Diary of a farang in Isaan

owl sees all · July 22, 2020

45 minutes ago, bluesofa said:

Just jumping in front of Ody for a minute:

I see you say we've only had 60 minutes of rain in the past three weeks.

From some of your posts, I always feel you seem to have more than us in Udon, although I think we've had about the same very recently.

It's strange bluesofa.

This is definitely not wet season, let alone monsoon season, weather. In a true monsoon season an area the size of Udon Province would get a couple of hours of steady rain. So far this season it's been mostly isolated showers. Yesterday Mildred said there was some rain at her school (15km away, as the crow flies), while we had nothing. I'm sure that this season some parts of Udon have had heavy, but short showers, while other parts of the city had just hot sun.

Fortunately there was some heavy rain in the night of 2/3 July. That spurred the rice farmers into action and for the moment they have a little water in their paddies. Whether there will be enough in the showers to keep their paddy fields wet, will will have to wait and see.

One of the problems associated with the wet season of the last few years, is that evaporation is much more pronounced if there is 5/6/7, or more, days between showers. In a true wet season the rainy days stop the evaporation. On a hot, cloudless day most ponds will lose one cm to evaporation. As the pond gets really shallow, the rate of evaporation increases, as the water temperature is considerably more.

I've got a 4 inch pipe waiting to take excess water from the paddy into a pond. Just waiting for the rain.

Edited July 22, 2020 by owl sees all

Kadilo · July 22, 2020

7 hours ago, Odysseus123 said:

Hi Owl and fellow travellers..

I went for a little trip on Sunday and Monday for the first time since March.My wife went off with her Thai friends to the seaside and my mate and I headed towards my old fishing spots in the mountains-excellent for trout,bass and perch.Considering that it is mid-winter the weather was glorious with temps ranging from 5.C (41.F) to 20.C (70.F)..

Into the mountains..just to take some photographs..

Fantastic pics. I could walk for hours there.
How did the fishing go?

Odysseus123 · July 22, 2020

3 hours ago, owl sees all said:

Absolutely stonking pics. I especially like the last one. But they are all great.

How is the water situation in your parts Ody? Here in our part of Isaan the situation is dire. We have had just 60 minutes of rain since the night of 2nd July; three weeks ago.

Hi Owl,

I know that my wife's family who are pretty much all farmers are very concerned with the total lack of a "monsoon" and that things are pretty dire-just like last year in Australia.

We have been lucky on the East coast of NSW...but the farmers would really like some more winter rain as you dig down about 12" and the earth is as dry as a bone but,very fortunately the streams are all running again..

I am keeping my fingers crossed for you.

Ody.

Odysseus123 · July 22, 2020

6 hours ago, Kadilo said:

Fantastic pics. I could walk for hours there.
How did the fishing go?

Hello Kadilo,

We were checking out some of our old fishing/camping sites to see whether they would still be accessible for me as I don't have much mobility left so we didn't actually do any fishing but we did sit under the stars and fortify ourselves with a bottle of Captain Morgan's rum...the fish that got away grew ever larger..bigger than Moby Dick,in actual fact...

The first site will be splendid (I hope) in Spring..

Kadilo · July 22, 2020

12 minutes ago, Odysseus123 said:

Hello Kadilo,

We were checking out some of our old fishing/camping sites to see whether they would still be accessible for me as I don't have much mobility left so we didn't actually do any fishing but we did sit under the stars and fortify ourselves with a bottle of Captain Morgan's rum...the fish that got away grew ever larger..bigger than Moby Dick,in actual fact...

The first site will be splendid (I hope) in Spring..

Superb location. Fishing in those places don’t get much better even if you’re not catching.

Odysseus123 · July 22, 2020

The second site which is higher up the mountain has become wild and overgrown..we used to catch bass and crayfish here and watch the platypus's swimming about-a real treat.

Odysseus123 · July 22, 2020

double post.

Edited July 22, 2020 by Odysseus123

Odysseus123 · July 22, 2020

12 minutes ago, Kadilo said:

Superb location. Fishing in those places don’t get much better even if you’re not catching.

