an awful day

[soalbundy]

I started my (almost) daily walk around the lake near the village temple later than usual a few days ago which was why I came upon the large gaggle of very big geese plucking grass at the lakes edge, something I hadn't encountered on my earlier walks. They had some chicks with them which didn't bode well as geese can be very aggressive and although their beaks are flat and not pointed they are razor sharp. As I approached them they made their disapproval obvious with their screeching and before I could react two geese shot out from the gaggle, their necks stretched out in a straight line parallel with the ground, 15 cm above it and struck me in the leg. Their beaks penetrated my trousers and caused two large gashes in my legs, I hobbled a hasty retreat towards some large water buffaloes just emerging from the lake.

 

 I could see that they had calves with them. For the city dwellers among you, water buffaloes are far larger than cows, they can weigh about 850 kg, normally they are very timid towards people, even small children can get them to move out of the way by simply walking towards them but it can be a different matter if they have young calves with them, I knew this only too well having been the recipient of a buffalo charge while walking a great Dane towards an oncoming herd of female buffaloes with calves, their charge only stopped when my faithful protective dog ran for home at a speed that was astonishing for such a large animal. After my experience of the geese's protective instinct I moved away from the lake to the road surrounding the lake about 10 meters away keeping an eye on the female buffaloes which is why I didn't notice the cobra crossing the road until I was 2 meters away from it and it reared up opening its hood, all I could do was to stand absolutely still and mutter, "you leave me alone and I will leave you alone ok", moving back was pointless it could strike before I had moved a few centimeters. We stared at each other for a felt 2 years or a real 30 seconds before it lowered its head in contempt and continued on its way. I decided that the lake did not wish me well so I headed back home, thankful that I would, against my expectations see my 75th birthday.

 

Upon arriving my wife handed me a letter from my 16 year old son's school which made the lake seem positively benevolent, it was a bill for the new private school term fees plus the 5 different school uniforms, standard, sports, boy scouts etc. and the new textbooks. My bank account in Germany only recently out of the red was about to return to the colour of blood in a gashed artery sort of way.  I prepared myself for the 17km journey by motorbike (the car was low on petrol) to my bank in the market town despite it being the rainy season. The sky was dark with rain clouds but it wasn't raining.

 

I collected the money from my bank and proceeded to drive back home on the motorbike lane of the 4 lane highway, I made it as far as 5km when I heard a loud crack and the bike stopped accelerating and coasted to a stop, the transmission, hidden behind an aluminium housing, had snapped. I had no phone with me and the green fields left and right offered no cover should the rain decide it wouldn't wait until evening as forecast. Fortunately the saying, 'you are never alone in Thailand' is true, in Isaan one is never unobserved, never anonym. After standing helplessly for 10 minutes a middle aged woman with her daughter stopped her motorbike next to me, she was from my village, all would be well. She rang up my wife's oldest daughter who in turn rang up my wife, all I had to do now was watch events unfold. First my stepdaughter and her young daughter arrived and they soon got chatting with the first arrivals who had stayed to keep me company, after another 20 minutes the motorbike repairman's wife with her sister (my wife had telephoned the repairman to pick up the bike), joined the party, the mechanic with his pick up would be here shortly I was told, I glanced at the sky and wondered whether that would be after or before it rained, next the village postman who had just finished his rounds and had heard of my plight through the village grapevine came by to see if I needed anything and joined in the group chat, all that was missing was a crate of beer for it to be classed as a party. The pickup arrived and the bike was loaded on to it with the combined effort of the small crowd after which they, waving and laughing, dispersed.  All in all it was quite an unnecessary day.
 

 

[ezzra]

I guess an awful day thermology is in the eye of the beholder, i can think of many, many others who would love to be in the op shores right now, I'm talking about the hungry, sick and destitute and the hapless souls on this earth, but again, it is all in the eye of the beholder.

[bigt3116]

19 minutes ago, soalbundy said:

they can weigh about 850 kg

They range in weight from 300–550 kg

[soalbundy]

8 minutes ago, ezzra said:

I guess an awful day thermology is in the eye of the beholder, i can think of many, many others who would love to be in the op shores right now, I'm talking about the hungry, sick and destitute and the hapless souls on this earth, but again, it is all in the eye of the beholder.

Yes, it is all relative to ones own life, many in Ukraine wouldn't understand it as awful.

[nikmar]

i dont know, look tot he positives. You found friends when you were in need and have a story that youll laugh about in the future over a glass or two - maybe with said friends. 

[soalbundy]

14 minutes ago, bigt3116 said:

They range in weight from 300–550 kg

When they charge at you they look as if they weigh about 20 tons

[soalbundy]

7 minutes ago, nikmar said:

i dont know, look tot he positives. You found friends when you were in need and have a story that youll laugh about in the future over a glass or two - maybe with said friends. 

Yes, awful at the time but later, friking hilarious.

[Andre0720]

Thanks.

