and the ticket taker would go tend to them. At some places, we stopped and the ticket person delivered parcels. After three hours, we arrived at the border, and that ride was over. I had to do lots of paper work for the Lao Visa, but my friends did not require one. After lunch and the usual hour for processing, another vehicle took us to the hotel Vientiane SP in down town Vientiane. We checked in and settled, then set out to explore this city, sometimes called the Paris of Asia.
I will keep this page short. My computer is working ok, but the internet is totally unreliable. I have done this page twice to get this far. I expect to do an update before departing here for Bangkok on Friday afternoon.
I note my team , Saskatchewan defeated Ottawa on Sunday. Now, watch as they beat Toronto next weekend, and go on to play and be beaten by Calgary in the National Drunk, also sometimes called the Gray Cup!!!.
I will keep this page short. My computer is working ok, but the internet is totally unreliable. I have done this page twice to get this far. I expect to do an update before departing here for Bangkok on Friday afternoon.
I note my team , Saskatchewan defeated Ottawa on Sunday. Now, watch as they beat Toronto next weekend, and go on to play and be beaten by Calgary in the National Drunk, also sometimes called the Gray Cup!!!.
Saturday 11 November 2017
UP Date, November 12, 2017
I have some quiet time at the cabin this afternoon, so will do a short update. In the morning, we take a 0730 small bus to Nong Khai, which is a border city across the Mekong River from Vientiane, Laos.
From there, it is a short 25 kilometer taxi ride over the Friendship bridge to the Laotian capital, where we stay until Friday. Vientiane is a small city, laid out to some extent as a mini Paris. That is from the many years when France ruled there, and the other nations which we knew as youngsters as French Indo-China.
Yesterday was one of fun and games. We departed about nine in the morning with ten in an old pick up truck...the driver and I in front, five kids and three adults in the back. After an hour, we stopped at a kids water park for an hour while the kids had a swim and played in the pool and water slides. It was kids only, so they had a great time. We then drove another hour to the resort known as Kamsamboom. This is a large lake, which I understand is fed by overflows of the Mekong river which is close by. The place is about 130 kilometers east of the small city where I am now at, So Phisai. We had a traditional Thai lunch...lots of rice and very spicy food, then the kids went back into the water. Other than swimming, the only activity was banana boat rides...at about two dollars a person per ride. All ten kids had lots of fun, and the younger ones all asked me to come back again during school vacation next year....they said it was the best day of their vacation. No promises were made.
I will next report sometime after arrival in Vientiane. The temperature here continues around 33 to 34 degrees. It will be much cooler this evening, in Canada as my favorite Saskatchewan team beats the Ottawa team in the football playoffs.
From there, it is a short 25 kilometer taxi ride over the Friendship bridge to the Laotian capital, where we stay until Friday. Vientiane is a small city, laid out to some extent as a mini Paris. That is from the many years when France ruled there, and the other nations which we knew as youngsters as French Indo-China.
Yesterday was one of fun and games. We departed about nine in the morning with ten in an old pick up truck...the driver and I in front, five kids and three adults in the back. After an hour, we stopped at a kids water park for an hour while the kids had a swim and played in the pool and water slides. It was kids only, so they had a great time. We then drove another hour to the resort known as Kamsamboom. This is a large lake, which I understand is fed by overflows of the Mekong river which is close by. The place is about 130 kilometers east of the small city where I am now at, So Phisai. We had a traditional Thai lunch...lots of rice and very spicy food, then the kids went back into the water. Other than swimming, the only activity was banana boat rides...at about two dollars a person per ride. All ten kids had lots of fun, and the younger ones all asked me to come back again during school vacation next year....they said it was the best day of their vacation. No promises were made.
I will next report sometime after arrival in Vientiane. The temperature here continues around 33 to 34 degrees. It will be much cooler this evening, in Canada as my favorite Saskatchewan team beats the Ottawa team in the football playoffs.