Yes..just to sit at a campfire,get a little bit sloshed and view the Milky Way amidst a truly bounteous nature is sheer magic.

It's really great that we all have the Isaan connection but can talk about our experiences (and post photos) in the "here and now" as well which I attribute to "Owl" and the tolerant wisdom of the posters who keep contributing to the topic.

HighPriority · July 22, 2020

11 minutes ago, Odysseus123 said:

Yes..just to sit at a campfire,get a little bit sloshed and view the Milky Way amidst a truly bounteous nature is sheer magic.

It's really great that we all have the Isaan connection but can talk about our experiences (and post photos) in the "here and now" as well which I attribute to "Owl" and the tolerant wisdom of the posters who keep contributing to the topic.

Hear, hear...

bannork · July 22, 2020

12 hours ago, owl sees all said:

Absolutely stonking pics. I especially like the last one. But they are all great.

How is the water situation in your parts Ody? Here in our part of Isaan the situation is dire. We have had just 60 minutes of rain since the night of 2nd July; three weeks ago.

Utter monsoon failure. I remember the sky from July to October being full of angry grey and black clouds, scudding from east to west. Udon was never dry, being not far from the South China Sea.

Fireflies flitting, frogs croaking,

I'm lucky I installed a sprinkler system for my banana trees, hardwoods and vegetables, but I shouldn't be using underground water in July.

bannork · July 25, 2020

Well, I've just read that Smith ( that's his first name, forgot his surname), the man who predicted the tsunami in Thailand, has said there is unlikely to be any rain in the north and north east until the end of August or early September. This is due to the non arrival of humidity from the North Pole.

owl sees all · July 25, 2020

Owl Log - 25-07-2020

That was the week that was.

Broken window mystery. Amazon fish moved. New growth on avocado. Sad news over poison. New grubber gets sorted. School building open.

########################

A broken window caused concern for the Owl household. Earlier in the week Mrs Owl found a broken window in the bedroom while she was having a dust round. "Threw something at the window. Someone has. I know who did.; sure." Went outside to investigate. "Who took my bike away teerak?" "Don't know about bike. I talking serious window break."

Turned out it was Milly who took the bike. I told her to be careful when she places it back. "Make sure the handlebar is not pressing on glass." "OK dad." Drama over.

"I go see boss of village today. Tell him boy throw stone at window." "The bike did it teerak. No problem to fix." "You break it then. Stupid farang." "OK dear; sorry!"

I'll repair it over the long weekend.

##########################################################

That's a cracking pic of a leaning tree in Ody's post (1479).

We have a leaning tree at the farm. Every time I look, it seems to be close to toppling all the more,

##########################################################

Went to the Ban Dung service station area in the week. Just had to check what happened to Amazon's fish. Turned out I was wrong about them not being there. The kois had been moved to the higher level pond.

There is no water flowing, but 'if' there is a bit of rain they should be OK.

It's hard to spot them. Laying subdued on the bottom. Can hardly see them. Probably conserving energy.

I saw that an Amazon guy was watching me take the pics. "When you move the fish? They are sad. They need oxygen. Get the waterfall going." He didn't waste his time answering me.

##########################################################

The plants at the farm are really doing well. Especially the avocado (near right). Milly has her cherry tree and I have my four little uns. All the rest belong to Mrs Owl.

But, another avocado is on the way. After four months it has started sprouting.

They don't call me 'Owl green fingers' for nothing.

##########################################################

The grubber has turned out to be a bit 'Jekyll and Hyde'. On the one hand it was useless, but, Beapp took a file to it and now it is doing better.

Top view.

Front view. Mrs Owl's pointing the the sharpened metal hides.

View from below.

I'm at a loss to explain why the tool was not sharpened when it arrived through the post. It's a grubber; not a grass cutter. So perhaps it should be blunt. I don't know!

##########################################################

They should be finished cutting around the eucas in number four farm this morning (Saturday). Tomorrow two guys are gonna spray the weed-killer. Mrs Owl's sister Pook bought some weed-killer from Phen on Friday.

