Sometimes It;s Just Magic

[jamescollister]

Power gone again, only the light of the laptop in the night. I buy rechargeable flash lights, which no one re charges and have hurricane lamps and no kerosene.

Power goes, but no rain or wind, in the distance you can see the lightening and hear the dull roar of thunder. The village goes black and dogs bark, the dogs go silent, then the village dogs, which are dingos which can not bark, but howl. They go silent.

All is silent, but without the lights of man the wild dogs come and maybe some of the bigger predictors. All dogs, people, chickens, pigs and ducks stay quite. Who know what lurks in the dark.

The lack of sound drives the kids to bed and I sit upon my stilt porch, watching the coming storm.

It maybe the jungle. but for me it is a better place than I have ever been. Jim

[Lickey]

You on the run Jim, Hiding in the Jungle???

Mrs said to me 7 years ago, it gets really hot here when big storm come, i thought it would be cooler, when the power went off, i understood what she meant, the fans stop working!!

Having a big thunderstorm right now, the house is all concrete with a tiled roof, but all the awnings are the preesed steel variety, the noise is incredible, cant hear the tele ect, sit here waiting for the power to cut, Laptop batteries not special, about an hour at the most, so play card games, solitaire ect, when the PC fades away,i light a candle and read if im not tired or go to the top floor with a beer and watch the storm,

One of the best investments we ever made is a large icebox, keeps my beer chilled 24/7,

some nights can be very romantic with a candle lite bedroom as well, Would i change anything? yes, i would love a good Roast Beef dinner twice a week!

[Jezz]

That paints a lovely picture, Jim! I could see you on your porch tapping away at the laptop. Hope you member to recharge the machine when the power comes back. Wonder if, like me, you have some sort of dongle-powered internet that doesn't need a mains-powered router.

[zzdocxx]

Where do you live, Jungle Jim?

Just wondering, it sounds nice!

[villagefarang]

Wonderful prose and imagery.

[DILLIGAD]

I use my PC as a night light, but someimes it makes me wonder if I am using its full potential??

[jamescollister]

That paints a lovely picture, Jim! I could see you on your porch tapping away at the laptop. Hope you member to recharge the machine when the power comes back. Wonder if, like me, you have some sort of dongle-powered internet that doesn't need a mains-powered router.

No phone lines out here, it's a dongle or nothing.

Lickey. have the big blue ice box, ice man comes twice a week.

zzdoc, Emerald Triangle, about 15 km from the Lao land border. A place that the world has overlooked and may it stay that way. Jim

[elwood]

Wonderful prose and imagery.

Wholeheartedly endorse this comment.

Thanks Jim - hope the thread isn't hi-jacked by the bitter brigade. No doubt about it mate, you certainly turn out some interesting comments on the Isaan thread.

[sezzo]

Wonderful prose and imagery.

Wholeheartedly endorse this comment.

Thanks Jim - hope the thread isn't hi-jacked by the bitter brigade. No doubt about it mate, you certainly turn out some interesting comments on the Isaan thread.

Ditto with these remarks. Having visited Jims village once, I can certainly visualise his description well. Maybe Jim has another calling instead of being the rubber baron of his area.

[Gweiloman]

I have bookmarked your blog as I enjoy tremendously reading about your experiences but you haven't posted anything since December last year. Please don't stop blogging Jim. I'm sure there are lots like me who look forward to your blogs.

[villagefarang]

Jim, in the very least you should put a link to your blog on your profile page. There are no rules against that and it will make it easier for people who are interested to find your blog online without having to Google it. There are a couple of options as to where to put it on your Profile Page. You can look at mine for ideas.

[jamescollister]

It was the boredom of the rains that started the blog and the big rains are here again. Will be blogging soon ans VF will have a try at what you said. Jim

[swissie]

That paints a lovely picture, Jim! I could see you on your porch tapping away at the laptop. Hope you member to recharge the machine when the power comes back. Wonder if, like me, you have some sort of dongle-powered internet that doesn't need a mains-powered router.

No phone lines out here, it's a dongle or nothing.

Lickey. have the big blue ice box, ice man comes twice a week.

zzdoc, Emerald Triangle, about 15 km from the Lao land border. A place that the world has overlooked and may it stay that way. Jim

I believe Jim may well be busy with his rubber-trees, but in his heart he is more of a poet than a "rubber-baron". There is absolutely nothing wrong with that and living in a corner ot the world that has been "overlooked" by the rest of the world is a statement in itself and has nothing to do with the wild-eyed packpackers that swarm the Isaan for 3 months and then claim "now we have seen it all and done it all" and if something goes wrong, they always have their credit-card that can resolve whatever problems arise.

