No, not really but I can see how that would seem. I'm out and about here, go to restaurants, shopping, stop and have a natter with the mechanics; maybe if the timing is right, rip across the road and buy a couple of cans and have a laugh. Also, aprt from just general living as I would anywhere else, the family here is quite large and spread out as five of the eight "kids" all live within half a mile of each other on a private road on their land. And that's not including first cousins strewn around the area, either as their farms abut "ours". I got to the festivals - Songkran here was great this years, bought a box of Leos to the flatbed and wacthed the concert. Funerals, weddings, just the stuff I'd do in the States, the UK or anywhere I'd live. I suppose I'm "reclusive" to those I used to hang with back home but we were all also married and had other stuff ging on in our own ives but that's why phones were invented. As I said in a previous reply to you, I wouldn't be here if it weren't for the internet. And friends from the USA, UK, Australia, and Scandinavia come to Thailand to visit (and some also live here) and I drop down to Phuket or Krabi or wherever for a catch up and then let them carry on - they're on holiday, they don't need a third wheel. I had friend over for 16 days back in March. I drove to CM (caught up with a friend I knew as well) where he had some suits made, then to CR which I had never been to before, back to Phetchabun via Sukhothaik *the park there is very good) and stayed in the village thre nights, then up to Khon Kaen for a night, Bueng Kan (which I also hadn't been to before) where there was a massive anniversary celebration of them becoming a province via Nong Khai so Kev could have lunch overlooking the Mekhong toward Laos. Then down to Nakhon Phanom and checked out the temples, food and nightlife there. Temple at night is impressive and there was a huge mass-blessing and ordination of monks which was something I hadn't seen either. A recluse? I get out and about, drive to friends in other provinces (and fly to them in other countries) but here itself I am quite reclusive solely due to physical and logistical distance. There is nothing of note here tourist-wise. Si Thep NAtional PArk is about 60km south, Khao Kho is 100km north. While I was doing my 90-day report, Kev found a museum which I didn't even know existed in Phetchabun city and I still haven't visited but I will do on my next report day. On the rare occasion a minivan of foreigners turns up at the 7-Eleven (the market is held in front of it) on its way back south (probably from Immigration to get their education visas or whatever, there is a muay thai school about 10km south of me) I'll generally nod or say hello. I will offer to help those wanting food from the stall vendors rather than from inside the 7. But, yes, I probably wouldn't want people dropping around unexpectedly. I'm reclusive to that extent. I suffer from a couple of mental health issues and I can have "bad days". What I miss most about living here - except for decent bacon and ham, decent cheeses, and decent wine at a decent price - is I've missed out on funerals or, at least, seeing my friends in hospital and saying goodbye while they can still hear me, or having a beer with them before they died unexpectedly. But if anyone that's not a nutjob wants to meet for a meal at some local roadside restaurant one afternoon, with a week or so's notice, I'm up for it.
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