"But that's probably just as poisonous as Paraquat or Glyphosphate, teerak." "What you know? Pook is farmer. Do many times. Husband never die."

I've been on the internet and worked out a weed-killer solution that could be classed as - if not 100% bio - then environment friendly (sort of). I've already ordered one ingredient from Lazada. Looking for 'Orange oil' now.

My concoction:

Industrial vinegar (40%),

Citrus concentrate (orange oil),

Urea (as in 46-0-0),

Salt (straight from salt fields close by),

Washing up liquid (fairy liquid; so kind to your hands).

Mix with water. I'll work out the perfect proportions as I go.

##########################################################

Made up some reishi yesterday. Gonna be great. Must get a litre of Lao Khao ready for the wine blending.

Don't know what those green leaves are! Must have fallen in from the tree above.

##########################################################

Mildred's school building is complete. It does look good to me. The builders did very well to get it finished so quickly, especially during C-19..

Just a bit of landscaping to finish. Nice new toilet block too.

##########################################################

Feeding the fish in the week and spotted the mekong that Mildred accidentally hooked last Saturday. It is towing 150mm of line and a small float. Try to get a pic today. Might have to try to catch it to get the old hook out.

Four days off and not a stitch of homework. Wednesday evening she had two hours. Schools!!??

Sold four water tanks. Eight thousand baht. Cost new 4300 baht. The dosh will help pay for Mildred's learning; due this month (6k).

The road leading to Ban Dung from Phen (2022) is appalling. Impossible to drive in a straight line for more than 50 metres. Holes, subsided sections and raise parts make it very dodgy. The past kilometre into Ban Dung has been resurfaced, but it's the stretch before that that needed the attention. This is the most used road, outside Ban Dung, for 50km around, so it is no way an insignificant road.

Nothing even looking like rain. Dear me! Rice is about 200mm high now so gonna block the pipe just in case there is a downpour.

No more fish deaths in number one pond since Monday.

Much more to follow.

Bye y'all.

Edited July 25, 2020 by owl sees all

owl sees all · July 25, 2020

1 hour ago, bannork said:

Well, I've just read that Smith ( that's his first name, forgot his surname), the man who predicted the tsunami in Thailand, has said there is unlikely to be any rain in the north and north east until the end of August or early September. This is due to the non arrival of humidity from the North Pole.

Sad news that.

Smith obviously knows what he is talking about.

I say rain before the end of July.

Odysseus123 · July 25, 2020

47 minutes ago, owl sees all said:

Much more to follow.

Bye y'all.

That's an amazingly comprehensive post Owl-and full of life's happenstances..the little things that fill our lives.

I think that the new school looks pretty nifty with plenty of shade...

About a month ago I forked out some money to outfit my two grand nephews with their new school clobber and bags.I wanted to do it (even tho' my wife offered) because it maintains my connection with Isaan and the extended Thai family with all their fun and frustrations.????

Sterling · July 25, 2020

Congratulations for 100 pages of Diary in Isaan!

Kadilo · July 25, 2020

1 hour ago, Sterling said:

Congratulations for 100 pages of Diary in Isaan!

Yeah keep it going guys.
Trust me it is most appreciated to see and hear the goings on in Isaan as well as people’s stories past and present. Especially for those of us stuck where we dont particularly wish to be ????

Edited July 25, 2020 by Kadilo

bluesofa · July 26, 2020

8 hours ago, Sterling said:

Congratulations for 100 pages of Diary in Isaan!

100 not out.

Does that mean a telegram from the queen and a knighthood for services to ThaiVisa? Arise, Sir Owl!

owl sees all · July 26, 2020

Just now, bluesofa said:

100 not out.

Does that mean a telegram from the queen and a knighthood for services to ThaiVisa? Arise, Sir Owl!

Yes!

Sir Owl of Isaan. Got a ring to it.

When I get my knighthood I will sell it on the internet to help pay some bills.

Odysseus123 · July 26, 2020

5 minutes ago, bluesofa said:

100 not out.

