Diary of a farang in Isaan

[FarFlungFalang]

19 minutes ago, Odysseus123 said:

Ha..ha..ha...Australia used to be full of such eccentrics.My father called 'em Billy Borkers but I don't know why..

 

Time for a refreshing ale,I think..

 

 

I notice you used the past tense and I can't help but agree that they seem to be a dying breed.That pub has what looks tell tale signs of convict pick marks in the sandstone blocks which was pointed out to me whilst surveying the Great Northern Highway which passes close to Wiseman's Ferry if not through it.  

Edited February 5, 2021 by FarFlungFalang

[owl sees all]

1 hour ago, Odysseus123 said:

Hi Owl,

I thought that you might be interested in the 'euca' plantation. I suspect that it has been repeatedly culled as it has been there for a long time. The sole survivor of many which were down by the river.

Those trees in the post look a good few years old Ody. I don't think I'll see ours that stout.

 

It cost about 100k baht to plant the 11k odd eucas. Now I've done the deed I'm quite content with things. Of course work is never done, and I'll have to maintain things. There are so many options from here on in. All cost money though, and I'll definitely be more astute than in the past. Looking, not too far into the future, and assuming the price stays roughly the same, it might be worth cutting 7/8 rai in 3/4 years time. And once the cutting  does start it's a very healthy yearly income.

 

Prices at the present time are fantastic. We  -  well Mrs Owl  -  has been approached about cutting then. Yes! I kid you not! Also someone has hot sale on 22 rai of land near us. But, I'm not getting any younger and I've just paid out for Mrs Owl's daughter for a house and noodle business. 

 

I am quite taken with the deep water well pumps driven by the sun. I've seen them in action, and if I thought about irrigation I'd go that way I think. 

 

I really think I'm blessed. When I am at the farm I'm surrounded by so much beauty. Have a wonderful daughter as well. And the fish. Even Mrs Owl doesn't beat me like she used to. What more could a Dagenham Dock lad want?

Edited February 5, 2021 by owl sees all

[Odysseus123]

1 minute ago, FarFlungFalang said:

I notice you used the past tense and I can't help but agree that they seem to be a dying breed.That pub has what looks tell tale signs of convict pick marks in the sandstone blocks which was pointed out to me whilst surveying the Great Northern Highway which passes close to Wiseman's Ferry if not through it.  

Hi my friend..it was actually the Great North Road..hewed out with pick and shovel by convicts thru some exceeding tough countryside..

 

and you are right-it is the Settlers Arms Inn at St Albans-established in 1836.

 

[FarFlungFalang]

7 minutes ago, owl sees all said:

Those trees in the post look a good few years old Ody. I don't think I'll see ours that stout.

You might be surprised Mr Owl if you hang around for another ten years that tree under the arrow could well be that stout.Gees photos of pubs and talk of stout and Ody talking about ale is making me thirsty.

[FarFlungFalang]

4 minutes ago, Odysseus123 said:

Hi my friend..it was actually the Great North Road..hewed out with pick and shovel by convicts thru some exceeding tough countryside..

 

and you are right-it is the Settlers Arms Inn at St Albans-established in 1836.

 

Yes you're correct I just checked it out and I should have remembered as we actually drove along the bloody thing and it was as terrifying as some of those roads in Pakistan I rode my pushy on.We even found many survey marks placed in 1835 in the area!

Edited February 5, 2021 by FarFlungFalang

[Odysseus123]

Good night all.Thanks for the diverse conversation.I must admit that my computer and TVF do not seem to be on the best of terms this evening....grave difficulty in downloading an extra photo or two..I hope this brings back memories FFF.

 

 

[owl sees all]

22 minutes ago, FarFlungFalang said:

You might be surprised Mr Owl if you hang around for another ten years that tree under the arrow could well be that stout. Gees photos of pubs and talk of stout and Ody talking about ale is making me thirsty.

I'm fortunate that I changed my approach towards health some years ago.

 

I'm still evolving; and growing taller! I think the penny dropped for me when I went back to England in 2015. Returned to Thailand two days after the Brexit vote (2016). Realised how lucky I am to be here, and not to let my health let me down. And to think there were posters early on in the thread that thought anyone living out in the sticks in Isaan must be nuts.

 

 

Edited February 5, 2021 by owl sees all

[sotonowl]

I can't help but think there's a distinct lack of bracings in this structure. It only needs a couple adding to considerably enhance the integrity of it.