Thursday 9 November 2017
So Phisai Thailand, November 10, 2017
This is my second try at this page; I just spent an hour doing a long page on rice farming, and as I was doing the proof reading, the screen disappeared and came back blank. It is not in the draft file.
so I have no idea what happened.
I will do the story of rice after I return to Canada. As I have more problems with this laptop, I will keep postings shorter for now.
Today is one of relaxing. Two days in the hot jungle with extra clothes because of the mosquitoes is enough for a new- comer .Tomorrow, we will take the kids to a near by water park for the day. Sunday is not yet decided. On Monday, all kids are back to school, and we will go over to Vientiane, Laos for four nights. We fly back to Bangkok on Friday at two in the afternoon. It will be an Air Asia flight.
Last evening, we did a long walk into the country side, and enjoyed the sun setting in the west; It goes down about six every day of the year.
I will do another post, if all goes well for this computer from Vientiane, probably \Monday evening.
so I have no idea what happened.
I will do the story of rice after I return to Canada. As I have more problems with this laptop, I will keep postings shorter for now.
Today is one of relaxing. Two days in the hot jungle with extra clothes because of the mosquitoes is enough for a new- comer .Tomorrow, we will take the kids to a near by water park for the day. Sunday is not yet decided. On Monday, all kids are back to school, and we will go over to Vientiane, Laos for four nights. We fly back to Bangkok on Friday at two in the afternoon. It will be an Air Asia flight.
Last evening, we did a long walk into the country side, and enjoyed the sun setting in the west; It goes down about six every day of the year.
I will do another post, if all goes well for this computer from Vientiane, probably \Monday evening.
Wednesday 8 November 2017
Report from So Phisai Thursday, November 9, 2017
I now have another problem with my laptop, and am not sure how long I have the use of it. I have decided to donate the laptop to the boys when I leave Thailand. Now, the numbers across the top on the keyboard will not print.
On Tuesday, we went to the farm and for the first time, I saw what the term, "Farm Labor", really means. My friends have 200 acres, (called rai,), consisting of about 45 acres of rice, 200 palm oil trees, and between 7-800 rubber trees. The setting is your basic dense jungle, few roads, just trails. The adjoining land is owned by other relatives and family members, who also have rubber trees and sugar cane which is over ten feet high. My friends are not harvesting rubber this year, but uncle is. I will have many photos of this when I return home. I was first exposed to the rubber tree business when in Brazil over 20 years ago. Their industry had all but disappeared because a British sailor had illegally smuggled about 70 thousand rubber tree seeds to England in 1875.At that time, Brazil was believed to have the only such trees in the world. The smuggler, Henry Wickham, worked with others at Kew England, and they sent seeds to India, Singapore and Malaysia, all British colonies at that time. Today, Thailand is the largest rubber producer in the world. I will speak more on rubber at another time.
Today, Tuesday is a lesson on palm oil. These huge palm trees grow rapidly, and those here are about eight years old, and about three feet across at the base. Each tree produces from one to three huge clusters of fruit, each protected by huge extremely sharp needled fawns or branches about three inches wide, and four to ten feet long. Strong clothing, thick gloves and a strong back are essential.
The branches are hacked off with a razor sharp five foot long tool, to get to the fruit cluster. The cluster is hacked off the tree trunk, and carried to a cart. Each cluster weighs from five to ten kilos, and is loaded with fruit that looks almost like fresh dates, but are mostly reddish in color. The trees are about twenty five feet apart, and the fruit clusters are carried to a cart for removal from the forest.
Now, for the hairy part. Two people on a motor bike, a driver and a good friend drive the load to a buyer several kilometers away. The draw bar on this trailer, which has about 150 kilos of weight in the palms, is higher than the center of pull from the motor bike. The danger is that a touch too much speed from the bike, in a rough ground, as we have here, or going up a steep hill, the bike will tend to flip backwards...fast. When I pointed out what could happen, I was informed.....we know....one broken leg and two motor bikes show us!!!. I did not offer to hold the trailer pull rod.At the end of the day when the second load had been delivered to the buyer, they received 500 Baht, that's twenty Canadian dollars for five hundred kilos of the rough palm fruit. The refined palm oil is used for cooking oil, and many household items.