Does that mean a telegram from the queen and a knighthood for services to ThaiVisa? Arise, Sir Owl!

Yes..who would have thunk it when Owl first kicked the thread off?

Most sceptics would have scoffed.."he'll never be able to talk around his rice paddy 100 times..."

Edited July 26, 2020 by Odysseus123

owl sees all · July 26, 2020

7 hours ago, Kadilo said:

Yeah keep it going guys.
Trust me it is most appreciated to see and hear the goings on in Isaan as well as people’s stories past and present. Especially for those of us stuck where we dont particularly wish to be ????

When you are next in Basildon, why not take a bike ride over to Aquatels? A few pics would be nice. Fished there a few times and did OK.

It's a relatively new fishery. Flooded in 1976 from a brook that was always flooding. You probably know it well Kadilo. Speaking to the converted I'm sure.

Up the Irons.

Edited July 26, 2020 by owl sees all

owl sees all · July 26, 2020

35 minutes ago, Odysseus123 said:

Yes..who would have thunk it when Owl first kicked the thread off?

Most sceptics would have scoffed.."he'll never be able to talk around his rice paddy 100 times..."

Thanks Ody.

When I started the topic. I had in mind a pseudo diary, where - as you have eloquently pointed out - the accounts of every day life get noted.

Holes in the roof, plants grown from seeds, fish deaths, or leaning the bike up against the window and breaking it, are what is important day-to-day. These little things take up, time, energy and cost. Obviously big events, like a major government announcement, or WWW3 even, get a mention, but these do not have a real effect on me, or the family, or village living, in Isaan.

Thanks for your support Ody. And thanks to all the contributors, especially those posters taking pics and publishing. Thanks also to Mikel (AT) whose enthusiasm was invaluable during my own problematic period.

And with that, it's time for a celebratory glass (or two) of reishi wine. Cheers!

Edited July 26, 2020 by owl sees all

faraday · July 26, 2020

1 hour ago, owl sees all said:

Yes!

Sir Owl of Isaan. Got a ring to it.

When I get my knighthood I will sell it on the internet to help pay some bills.

You might have a Knighthood, Sir Owl, but I am not gonna kiss your ring!

????

owl sees all · July 26, 2020

16 minutes ago, faraday said:

You might have a Knighthood, Sir Owl, but I am not gonna kiss your ring!

????

Mrs Owl would not like it anyway.

She would grab you where it hurts.

bluesofa · July 26, 2020

24 minutes ago, owl sees all said:

41 minutes ago, faraday said:

You might have a Knighthood, Sir Owl, but I am not gonna kiss your ring!

????

Mrs Owl would not like it anyway.

She would grab you where it hurts.

Something to do with the chain of ~~orifice~~ office?

Kadilo · July 26, 2020

6 hours ago, owl sees all said:

When you are next in Basildon, why not take a bike ride over to Aquatels? A few pics would be nice. Fished there a few times and did OK.

It's a relatively new fishery. Flooded in 1976 from a brook that was always flooding. You probably know it well Kadilo. Speaking to the converted I'm sure.

Up the Irons.

It’s massively changed over there Owl. Was a really popular Carp Fishery back in the day and up to the past 5 years was still running but not so sure now. The whole area turned into the Festival Leisure Centre where there are all the usual restaurants, hotels, nightspots etc. The Holiday Inn is now adjacent to the lake and there are new footpaths been built so very public.

There are also numerous water sports on the lake including Jetskis which I heard had killed the fishing.

I will def have a look next time home. Sadly this is my last day for a few weeks back in Essex as I’m driving the 10 hours to Aberdeen tomorrow then back Offshore for 3 weeks.

I will def check it out next time home and see what the score is. It’s only about a short ride from here where I stay.

Edited July 26, 2020 by Kadilo

HighPriority · July 26, 2020

On 7/25/2020 at 11:35 AM, bannork said:

Well, I've just read that Smith ( that's his first name, forgot his surname), the man who predicted the tsunami in Thailand, has said there is unlikely to be any rain in the north and north east until the end of August or early September. This is due to the non arrival of humidity from the North Pole.

