The light at the end of the tunnel pt1 a 6 week adventure story

Very cool, its great to experience a different culture up close and personal, especially when its with the woman you love, who can also serve as your very own tour guide! Have fun and hope you catch some fish. Maybe learn a new recipe for the restaurant too.
Seeing this really makes me want to get back to Japan. I have actually learned basic hiragana, my 7 year old has been teaching me!
 
Todd, great pics and info. I have seen the "broken bottle" walls numerous times in my travels. It seems to be very common in south and central America.



dc
 
I've noticed that Thailand is very different from the USA,
Least where I am from.

All the windows are open
since the weather is nice.

You hear more
You smell more

In this place children play and brothers and sisters fight
parents tell them to mind their manners

sometimes a youngster gets a swat of correction,
you can hear it.

That is A-OK here.

Dogs bark at night,
sometimes they fight and have territory disputes that circle all around the neighborhood.

You can hear them growl and snap and whimper too.

There is always the smell of food,
lots of it cooked on char coal and almost Barbeque style.

You can tell what your neighbors are eating, and they can tell what you are eating.


At first, it almost seemed like a lack of privacy
this closeness and living out loud.

It would be odd to hear people fighting, laughing, making love back home.

but here,
it is just life.


The ships cross the bar of the Tha Chin out behind Anya's place.

Their big diesels cut off and go to neutral for a moment as they pay respect to the temples and wish for good luck and safety on their journey.

They light off a roll of cherry bombs and firecrackers to let the spirits know they have come, so it smells like the 4th of july.

The big diesels are thrown back into fwd and growl with a blast of smoke out to the gulf.


All the day long the roosters crow.
 
Today we were up about 0530 hrs after a fitful night trying to sleep.


There was a dog fight that was legendary. A pack of about 6 rogue dogs were after it.
For about 2 hrs the lone dog walked his territory, growling and barking.


I could hear the rogue pack howling on the perimeter. Every once in a while I'd hear the growling intensify and then the sound of jaws snapping and a whimper or yelp.
After that, it would get quiet for 10 minutes or so,
only to start up again.
I did manage a few z's ultimately.


Anya's mom had a place out back where the original homestead was,
and then she built a new place out in front about 30 years back, and she tore the original down to build a 12 room apartment building to rent out.






About 8 years back, the river blew its banks and everyone in the apartment abandoned ship, so it has stood vacant since.



DSC_3662 by Duncan Tennyson, on Flickr






We decided to clear back the brush and clean the place up some, so that it wouldn't become lost to the vegetation.
Ultimately, we are planning on building a new place there to overlook the river.
Going to have to have a 10 ft post foundation to stay above the tides and floods.


Anyways, we broke out our machetes and saws and shears and worked on it some.

DSC_3665 by Duncan Tennyson, on Flickr



DSC_3667 by Duncan Tennyson, on Flickr


My back is a bit sore and the ants seemed to like me. It was a lot of hacking and hauling and hacking some more.


After we were done we went into town and I bought the girls ice cream.


They like ice cream.

DSC_3676 by Duncan Tennyson, on Flickr


From the ice cream parlor you can see the roundabout.


The people in Thailand take their mopeds to new limits. I missed a family of four on one, but I did manage a few 3somes.

DSC_3670 by Duncan Tennyson, on Flickr

DSC_3671 by Duncan Tennyson, on Flickr


This gal has it dialed.
The kid has a funky haircut, and she's able to get her smoke lit on a moving moped!



DSC_3673 by Duncan Tennyson, on Flickr


Here goes a tuk tuk
Looks like a full crew.

DSC_3682 by Duncan Tennyson, on Flickr



DSC_3677 by Duncan Tennyson, on Flickr


This lady is too busy to just drive.



DSC_3684 by Duncan Tennyson, on Flickr


Guys just don't do this in the states.



DSC_3696 by Duncan Tennyson, on Flickr


This guy must be a hell of a trainer,
I mean, Kaden can back up my truck,
but this poodle is able to drive a moped.



DSC_3700 by Duncan Tennyson, on Flickr




We wanted some snacks, so we bought some of this pork satay.
Lots of vendors cook with char coals.

DSC_3704 by Duncan Tennyson, on Flickr


He has a pretty good set up.


Simple, but effective.
Each skewer was about a dime.



DSC_3705 by Duncan Tennyson, on Flickr


We decided to get some soup from this nice lady.





DSC_3707 by Duncan Tennyson, on Flickr




This gal had sweet sticky rice wrapped in leaves and some fish balls and taro.


We got some of that too.



DSC_3711 by Duncan Tennyson, on Flickr


We got some supplies for the restaurant.
anya is always looking for supplies.





DSC_3712 by Duncan Tennyson, on Flickr




I am not certain how this packaging would go over in the states.



DSC_3714 by Duncan Tennyson, on Flickr




People really are rough on their vehicles here.





DSC_3716 by Duncan Tennyson, on Flickr




This Gazebo was interesting to see driving down the road







DSC_3721 by Duncan Tennyson, on Flickr




seems like there are a lot of small businesses here. A hell of a lot more than in the states.


Mom and pops everywhere.
I doubt anyone is getting rich, but no one is asking for welfare or unemployment or food stamps either.
 
Hey Todd, I am really enjoying these pictures that you are taking. It is amazing and it is good to see those smiling faces. Such a life style would have me worn out after just one short day.

By the way, I really loved your description of the single dog and the rogue pack who were after him. Your way of writing brought back memories of "Where the Red Fern Grows".
Al
 
Todd, guess there is no helmet law. Heck most boats have a maximum capacity limit. Great pics, keep them coming. Reminds me of my years in japan...
 