In my next posting, which I hope to do tomorrow, I will tell you more than you may want to know about rice farming...which we did yesterday. And to answer your next question, Yes, I am still having fun!.
On Tuesday, we went to the farm and for the first time, I saw what the term, "Farm Labor", really means. My friends have 200 acres, (called rai,), consisting of about 45 acres of rice, 200 palm oil trees, and between 7-800 rubber trees. The setting is your basic dense jungle, few roads, just trails. The adjoining land is owned by other relatives and family members, who also have rubber trees and sugar cane which is over ten feet high. My friends are not harvesting rubber this year, but uncle is. I will have many photos of this when I return home. I was first exposed to the rubber tree business when in Brazil over 20 years ago. Their industry had all but disappeared because a British sailor had illegally smuggled about 70 thousand rubber tree seeds to England in 1875.At that time, Brazil was believed to have the only such trees in the world. The smuggler, Henry Wickham, worked with others at Kew England, and they sent seeds to India, Singapore and Malaysia, all British colonies at that time. Today, Thailand is the largest rubber producer in the world. I will speak more on rubber at another time.
Today, Tuesday is a lesson on palm oil. These huge palm trees grow rapidly, and those here are about eight years old, and about three feet across at the base. Each tree produces from one to three huge clusters of fruit, each protected by huge extremely sharp needled fawns or branches about three inches wide, and four to ten feet long. Strong clothing, thick gloves and a strong back are essential.
The branches are hacked off with a razor sharp five foot long tool, to get to the fruit cluster. The cluster is hacked off the tree trunk, and carried to a cart. Each cluster weighs from five to ten kilos, and is loaded with fruit that looks almost like fresh dates, but are mostly reddish in color. The trees are about twenty five feet apart, and the fruit clusters are carried to a cart for removal from the forest.
Now, for the hairy part. Two people on a motor bike, a driver and a good friend drive the load to a buyer several kilometers away. The draw bar on this trailer, which has about 150 kilos of weight in the palms, is higher than the center of pull from the motor bike. The danger is that a touch too much speed from the bike, in a rough ground, as we have here, or going up a steep hill, the bike will tend to flip backwards...fast. When I pointed out what could happen, I was informed.....we know....one broken leg and two motor bikes show us!!!. I did not offer to hold the trailer pull rod.At the end of the day when the second load had been delivered to the buyer, they received 500 Baht, that's twenty Canadian dollars for five hundred kilos of the rough palm fruit. The refined palm oil is used for cooking oil, and many household items.
In my next posting, which I hope to do tomorrow, I will tell you more than you may want to know about rice farming...which we did yesterday. And to answer your next question, Yes, I am still having fun!.
Monday 6 November 2017
November 07 , 2017 Dispatch from Thailand
Here at Phon Phisai, (spelling varies due to language difference), I have a cabin at a place called The Roseview Resort. It is on a farm about two kilometers from my friend's home in the small city. I have for the second time in my life, agreed to be taxied on a motor scooter if it is not raining. The forecast is for no rain while I am here!!!.
To finish about my flights here. The A-380 aircraft is double decker, with business and first class on the top deck, rows one to thirty,with the lower all economy class, rows 31 to 80. I was in row 33.
This was flight number 1102 for me, going back to my first flight in 1954. From London, we went over Brussels, near Nuremberg, over Budapest, over the Black and Caspian Seas, Over Tbilsi, Baku, Lahore, Kolkota, Rangoon and on to Bangkok. Total time was eleven hours and fifteen minutes, total miles 7261. I have more, but that is enough for now.
