Road Block

We went down to Rayong last week. All good roads fine and a quick journey except..... speeding along a dual carriageway the traffic started to back up.

After about 30 seconds we got tot eh trouble spot.  A tree had fallen over the road. So..... In typical Thai style the cars decided to "drive round it".  But it cover the full width of the road.  Not to be deterred they just went off the

road found a route through the trees on the road side onto a cycling lane and back on the main road pas the tree and sped off.  Needless to say we did the same.  Photos of this taken while driving do not give the whole or clear picture (pun...) of the story but this should be sufficient for you to get a good idea of a typical road trip in Thailand.....

Home Massage

Our Friend Noi was round for a few days.

She brought with her a Korea massage kit.  Its one of those ones where they out air cylinders on your back and suck the air our.  Leave them on your skin for about 5 minutes.  It is supposed to stretch the skin adn muscles etc. After 5 minutes she removes them she gives you a good back massage to follow up.

So relaxing unbelievable.  Should do this more often.  BTW the marks stay for a good 48 hours......
  

Yellow Fever

Well I do not have yellow fever nor do I want it. So with the upcoming possibility of a short term assignment in West Africa I need with Wanna to get down to Bangkok for the necessary jabs.

Can you believe given Thailand geographical location it is necessary to go to Bangkok for the jab and Certificate.  Apparently you can get the jab locally but the certificate not so. Strange but TIT.

So we flew down for the day.  Train into town and visited  the Red Cross Society where they have inoculations for everything you can imagine and some you never knew about.

Of course the main thing in this regard in Thailand is snakes and dealing with snake bites.  Seem to be a lot of nasty guys around as well. So the Red Cross is fully equipped and has an in house snake farm  or snakeatorium  whatever it s called so they can extract venom to make vaccines..  Actually I do not like snakes but it was fascinating going round and seeing them from a safe distance..... i.e through thick glass or mesh.

The place was very education. That does not sound exciting does it....  I added a copy of the video.  Bit boring but it will serve as a memory in time.

So some photos  snakes including a skeleton of a python.  Ugh !!!!!!!!

Busy day with a little drama.

Started off nice and relaxed this morning. Bit of a late start.  Had just settled into my second morning cup of coffee,as one does.  Very relaxed.  "Don't forget to fix the water pump electrics. Seems to have a short."

OK OK I'll get to it.  Actually good job I did. Plug completely melded away.

So what to go and do as follow up.  Obvious. After such hard work I went off to the music studio to play some blues with my mate Dante. Even there no rest.  Someone outside the studio came round to show us the new local resident..He was just leaving by way of being chucked over a a large wall at
the rear of the compound..... Thank God.  They give a nasty bit........and more.

Ban Muang country life

So I did get round to making some cheese.  The last lot was so so bad even the pond fish were suspicious of it....

Made from a 5 litre batch of fresh milk. Had a helper, Wanna's nephew.

While doing this Wanna was busy planting trees.  We put in 11 limes, 5 Durians and another 20 assorted fruits.  That was our day.  Evening was spend with family having Bar B q and an early night.

The usual excuses but this time I've been busy......

Keep saying this is my last time I will write with such a long time between posts.

So much as happened but I do not record it as I used to. Suffice to say the usual statement follows "  I will try harder, for you the reader and for me for the memories...".  Think I've written similar words quite a few times recently.

Last week Jane arrived in Thailand.  She has planned to stay in our house in Rayong but I has asked her to first come up to Khon Kaen and have a few days to settle in then we took her down to Rayong. I should add the house in Rayong had been empty for about 12 months.  We had been down a month ago just to give it a clean.  But being next tot he road and beach it accumulates a lot of dust. Also we have a cat decided to use our rear balcony. Don't know who was more shocked us or the cat when we returned. I think he also decided to stay on...

So very busy time in Rayong.  First job was organisation, as we had finally managed to rent our 2 condos.  They had been empty for over a year.  Don't know why empty for so long but then we got a new agent and done deal.  Thank God. So spent a day running round to get them Internet and remove the stuff they did not want. We re"owned" an unused microwave, water kettle and odds and ends including a load of coat hangers....

Then to help Jane settle in we have a few bits and pieces to do and we also developed "Tour Guide" techniques showing her the various spots and local restaurants etc.

It's difficult when you move to a new place  and everyone says Oh its easy !!  Shops are here, restaurant is there etc etc. But this was different.  Jane is not planning on a few days but months. So,  so much more to advise.  Where to buy drinking water, replace the cooking gas cylinder, which market/shop is open when.  Where to buy this or that. Lots of stuff.  Add in that she is only now learning to use Thai words.  A big ask !!!!

But we did it.  Much to our amazement we had a very good and lucky time, all ran smoothly. Internet installation with new box etc was supposed to take a week but second day after paying deposit we were fully connected.

Jane got herself organised with a bicycle. So now able to go off exploring etc. Exciting times ahead for her. I suspect quite a head on experience for her as no doubt so much looked different and yet at the same time looked the same if you follow my drift. It was not helped by Wanna and I constantly proving a narrative or explanation on this or that. I know it would have done my head in !!!!!   But it all worked out good.  It is only by showing other people around you appreciate how much there is. Rayong is a great town. Love it.

Yesterday evening we  returned from 5 days in Rayong back home. On the way back we bought some avocado and durian trees for our garden. We had bought about 10 lime trees a few weeks back and have about 50 Pawpaw ready to be planted.  Busy few days coming up...

Crashed..... But only after checking on my home brew, setting up the bread maker and feeding the crays and pond fish. A mans work is never done !!!!!! (Don't let Wanna read this bit.)

 And its a beautiful morning for sure.

And today off to make more cheese and get back to my Guitar.

More news tomorrow.....  For sure....



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