Well, I am certainly not taking durian!!

But maybe a collection of those delicacies that they sell on the 'farmers'-market-on-the-sidewalk' in Udon that make tourists go all squeamish.

You can get garlands made of soap, look realistic and smell lovely, boats made of glass in glass cases at a shop under the closed down New world department store in Banglampoo. It's a shop selling Buddhist items amongst other things very near the crossroads at New world on Prasumen road.

Alternatively how about the triangular-shaped cushions for resting your head on whilst you watch TV? Very bulky but attractive as well as practical.

Well, I am certainly not taking durian!!

I wouldn't even take it off the fruit sellers stand, let alone out of the country!

But maybe a collection of those delicacies that they sell on the 'farmers'-market-on-the-sidewalk' in Udon that make tourists go all squeamish.

Nothing says Thai culture like a scorpion enbalmed in a whiskey bottle!

What a great thread!

The topic concerns me as, in July, I am going to re-visit Baffin Island, in the Canadian Arctic, where I served on the Distant Early Warning Line of radar stations in 1959/60.

I need to take presents for my Inuit (which we used to call Eskimo) hosts. Things up there are terribly expensive and it is only because some, who I photographed as children, have offered to let me stay with them that I can afford to go.

The airline will be very strict on baggage weight, though, as Ottawa- Iqaluit-Qikiqtarjuaq is not a route on which they can be generous.

So I want lightweight things that are useful for immediate presents, and ones that are colourful to leave to be opened at Christmas. (I will be there at the time of "Never dark", with twenty-hours-a-day of sunshine, but six months afterwards any bit of colour is appreciated.)

Any more such suggestions will be appreciated.

Thanks,

Martin.

PS 'Little flowers made of carved soap' sounds good. Are they available in Khon Kaen, or Udon, or by mail order, does anyone know, please?

There is a shop next to the Oasis and Kosa Hotel in Khon Kaen that sells the small soap shaped like flowers. They also have a large selection of thos pillow covers, etc. Very nice things in the shop. Try it out.

Thank you, 'jocsum'.

I have remembered a tip that I once saw in a travel article.

Buy the triangular pillows, but empty out the kapok, so they are not bulky. Re-fill at the other end of the journey.

I could take some kapok pods from our tree, and the Inuit schoolchildren could do the necessary, like Isaan kids 'helping out'.

Here is a photo of such kids on a 'Sunday trip' to visit relatives in a neighbouring village.

And one of some mothers and kids. (I don't know what there was beneath my snowmobile that was intriguing the munchkin on the left.)