[owl sees all]

16 minutes ago, sotonowl said:

I can't help but think there's a distinct lack of bracings in this structure. It only needs a couple adding to considerably enhance the integrity of it.

It's moved on.

 

Pics next Owl Log. Reinforcing everywhere.

[chickenslegs]

2 hours ago, Odysseus123 said:

Australia used to be full of such eccentrics.My father called 'em Billy Borkers but I don't know why..

I can't resist googling things like this.

Billy Borker is a character in several books (and vinyl recordings) by Frank Hardy. I can't find any extracts from the books, but it seems that Borker was a bit of a barstool story teller. Maybe a bit like the character in the Crocodile Dundee movie who told exaggerated tales (Walter Reilly).

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=the+yarns+of+billy+borker&ref=nb_sb_noss

 

 

Edited February 5, 2021 by chickenslegs
To add the name Walter Reilly

[Odysseus123]

8 hours ago, HighPriority said:

I was driving through the Scottish Highlands in 94 with my then wife and she mentioned something about “hairy cows”, “Never heard of em, ease up on the drugs” I said...

Go around the next corner and one of these bastards was looking at me ! ????????

Yes,there seems to be quite a few of them being pastured on the (Mangrove) mountain..why that is I do not know,but I guess it is a boutique breed and a slightly colder climate.

Honey eater..

 

 

Edited February 5, 2021 by Odysseus123

[Odysseus123]

6 hours ago, chickenslegs said:

I can't resist googling things like this.

My father used the term affectionately to describe the old "bushies" that used to come down from the mountain,drink a few schooners and spin a few yarns.they were full of the old bush lore and were used to living rough with their packs of dogs for company.Ah!,those were the days...

[Odysseus123]

9 hours ago, FarFlungFalang said:

Having failed in my life long goal to achieve the elusive state of boredom I give you a medal if you're ever successful at boring my Mr Owl.Something wrong with people who get bored.

I guess my formula-as I spend a lot of my time housebound-is:

Remain engaged as much as possible with the external world "seeing" and 'being"without allowing it to overwhelm you.

Have interest and hobbies.

Reserve a special place in your mind/soul for quiet contemplation,communing with nature and enjoying some spiritual solitude.

Avoid vexatious people-especially on the internet-as they take about 10 years off your life.

Avoid beating dead horses.If it's failed its failed..move on.

:

[FarFlungFalang]

2 hours ago, Odysseus123 said:

Avoid beating dead horses.If it's failed its failed..move on.

This is one of my favourite past times and keeps my occupied for hours on end.Maybe it's me there's something wrong with.Here's a photo of Mangrove Creek Dam where I spent hours doing precise levelling runs to monitor the dam after completion during my 3 years at the Public Works Department on the Gosford-Wyong Water and Sewerage Reticulation Scheme which is where I learnt all I know about pushing sh!t uphill.I found the experience invaluable in my time spent dead horse flogging.I also found leaping around on the boulders on the left side of the dam wall as it appears in the photo helpful for my basketball where I could do a standing jump and grab the ring with both hands which was pretty good for a 5'8" white guy.Now I'm really flogging it and it ain't a dead horse!Sometime the boulders would move underfoot which would induce more shatting of the pants.

 

 

 

Edited February 6, 2021 by FarFlungFalang

[Odysseus123]

36 minutes ago, FarFlungFalang said:

This is one of my favourite past times and keeps my occupied for hours on end.Maybe it's me there's something wrong with.Here's a photo of Mangrove Creek Dam where I spent hours doing precise levelling runs to monitor the dam after completion during my 3 years at the Public Works Department on the Gosford-Wyong Water and Sewerage Reticulation Scheme which is where I learnt all I know about pushing sh!t uphill.I found the experience invaluable in my time spent dead horse flogging.I also found leaping around on the boulders on the left side of the dam wall as it appears in the photo helpful for my basketball where I could do a standing jump and grab the ring with both hands which was pretty good for a 5'8" white guy.Now I'm really flogging it and it ain't a dead horse!Sometime the boulders would move underfoot which would induce more shatting of the pants.

 

 

 

Yes..I know the dam area well as we used to go for picnics there.

I am glad to see that performing daredevil physical evolutions kept your bowels active and in good order.

Peacock,St Albans Inn.

 

[FarFlungFalang]

1 hour ago, Odysseus123 said:

Yes..I know the dam area well as we used to go for picnics there.