In three hours, we will go to the farm and pick Palms...not sure what that is, however I am about to fine out. Tomorrow will probably work the rice fields. For someone raised on a dry wheat farm in Western Canada, this is about as far away from that as possible, yet many similarities. The roosters at about four in the morning, then the donkey, the geese and ducks, and some things I do not yet know what. I was promised an adventure, and a full exposure to the Thai farm life...they will not let me down. The kids have grown so fast, that arm wrestling is not so easy...and much more in store.
This blog site is now just over 7500; Thank you all. If computer still works, I will do another report in maybe three days....around November 10.
To finish about my flights here. The A-380 aircraft is double decker, with business and first class on the top deck, rows one to thirty,with the lower all economy class, rows 31 to 80. I was in row 33.
This was flight number 1102 for me, going back to my first flight in 1954. From London, we went over Brussels, near Nuremberg, over Budapest, over the Black and Caspian Seas, Over Tbilsi, Baku, Lahore, Kolkota, Rangoon and on to Bangkok. Total time was eleven hours and fifteen minutes, total miles 7261. I have more, but that is enough for now.
In three hours, we will go to the farm and pick Palms...not sure what that is, however I am about to fine out. Tomorrow will probably work the rice fields. For someone raised on a dry wheat farm in Western Canada, this is about as far away from that as possible, yet many similarities. The roosters at about four in the morning, then the donkey, the geese and ducks, and some things I do not yet know what. I was promised an adventure, and a full exposure to the Thai farm life...they will not let me down. The kids have grown so fast, that arm wrestling is not so easy...and much more in store.
This blog site is now just over 7500; Thank you all. If computer still works, I will do another report in maybe three days....around November 10.
Sunday 5 November 2017
Report from Asia November 6, 2017
Hello all; I arrived in Bangkok on schedule, with two very good flights.My computer has been unable to log on to a wifi, so took it in yesterday, had fixed at about 32 dollars. The Air Canada flight departed 20 minutes late, and we arrived 40 minutes early in London. From Ottawa, east over the Strait of Belle Isle about mid way between Goose Bay and Gander, then direct to London. As often happens, London was in fog, and we had to go into a holding pattern for twenty minutes. When we landed, fog so thick planes could not move on the ground, so we set for another twenty minutes until fog lifted somewhat. After three hours, it was on to Bangkok with Thai Airways in the newest and biggest aeroplane flying, the A-380.. It was a very quiet, smooth flight. My seat was well forward of the wings, and therefor ahead of the four engines....fantastic. My seat mated were a lady and gentleman from England. He was the strong silent type, and his wife, who was originally from Malaysia made up for it. She was very friendly and chatty, so my entertainment for twelve hours. I probably was as chatty, however, she fell asleep as we were in landing mode, Bangkok.
After two days to adjust to the time change, and catch up on sleep, I came with friends to a place in North East Thailand, a place called Phon Phisai. It is not far from Laos, and the home of my Thai family and friends. The trip up from Bangkok was 12 hours in a luxury bus, with seats that were similar to Lazy-boy chairs. The cost was twenty seven dollars, with lunch included. It was from seven in the evening to seven this morning.
I will be here for the week, then on the weekend, we will take the boys to a water part on the Mekong river. In the meantime, I will visit the family rice farm which is just out of the city, and where I see bananas and all sorts of fruits growing.
This is about the highlights for now.
After two days to adjust to the time change, and catch up on sleep, I came with friends to a place in North East Thailand, a place called Phon Phisai. It is not far from Laos, and the home of my Thai family and friends. The trip up from Bangkok was 12 hours in a luxury bus, with seats that were similar to Lazy-boy chairs. The cost was twenty seven dollars, with lunch included. It was from seven in the evening to seven this morning.
I will be here for the week, then on the weekend, we will take the boys to a water part on the Mekong river. In the meantime, I will visit the family rice farm which is just out of the city, and where I see bananas and all sorts of fruits growing.
This is about the highlights for now.
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