I’m interested in this Smith and his powers ?

bannork · July 26, 2020

23 minutes ago, HighPriority said:

I’m interested in this Smith and his powers ?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smith_Dharmasaroja

Kadilo · July 26, 2020

Further to your post earlier I decided spontaneously to change my daily planned hike and do some undercover work re Aquatels on foot.

Your post struck a chord with me as I recall the name and as lad and knew it to be a well stocked Carp Lake and although I never personally fished it, I knew where it was.

My fishing youth was spent mostly at Stanford Le Hope Warren and Grangewaters at South Ockendon.

Anyhow, I set off towards Basildon and decided to go to Aquatels via Gloucester Park. I have not been to this Park since my son was a lad. It used to be huge but I was aware that there had been lots of housing built in the area so wasn’t sure if it had changed. It also had a lovely fishing lake which although from memory wasn’t overly stocked, it was in a nice setting and the type where you could take your kids when they first started out.

To my pleasant surprise, the Park and Lake were still there. The Park was smaller than I recall and now there is a large amount of housing in the perimeter with numerous cycle routes, some of which went round the Lake. There were a number of people fishing, some looking like Carp Pros with their bivvies and Carp Rods/alarms. I found a nice spot overlooking the Lake and had my breakfast of yoghurt with red/green grapes, strawberries and blueberries. Lush.

At the back of the Gloucester Park they have built a new Leisure Park called Basildon Sporting Village. It was built with the help of a lottery grant in prep for the 2012 London Olympics and incorporated a new 49m Pool. The Chinese were to use it as their training base for the Olympics.

It was closed still due to COVID but managed to get a snap against the window.

Onwards and Upwards to the area I remember as Aquatels. As I thought may be the case the large Lake is now a Watersports Centre and an Aqua Gym. They have lots of cables for people to train for water boarding as seen in the pics. I tried to make my way around the Lake but it was shut off to the Public.

I could see an area to the left of the Lake that didn’t seem to be used for the Watersports and although I couldn't see anyone fishing it looked like a prime Carp Fishing area. So I left the premises of the Watersports place, with a few funny looks, and made my way back to the Holiday Inn Hotel and walked behind in their Car Park. There as a tall fence but I could see an area that was out with of the Watersports area that looked like a fishing area although no one was there. There was a gate with a combination lock on which I assume is the way in, although there were no signs to highlight it was a Fishing Lake or who owned it.

So sadly Owl, no real nostalgia snaps. My best guess is that most of previous Aquatels Lake is now run by this Watersports company with the exception of a smallish area to the left that still looks fishable, but by who and how I’m not sure.

Made my way back home via Gloucester Park again and enjoyed the views and plenty of people on their bikes and joggers.

Round trip of 18 miles. Very enjoyable. Now I know a bit more I will use the cycle routes to return in the future.

owl sees all · July 27, 2020

12 hours ago, Kadilo said:

Further to your post earlier I decided spontaneously to change my daily planned hike and do some undercover work re Aquatels on foot.

Your post struck a chord with me as I recall the name and as lad and knew it to be a well stocked Carp Lake and although I never personally fished it, I knew where it was.

My fishing youth was spent mostly at Stanford Le Hope Warren and Grangewaters at South Ockendon.

Anyhow, I set off towards Basildon and decided to go to Aquatels via Gloucester Park. I have not been to this Park since my son was a lad. It used to be huge but I was aware that there had been lots of housing built in the area so wasn’t sure if it had changed. It also had a lovely fishing lake which although from memory wasn’t overly stocked, it was in a nice setting and the type where you could take your kids when they first started out.

To my pleasant surprise, the Park and Lake were still there. The Park was smaller than I recall and now there is a large amount of housing in the perimeter with numerous cycle routes, some of which went round the Lake. There were a number of people fishing, some looking like Carp Pros with their bivvies and Carp Rods/alarms. I found a nice spot overlooking the Lake and had my breakfast of yoghurt with red/green grapes, strawberries and blueberries. Lush.