I am glad to see that performing daredevil physical evolutions kept your bowels active and in good order.

Peacock,St Albans Inn.

 

Ha Ha! Never really been short of regular bowel movements and I haven't even got into some of the idiot things I used to do on my bicycle!

Beautiful bird.We had a couple for a while in Ashford until the foxes got them.

Did you play the spiel at the Dam lookout?I used to know it word for word we played it so many times.

Edited February 6, 2021 by FarFlungFalang

[FarFlungFalang]

14 hours ago, owl sees all said:

I'm fortunate that I changed my approach towards health some years ago.

 

I'm still evolving; and growing taller! I think the penny dropped for me when I went back to England in 2015. Returned to Thailand two days after the Brexit vote (2016). Realised how lucky I am to be here, and not to let my health let me down. And to think there were posters early on in the thread that thought anyone living out in the sticks in Isaan must be nuts.

 

 

I've groaned a lot since moving here!But (don't start a sentence with but) I know exactly what you mean and the only difficult thing in the early days,before my permanent transition, was food thankfully that has improved immensely, and now I have looked at my country of origin from the outside looking in and have found it to be totally undesirable in many ways.

[Odysseus123]

1 hour ago, FarFlungFalang said:

and now I have looked at my country of origin from the outside looking in and have found it to be totally undesirable in many ways.

In what way or ways have you found it to be totally undesirable?

 

This is not a trick question by any means as I am just interested to know your reasons.

 

From my point of view I just see the cultures as totally different-both having their good and not so good points..which was about the same as my response to Indonesia or India.

 

I had no real intention of re-locating full time as an expat as the original plan was to divide my time between Oz and Thailand.

 

It just became damn difficult to get home when I needed to as I was deemed "Not Fit to Fly"

...and now the Oz doctors have decided the same thing..so here I stay.☹️

[owl sees all]

At the farm this evening.

 

Two little nin, three crabs and a dozen scrimps. But it's not the success it's the pursuit that's important.

 

 

 

[Golden Triangle]

Nice vid Owl, shame about the smoke poisoning everyone ????

[owl sees all]

57 minutes ago, Golden Triangle said:

Nice vid Owl, shame about the smoke poisoning everyone ????

Fires everywhere at the mo'. Fortunately not too toxic. 

 

Unlike up Chiang Rai way, this smoke does not linger long.

 

Edited February 7, 2021 by owl sees all

[bannork]

3 minutes ago, owl sees all said:

Fires everywhere at the mo'. Fortunately not too toxic. 

 

Unlike Chiang Rai way this smoke does not linger.

Yes, no smoke here, 10 km west of Ban Dung. Our northern neighbour actually cut down his 50 rai of sugar cane rather than burning it. Beautiful clear skies at night, can't believe there's supposed to be thunder and lightning on Tuesday!.

[owl sees all]

1 minute ago, bannork said:

Yes, no smoke here, 10 km west of Ban Dung. Our northern neighbour actually cut down his 50 rai of sugar cane rather than burning it. Beautiful clear skies at night, can't believe there's supposed to be thunder and lightning on Tuesday!.

Thunder and lightning on Tuesday!!! That will be the signal for the carp to become amorous. 

 

Need to pump in some water. Bring the level up 40/50cm.

[owl sees all]

Owl Log - 07-02-2021 - Tuesday morning

 

Rain started at about five this morning. Not heavy, but persistent. Very dark and still drizzling at nine. Let's hope it rains all day.

 

Quite a few village houses had a soil drop recently and the rain this morning has made a lot of places muddy.

 

 

This one next to us.

 

 

 

Just across the road.

 

 

Had a couple of things to do over the week end. First the post-light blew and I had to change it. Bought a couple of screw-in bulbs in the 20 baht shop last year, so I had one ready.

 

 

A little problem with the pick-up also.

 

 

 

Three lugs holding the unit on. All three broken. But easily fixed.

 

 

Good as new.

 

Chelsea (real name) was out and about in our soi. 'Chelsea', I said, 'you must not keep picking the football up. It's not called 'football' for nothing'.

 

 

Couldn't resist snapping a lovely tree close to the farm.

 

 

The new village house is half done.

 

 

Reinforcing for the footings.

 

 

A bit more soil.

 

 

Meanwhile in Ban Dung the service station was getting a hose down.

 

 

It was very dirty before. But now!

 

 

 

That's the wat to do it.

 

Mildred's school building is virtually done.