I really enjoyed reading it, as I like to write also, even though primarily in French.

The ability to write must be kept alive.....

Regards..

[soalbundy]

7 minutes ago, Andre0720 said:

Thanks.

I really enjoyed reading it, as I like to write also, even though primarily in French.

The ability to write must be kept alive.....

Regards..

Thanks for that. I do enjoy writing, it's a hobby of mine, I have a whole collection of amusing true stories that have happened to me here which I send to my sister in Australia, she thinks I ought to publish them.

[NanLaew]

1 hour ago, bigt3116 said:

They range in weight from 300–550 kg

I can't believe you felt the urge to Google fact-check that.

 

And then got it so terribly, terribly wrong.

 

Fact is that Asian water buffalo weigh from 700 to 1,200 kg.

 

https://www.altinawildlife.com/asian-water-buffalo-2/

Edited June 1, 2023 by NanLaew

[soalbundy]

7 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

I can't believe you felt the urge to Google fact-check that.

 

And then got it so terribly, terribly wrong.

 

Fact is that Asian water buffalo weigh from 700 to 1,200 kg.

 

https://www.altinawildlife.com/asian-water-buffalo-2/

Thanks for the support but it's not worth bothering about, he obviously has never seen a Thai water buffalo up close, beautiful animals whose eyelashes a girl would die for.

[orchis]

2 hours ago, ezzra said:

awful day thermology

all that, and the heat.

[Reginald Prewster]

There is just another thread ongoing where somebody left Isaan after 3 month and could not understand why I left Pattaya and moved to countryside.

 

In Pattaya you would have been bitten by a 7eleven dog as you stumbled over it on the way to the fridge for another beer,

got mugged by a local on your way home, drained by a cop for drunk driving, finally a motorbike driver would have brought you (overcharging for the ride) to the Hospital where the doctor would put you with highest recommendations into the CT Scanner (another 34000 baht only) to see the depth of the dog bite and after drugged with a bag of medications (not included in the above) you would be back home where the Bank would calling you that they have cut your bank card...

 

Better live in countryside and enjoy the wilderness and rural community, isn't it? ????

[KhunLA]

2 minutes ago, Reginald Prewster said:

There is just another thread ongoing where somebody left Isaan after 3 month and could not understand why I left Pattaya and moved to countryside.

 

In Pattaya you would have been bitten by a 7eleven dog as you stumbled over it on the way to the fridge for another beer,

got mugged by a local on your way home, drained by a cop for drunk driving, finally a motorbike driver would have brought you (overcharging for the ride) to the Hospital where the doctor would put you with highest recommendations into the CT Scanner (another 34000 baht only) to see the depth of the dog bite and after drugged with a bag of medications (not included in the above) you would be back home where the Bank would calling you that they have cut your bank card...

 

Better live in countryside and enjoy the wilderness and rural community, isn't it? ????

Living here 23 yrs on and not one of those things have happened to me in TH, while visiting Patts, Bangkok, most large metros or enjoying the countryside.

 

YMMV

[Reginald Prewster]

2 hours ago, bigt3116 said:

They range in weight from 300–550 kg

Well,

mine is 876 Kilograms precise 4 month ago at the vererinary and his shoulders reach my chin makes him above 160cm shoulder height considering I am 186 cm tall.

 

Aggressive, OK he will block the way towards me as soon you approach and by accident he hit me once with his horns as some bug has bitten him on his back and he turned his head. 

 

Beside this he is very gentle and if he needs a break from work he even can start crying...  

 

[Reginald Prewster]

5 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

Living here 23 yrs on and not one of those things have happened to me in TH, while visiting Patts, Bangkok, most large metros or enjoying the countryside.

 

YMMV

Lucky you are so smart and understand sarcasm..

 

It was more meant to be like, No Goose and Buffaloes in Pattaya but other things could happen.

 

Got it now??

 

22 years here and follow the rules which keeps me out of troubles as well.

 

 

[KhunLA]

6 minutes ago, Reginald Prewster said:

Lucky you are so smart and understand sarcasm..

 

It was more meant to be like, No Goose and Buffaloes in Pattaya but other things could happen.

 

Got it now??

 

22 years here and follow the rules which keeps me out of troubles as well.

 

 

Yea, got the sarcasm part .. loved the stumbling into 7-11 for another beer.   Surprisingly, never even been growled at .. by dogs anyway at 7-11.

 

Love how some lay directly in front of the door, for the AC.

[bigt3116]

1 hour ago, NanLaew said:

I can't believe you felt the urge to Google fact-check that.

 

And then got it so terribly, terribly wrong.

 

Fact is that Asian water buffalo weigh from 700 to 1,200 kg.

 

https://www.altinawildlife.com/asian-water-buffalo-2/

In Thailand, wild water buffaloes have been reported to occur in small herds of less than 40 individuals. A population of 25–60 individuals inhabited lowland areas of the Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary between December 1999 and April 2001. This population has not grown significantly in 15 years, and is maybe interbreeding with domestic water buffaloes.[24]

 

I doubt he encountered one of the very few Asian water buffalos

[Reginald Prewster]

3 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

 Surprisingly, never even been growled at .. by dogs anyway at 7-11.