So for people like Jim: More power to them !

Cheers.

PS: I know about the "golden triangle" from the old days, but where is the "emrald triangle" ?

[jamescollister]

That paints a lovely picture, Jim! I could see you on your porch tapping away at the laptop. Hope you member to recharge the machine when the power comes back. Wonder if, like me, you have some sort of dongle-powered internet that doesn't need a mains-powered router.

No phone lines out here, it's a dongle or nothing.

Lickey. have the big blue ice box, ice man comes twice a week.

zzdoc, Emerald Triangle, about 15 km from the Lao land border. A place that the world has overlooked and may it stay that way. Jim

I believe Jim may well be busy with his rubber-trees, but in his heart he is more of a poet than a "rubber-baron". There is absolutely nothing wrong with that and living in a corner ot the world that has been "overlooked" by the rest of the world is a statement in itself and has nothing to do with the wild-eyed packpackers that swarm the Isaan for 3 months and then claim "now we have seen it all and done it all" and if something goes wrong, they always have their credit-card that can resolve whatever problems arise.

So for people like Jim: More power to them !

Cheers.

PS: I know about the "golden triangle" from the old days, but where is the "emrald triangle" ?

An attempt by Thailand to bring tourist out this way, none have come. It's the border of Thailand, Laos and Cambodia. All jungle ergo green, emerald, still lots of landmines etc, as the shooting only stopped in 1985. Don't think much of it has even been properly explored. Some strange animals and bugs, Father in law goes to the high lakes and catches stingrays. Once on TV I saw they had found a unknown vampire bat, asked the wife s if she had ever seen one. She said they sell them in the village market for food.

The world is coming, but hopefully not too fast. Jim

[bentje60]

I have bookmarked your blog as I enjoy tremendously reading about your experiences but you haven't posted anything since December last year. Please don't stop blogging Jim. I'm sure there are lots like me who look forward to your blogs.

Can only agree on that. Excellent reading.

This is of the topic but in this tread i read about using dongle powered internet. Last visit in Isaan i used my AIS prepaid mobile as modem but it was slow as hell. Is dongle powered internet the same as using mobile. If not, what speed to expect and where to buy

[David006]

Excellent Jim... magic indeed.....flat batteries and no kero' ...lol..

...never seen kero here but would love to buy some brass marine or antique lamps for such nights .....add a few million bugs and.....

...a creased white cotton suit and an old wicker chair would complete the Tuan Jim picture..

great post mate...thanks

[zzdocxx]

Land mines ? ! ? ! ? ! ?

[Jezz]

Jim, now look what you've gone and done! The idea's even reached across the world.

[canuckamuck]

A box of candles might be a bit of a boon Jim. I can relate to much of what you say as I have a simlar situation here. The problem with my flashlights is that everyone puts them somewhere else when their done with them, so when the power cuts they can't be found in the dark. But the candles are in a drawer and never get shifted. I love the rainy nights, but the good rains never seem to last long enough for me. Usually 15 minutes of downpour and then things settle down.

[bergen]

Land mines ? ! ? ! ? ! ?

yepp, all along the Cambodian/Thai border...............Jimbo will drop by soon!

[jamescollister]

Jim, now look what you've gone and done! The idea's even reached across the world.

[nongsung]

Nice blog jamescollister, can relate to most of it...

I'm keeping a blog as well, over 50 entries, url is in my profile.

Nongsung

[billd766]

A box of candles might be a bit of a boon Jim. I can relate to much of what you say as I have a simlar situation here. The problem with my flashlights is that everyone puts them somewhere else when their done with them, so when the power cuts they can't be found in the dark. But the candles are in a drawer and never get shifted. I love the rainy nights, but the good rains never seem to last long enough for me. Usually 15 minutes of downpour and then things settle down.

My problem is that the torches keep disappearing and only return when they need charging. My first use candles are in empty soda bottles in a cubby hole by the TV and a lighter is usually there as well unless SWMBO has nicked it.

I see in a shop in the village they sell rechargeable led lights like the battery lanterns for about 350 baht.

[Lickey]

Heres a storm coming my way, [Namsom] even the power of the Buddha Temple in the foreground cant stop it!!!