Dang Todd, I think I'd gain a hundred pounds if I'd visit there.
I suppose someday you and Anya will retire there. Maybe then I can come visit. It looks like fun and great eats too.
Safe travels my good friend and duckbrother. Tell Anya I said "hey!".
 
Todd, thank you for the pictures. Bringing back a lot of memories from a similar trip to India.

Helmet law in India, at least the states that have one~ only the driver needs a helmet. You see dad with a helmet, one kid on gas tank, mom side saddle with a kid in her lap, no helmets on those three!

I agree with you regarding entrepreneurship. I think people see what they want to see (poverty vs prosperity). If wealth were measured in smiles, Asia would have us beat hands down. Would love to be sampling those street vendors right now! But I'm also staring down -20 :)

Very best,

Rob
 
Gearing up to go Here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ko_Tao
On Monday night me and Anya are catching the Bus to ride about 6 hrs to the south.


That should get us to the ferry on time for the morning run to the island. I am hoping to jig for squid at some point.






Yesterday, we went to a couple of different temples. And to the Ampawa floating markets.


Along the way we drove through Anya's county and into the neighboring one.


This area is very flat and the elevation is very low.


Makes it good for salt farming.



[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/seaduck/12132094353/]DSC_3727 by [url=http://www.flickr.com/people/seaduck/]Duncan Tennyson, on Flickr




The salt farms are all over and they have roadside stands to sell their stuff.




I always wondered about the salt stands when they are all in a row.. 4 or five of them.


How does one bag of salt stand out against the next? I mean, isn't salt pretty much the same stuff all the world around?




The road signs take some getting used to.
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/seaduck/12132091093/]
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/seaduck/12132091093/]DSC_3730 by [url=http://www.flickr.com/people/seaduck/]Duncan Tennyson, on Flickr






Look at this one.


There is a high degree of difficulty in reading these signs while on a moped, especially while I am holding a baby, got a dog driving it, and am lighting up a smoke while texting.




[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/seaduck/12132086453/]
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/seaduck/12132086453/]DSC_3733 by [url=http://www.flickr.com/people/seaduck/]Duncan Tennyson, on Flickr




I know what your are thinking about this next one, and If I was younger and single (and not so rakishly handsome) I might have checked this place out.




[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/seaduck/12132223064/]
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/seaduck/12132223064/]DSC_3732 by [url=http://www.flickr.com/people/seaduck/]Duncan Tennyson, on Flickr








But I am not any of those things.


I am a happily married man with a family of 4 sisters to take care of.


[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/seaduck/12132083603/]
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/seaduck/12132083603/]DSC_3735 by [url=http://www.flickr.com/people/seaduck/]Duncan Tennyson, on Flickr




This temple has a lot of old boats, Thai boats that monks used to use to get around and pick up their stuff.




I am not certain if this one will ever see the water again.




[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/seaduck/12132214164/]
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/seaduck/12132214164/]DSC_3737 by [url=http://www.flickr.com/people/seaduck/]Duncan Tennyson, on Flickr




[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/seaduck/12132210814/]
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/seaduck/12132210814/]DSC_3739 by [url=http://www.flickr.com/people/seaduck/]Duncan Tennyson, on Flickr






[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/seaduck/12132209264/]
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/seaduck/12132209264/]DSC_3740 by [url=http://www.flickr.com/people/seaduck/]Duncan Tennyson, on Flickr






There is almost no room for a bag of decoys in these things




[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/seaduck/12131794725/]
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/seaduck/12131794725/]DSC_3741 by [url=http://www.flickr.com/people/seaduck/]Duncan Tennyson, on Flickr






They are meant for calm waters of the river.










[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/seaduck/12132067943/]
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/seaduck/12132067943/]DSC_3743 by [url=http://www.flickr.com/people/seaduck/]Duncan Tennyson, on Flickr








There is a similarity in temple life and life back home....




Boats and dogs.


[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/seaduck/12131792885/]
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/seaduck/12131792885/]DSC_3742 by [url=http://www.flickr.com/people/seaduck/]Duncan Tennyson, on Flickr






to be continued.....
 
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Todd, Was that a car motor attached to the long tail on big boat? Very very interesting photos thanks for sharing.


Gene
 
Gene, they are mostly 6 cyl diesels from light trucks. They get up and go pretty good.


Seems like many are Isuzu brand. There is no shortage of engineers and repair places.
 
We visited a couple of temples and they were interesting, but I kind of got my fill of the temple thing when we did the week long
ceremony at the big temple by anya's place.


The water of the river is filled with floating rafts of plants,
I am not certain what kind they are, but they are good cover for fish.


The Monitor lizards and snakes also use them for transportation u p and down the tides.


Anya and I saw a dog fall off the dock near her place, and it was rescued by climbing onto one of these huge rafts and walking along on top of the floating mat until it was able to hop off on the edge.

[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/seaduck/12132444476/]DSC_3751 by [url=http://www.flickr.com/people/seaduck/]Duncan Tennyson, on Flickr


Thai people seem to be a pretty happy lot.




[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/seaduck/12132053943/]
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/seaduck/12132053943/]DSC_3754 by [url=http://www.flickr.com/people/seaduck/]Duncan Tennyson, on Flickr




These kids would be guilty of fishing without a license,
fishing out of season,
prohibited method.
Keeping of fish below size limit, and possession of non-game species.
If they were back in the states.
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/seaduck/12131773625/]
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/seaduck/12131773625/]DSC_3757 by [url=http://www.flickr.com/people/seaduck/]Duncan Tennyson, on Flickr




There is only one requirement to do whatever kind of fishing you want to here.


You just grab your stuff and go for it.


Even if it is only tadpoles.
 
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