At the back of the Gloucester Park they have built a new Leisure Park called Basildon Sporting Village. It was built with the help of a lottery grant in prep for the 2012 London Olympics and incorporated a new 49m Pool. The Chinese were to use it as their training base for the Olympics.

It was closed still due to COVID but managed to get a snap against the window.

Onwards and Upwards to the area I remember as Aquatels. As I thought may be the case the large Lake is now a Watersports Centre and an Aqua Gym. They have lots of cables for people to train for water boarding as seen in the pics. I tried to make my way around the Lake but it was shut off to the Public.

I could see an area to the left of the Lake that didn’t seem to be used for the Watersports and although I couldn't see anyone fishing it looked like a prime Carp Fishing area. So I left the premises of the Watersports place, with a few funny looks, and made my way back to the Holiday Inn Hotel and walked behind in their Car Park. There as a tall fence but I could see an area that was out with of the Watersports area that looked like a fishing area although no one was there. There was a gate with a combination lock on which I assume is the way in, although there were no signs to highlight it was a Fishing Lake or who owned it.

So sadly Owl, no real nostalgia snaps. My best guess is that most of previous Aquatels Lake is now run by this Watersports company with the exception of a smallish area to the left that still looks fishable, but by who and how I’m not sure.

Made my way back home via Gloucester Park again and enjoyed the views and plenty of people on their bikes and joggers.

Round trip of 18 miles. Very enjoyable. Now I know a bit more I will use the cycle routes to return in the future.

That's fantastic Kadilo. Brought back memories all right.

And you were right about it being highly developed. It was a well stocked lake at one time. The English carp championships were held there in the 1980s. The bit where it disappears into the narrow part, was the 'stalking' area. I caught a few carp but not any 'Viathons'. Never had a carp off the 'beach'; only bream. Aquatels was one of the few places where I could fish and have the young family with me. Lake Meadows at Billericay was another.

I used to fish at 'Mollands' in South Ockendon. Also 'Tunnel Cement' in Aveley.

The other section was also of interest. Gloucester Park. I used to go there for the swimming competitions. It was a 33 1/3 metre pool - or 36 2/3 yards - can't quite remember. Basildon Swimming Club were based at Gloucester park and they had a very good squad at one time in the 1980s. I never fished at the lake next to the swimming pool, but would wander around chatting to the anglers.

Now the old swimming pool is no more. Replaced by a 49 metre one? Couldn't quite manage the extra metre? Tight asses.

Back to Aquatels. I'm happy and sad at the same time. Happy that the place is being used, but sad, because - as a fisherman - it's no longer the haunt it once was. Even in the 1990s it was very industrialised (got these pics just this morning; shocked).

And in 2020.

I have got some pics of Aquatels in the year before, and the year after flooding. I'll dig them out, but probably on my unopenable flash drive. I tried to find out, a few years back, who stocked the lake and with what fish and from where. I'm not 100%, but, think the carp came from Tewin Fish Farm.

Aqutels! Never gonna be the same again.

The Irons couldn't quite save The Cherries. More's the pity.

Just remembered. We - the wife and three young girls - had been to a swimming gala at the Gloucester Park Pool. After the swimming - would be about 10 on a Saturday night, - we went for fish 'n' chips at the chippy close by. I was waiting in my van while the ladies were getting the grub. A Basildon peeler came over to me and said I was behaving suspiciously; and to move the vehicle down the road where he would search it. I replied "no". "In that case sir, I'm going to have to arrest you. Would you take the keys out of the ignition and get out please?" I replied "no" again. Then the girls turned up with the grub, got in the van, and I simply drove off.

Edited July 27, 2020 by owl sees all

owl sees all · July 27, 2020

Just had to investigate Aquatels more. Sorry guys.

This was the area in 1964.

And, same pic but with the lake of 55 rai outlined.

The land was flooded in the 70s. Can see the brook - which probably became a stream after rain - running through.

If you ever go there again Kadilo, have a butchers at where the stream enters and exits.

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