Isaan trip October 1999
Isaan is the North Eastern rural region of Thailand bordering Laos
23rd October
I'm now writing today's diary on a plane flying from Bangkok to Khon Kaen. I'm using my TI92 calculator which has a text editor.? The woman sitting on my right is trying hard to see what I am writing. Pok is sitting on my left and is trying hard to sleep because he is frightened of flying.
They have just announced that we are about to land so I need to put my tray in the upright position and put this calculator away.
Cripes.... my bag was first off the plane. Good news you'd think, but I'm now sitting in a stationary minibus waiting for all the other punters to be reunited with their bags.
Went straight to Chareon Thani Princess Hotel and checked into a room on the 17th floor. Hired a car... a Honda.. doesn't sound very street cred. but it looked OK. Drove to some sort of national park just in time to see the sun setting over a huge lake viewed from a dam.
That first evening I was able to take everyone out to a Thai music club I'd discovered last time I'd been to Khon Kaen. Probably the best per-chi-vit music anywhere... had a great time.. Pok was sick.
24th October
Up early for the complimentary hotel breakfast then off on the 300km journey to the border with Laos. The roads in Isaan, this North Eastern part of Thailand are either excellent or terrible. Our journey however took us along some scenic roads with long very straight stretches.
The town of Nakhon Phanom was in the midst of their annual festival. An incredible number of people had gathered there from all over Isaan. The highlight of the festival was the night time parade down the Mekong river of a dozen or so huge bamboo structures built on rafts and lit with thousands and thousands of oil lamps.
The crowds wandered between the various forms of entertainment ranging from traditional fun fairs, live music and dancing to family picnics on every bit of grass around the town.
Left it till quite late to look for a hotel and... you guessed it ... no room at the inn ... even the stable next door to the inn had a long line of people waiting for returns. So where do we sleep!
I can't believe we then rushed round shops which were just about to close to buy supplies ... mat, blankets, mosquito net, lots of bottles of water, candles, whiskey, crisps and glasses. We then drove into the hills to find a little wooden shelter (Tarzan Hut) where we spent the night. The sounds of the jungle around us, including some as yet unexplained sounds of branches breaking, would have kept us awake all night were it not for the most important item we had with us, the bottle of whiskey.
25th October
We left our luxury 'Hotel Tarzan' suite early, drove to Sakhon Nakhon for breakfast and reached Udon Thani by lunchtime. Here we stocked up with goodies for the party planned for that evening. Before Udon we stopped to look around the national museum at Ban Chiang where we saw pots made in this area over 2000 years ago. I was so impressed I bought a big one, though I'm sure mine was no older than two months.
I would be staying the next two nights with Pok's family who had a small farm west of Khon Kaen. It was to be a big event as I was the first foreigner to have stayed here. A huge family gathering had been planned for the evening meal. It was a great atmosphere. They say that Thailand is the land of smiles but this family were hilarious. They laughed and joked all night, helped along by the booze we'd provided. After the question and answer session of which I was the subject, one of the uncles started playing a 'pin' (Isaan guitar) while the head man of the village sang the Thai version of 'Why why why Delilah'. The festivities paused briefly when a young couple who were having trouble with their neighbour came in to tell the headman all about it. Everyone stopped what they were doing to listen. Then they left and all the fun began again.
Drank Laos whiskey (I think it is more like wine really). The men of the village were drinking it while making fireworks for the forthcoming festival. Asked for the recipe to bring home. Watch this space
26th October
Early morning family outing to the local Wat (temple). The congregation prepared food as offerings then rang a bell. That was the signal for six monks, dressed in the traditional orange robes, to enter and sit on a platform in front of us. I sat cross-legged for about 45 minutes as various chants and prayers were said. After this, with absolutely no life left in my legs at all, the monks were presented with their breakfast. We all sat quietly and watched them eat. After they had had their fill, the remains were passed down to us for our breakfast. I banged a drum:
A short trip to the village centre for Pok to renew his ID card then lunch with the family.
In 1996 a number of fossilized dinosaur bones were found in this area. The dinosaurs lived here 130 million years ago. We went on a walking tour through the hill forest to see the sites where these fossils had been found. Unfortunately the viewing pavilions were still under construction so all we saw, after a long hot walk was a hole in the ground.
Next on the agenda was a ceremony in Pok's house to give good luck to the family. They asked me to take part in the ceremony too. I am now wearing lots of pieces of string around my wrist.
Before dinner a quick trip to the corn field with Pok and his mother. She walked through the plants which were almost taller than her, picking out the ripe ones and hacking them down with a scythe. Pok followed her, gathering up the cut plants and bringing then to the road.
Watching all this hard work going on was quite exhausting for me who only had the job of taking the pictures. The final task was to strip the greenery away from the ears of corn which I would be eating one hour later. Beat that for freshness Bird's Eye.
That night there was the heaviest downpour I've ever seen. All the rooves of the house drained into the bathtub... Here's the Niagra falls of freezing water filling the bathtub for me!
27th October
To add to the cultural exchange which was going on everyone was invited to try a farang breakfast this morning. Orange juice, toast, bacon, eggs, and sausages, all washed down with Lipton's tea. Not quite sure how they all enjoyed it though.
I learned how to ride a motor scooter this morning, though the muddy tracks around the villages here made if pretty dicey. Rode to the next village to see a temple in a cave and the locals dive fishing for huge cat fish.
I monopolised a very comfortable hammock at Pok's house and after a brief nap it was time for lunch followed by the family photograph session.
Suddenly it was 8:30pm and I was sitting on a plane home sporting a beard as long as Chile and providing home to a flock of birds and two spiders; I hadn't shaved all week and it was just getting to the itchy stage.
Now I feel a little more in tune with the country having lived with the locals even though I only saw the fun side of life.