I started with 2 of them in Pattaya.

Just little Puppies that got kicked away all time at lake Maprachan 7eleven...

Put them in the side car of my scooter and that was it.

 

After 2 years of stubbornness they changed like somebody turned their switch on.

From one day to the other their 15 minutes training was not enough anymore and they wanted to learn and show more.

 

Now on my farm they are already 12 years old and 3 puppies from the Garbage Dumping area in Khon Kaen joined us... 

 

I guess also, if you not accidently step on them a 7eleven dog will never bite but they are capable (with a little more patience) to become brilliant guard dogs due to their experiences in front of the door of 7/11.

They have met more different human characters and can read their faces better I have the feeling.

 

All 5 on my farm work very well with our goose who are the alarm system and the dogs do the checking then.. 

 

But as @soalbundy posted, I am always careful with our geese, they are just unpredictable.

If they think you are standing on a spot that they not appreciate, its time for self defense and for the attacker is Christmas a few month ealier.. 

 

[KhunLA]

14 minutes ago, Reginald Prewster said:

I started with 2 of them in Pattaya.

Just little Puppies that got kicked away all time at lake Maprachan 7eleven...

Put them in the side car of my scooter and that was it.

 

After 2 years of stubbornness they changed like somebody turned their switch on.

From one day to the other their 15 minutes training was not enough anymore and they wanted to learn and show more.

 

Now on my farm they are already 12 years old and 3 puppies from the Garbage Dumping area in Khon Kaen joined us... 

 

I guess also, if you not accidently step on them a 7eleven dog will never bite but they are capable (with a little more patience) to become brilliant guard dogs due to their experiences in front of the door of 7/11.

They have met more different human characters and can read their faces better I have the feeling.

 

All 5 on my farm work very well with our goose who are the alarm system and the dogs do the checking then.. 

 

But as @soalbundy posted, I am always careful with our geese, they are just unpredictable.

If they think you are standing on a spot that they not appreciate, its time for self defense and for the attacker is Christmas a few month ealier.. 

 

9 yrs ago, after dumped at the wat across the street & shunned by resident dogs, followed me down the drive one day, while I was operating drones. 

 

Went from self appointed outdoor guard dog, to sleeping in our bed now.

 

[Reginald Prewster]

45 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

Went from self appointed outdoor guard dog, to sleeping in our bed now.

Uh, don't dogs usually sleep in beds?  ????

After returning from work abroad, it was hard to get this habit eliminated. 

 

But since I showed my wife what dogs are capable to learn (I was as youngster dog trainer in Germany) she claims that our dogs are not the same, they are "people". 

 

I wanted attending guard dogs, no chance to get poisoned or allowing somebody to carry something out of the gate without one of us opening it..

(the DHL boy was laying for 6 hrs in the glowing sun, because of the tiny insignificant difference between carrying "in" and carrying "out")

But the worst was to learn them "talk" - by meaning sitting in front of me and pretending to have a conversation.

(all for a treat, but my wife now still believes that they really talk)   

 

Still when thunderstorms passing through or fireworks get set off, one of them sneaks under the bedsheets. 

[JimmyJ]

Paragraphs.

[Bill97]

Then I fell into a septic tank and was not rescued for five days so I missed the ceremony to receive the Troll of the Month award

[SunsetT]

Nowt to worry about mate. The village fortuner has obviously put a curse on you...????.

[richard_smith237]

7 minutes ago, SunsetT said:

Nowt to worry about mate. The village fortuner has obviously put a curse on you...????.

Enough to watch out for... now he has to watch out for some lunatic in a Toyota ???

[youreavinalaff]

I'm starting to miss Stevey. At least his posts had an entertainment factor.

[Myran]

Of all the things that never happened, this never happened the most.

[Moonlover]

13 hours ago, NanLaew said:

I can't believe you felt the urge to Google fact-check that.

 

And then got it so terribly, terribly wrong.

 

Fact is that Asian water buffalo weigh from 700 to 1,200 kg.

 

https://www.altinawildlife.com/asian-water-buffalo-2/

The reference that you supplied was referring to a Wild Asian buffalo. I doubt that the O/P encountered one of those.. How did you get it so terribly, terribly wrong?

 

'Wild water buffalo are larger and heavier than domestic buffalo, and weigh from 700 to 1,200 kg'. 

 

Care to try again?

 

Edited June 1, 2023 by Moonlover

[ballpoint]

Domestic buffalo.

1.72m at shoulders, 1.1 tonne...

 

[it is what it is]

 

got bored after the first paragraph of an avoidable incident that you brought entirely upon yourself, never go near wild animals, or even farm animals, when they are with their young. it's not rocket science.