 

 

 

Nice job! Just the inside to finish.

 

 

At the week end I usually take a team of children to the farm.

 

 

That's Neil, Wow, Milly and Boyz.

 

 

Plenty to do once at the farm.

 

Just started to brighten up at 9-45. Not fixed the hole in the roof yet. I'm getting soooo lazy. Have to sort it soon. Need to get the ladder from the farm today; or later this week.

 

Not heard from my kind hat lady. Must be careful. Wouldn't want Mrs Owl to take the call. She might get the wrong end of the stick. I'd be in for a beating for sure. Probably have to pay for a new hand bag too.

 

Book has still not arrived. Ordered and paid for on 19th of Jan; that's nearly 20 days now. I'm looking forward to getting it and having a good read; when, and if, it arrives. 

 

Also ordered two kg of xylitol from Lazada. Should be with me soon. Good, quick service. I'm trying to get rid of sugar completely. Down to half a spoon in a big mug of rosy at the mo'. Cut out 3 in1 coffee completely. Now only drink tea, chlorophyll water and reishi wine. Started eating raw carrots too.

 

Put some chlorophyll into the avocado water to try to encourage the nuts to start rooting. I did it before and they responded. We will see.

 

Just gonna post this Owl Log and settle down to listen to yesterday's Richie Allen show.

 

Bye y'all

 

Stay safe. 

 

 

 

[FarFlungFalang]

6 minutes ago, owl sees all said:

Put some chlorophyll into the avocado water to try to encourage the nuts to start rooting.

I was thinking of saying I enjoy your droll sense of humour but when you say you're trying to encourage your nuts to start rooting by putting chlorophylI in the avocado water I wonder about my own sense of humour! 

No rain here yet but the clouds are getting darker.

They don't seem to do much to stop rising damp here and I see these cheap cement bricks crumble away in just a few years.

[owl sees all]

I've just checked FFF, and it seems like my nuts have responded.

 

Pics soon.

 

Richie Allen show just started:

 

https://www.podomatic.com/podcasts/richieallen/episodes/2021-02-08T11_38_28-08_00

Edited February 9, 2021 by owl sees all

[chickenslegs]

5 minutes ago, owl sees all said:

I've just checked FFF, and it seems as though my nuts have responded.

 

Pics soon.

[Peter Denis]

10 minutes ago, owl sees all said:

...

Richie Allen show just started:

https://www.podomatic.com/podcasts/richieallen/episodes/2021-02-08T11_38_28-08_00

Thanks for posting this!  It features an interview with dr V. Coleman.

A voice of reason and sanity in these crazy times...

[FarFlungFalang]

On 2/6/2021 at 1:36 PM, Odysseus123 said:

In what way or ways have you found it to be totally undesirable?

 

This is not a trick question by any means as I am just interested to know your reasons.

 

From my point of view I just see the cultures as totally different-both having their good and not so good points..which was about the same as my response to Indonesia or India.

 

I had no real intention of re-locating full time as an expat as the original plan was to divide my time between Oz and Thailand.

 

It just became damn difficult to get home when I needed to as I was deemed "Not Fit to Fly"

...and now the Oz doctors have decided the same thing..so here I stay.☹️

Sorry for the late reply Ody.Now to answer your question why I find Australia to be totally undesirable.

Firstly it started when my wife's residency application was denied about 20 years ago.We were also informed off the record that because of that she wouldn't be granted any visas in the future.We did try for a tourist visa about seven years ago to go to a bit of a Christmas family reunion and that was also denied.After the initial visa denial I began to view Oz from a different perspective and began to notice the hypocrisy in things like " a fair go" is a core Australian value in the way Aboriginals are treated and have been treated in the past.They have had their land and sovereignty  stolen and have no rights to it because of "terra nullius" which states there was nobody in Australia when the English arrived which was decided by the high court and is obviously a lie.For me Australia is based on a lie. So I've decided that if the Australian Government thinks that is what "a fair go" is and then go around the world criticising other countries for how they treat their people is a somewhat hypocritical.These are the two core reasons I find Australia "totally undesirable" and until they are addressed I will continue to do so.For me these things outweigh Australia's many positives and hold it back from becoming a truly great nation.

[FarFlungFalang]

15 minutes ago, Peter Denis said:

Thanks for posting this!  It features an interview with dr V. Coleman.

A voice of reason and sanity in these crazy times...

I second the motion.It seems I'm causing a bit of havoc in England and Scotland.