Hi from warm, and sadly not very sunny Thailand

[Asmodean]

Am in Thailand with my wife and two children to visit my wife's family. Hot and humid just about covers it

We are having a nice time, though. I enjoy thai food, and I will never be able to get enough of the cultural experiences here.

We have had some sun though - this is still the beginning of the monsoon, so it is not too bad yet. I will be able to get a tan, I am sure.

So to those less fortunate who have to deal with the rainy weather of (especially) Northern Europe, I hope for better weather for you. Specifically I hope for better weather from the 27th or so, as that is the date I (we) plan to set foot on European soil yet again.

Special vacation greetings from Asmodean

[Elok]

My GF just came back from a trip to Vietnam. Assuming the climate is pretty similar in those two places, I think she'd advise you to try the mangos while they're fresh. She said they're superb.

[Asmodean]

Indeed they are, but here in Thailand it is not quite season for ripened mangos. The Thais have a habit of eating unripe mangos with salt and dried chili pepper, but that is not to my taste. Not that it is to spicy for me, but I just can't get used to the Thai habit of mixing fruits with salt.

Otherwise everyting is great here, even though I had had rather a lot of mosquito bites. Even though I use mosquito repellants and sleep under mosquito nets, they still find me Fortunately, malaria is not an issue in the area we stay in, so that is not really a scare - only a nuisance.

Asmodean

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Originally posted by Asmodean
Indeed they are, but here in Thailand it is not quite season for ripened mangos. The Thais have a habit of eating unripe mangos with salt and dried chili pepper, but that is not to my taste. Not that it is to spicy for me, but I just can't get used to the Thai habit of mixing fruits with salt.

Mmm, I love that. But then I love everything about Thailand; we've been 4 times in the past three years, and will probably return again this Christmas. I envy you; have fun!

[Asmodean]

Yeah, thanks Rufus. It an easy country to fall in love with Everything about it is lovable. But it is also a country that deals with massive problems, something that is easy to forget when you take in the country's easy-going lifestyle.

My wife's father recently passed away, and as a result of that, we went to a local temple where she said her formal good-byes (she had just returned from Thailand when he died, so she was not able to attend the funeral). For app. 2000 baht, we fed an entire village of extremely poor farmers' families. Just a small amount for us, but still a very valuable gesture for them. Really made me think about the massive differences between the life here, and the life in one of the world's richest countries as I am used to it.

Anyway, I am rambling. Take care everyone

Asmodean

[Asmodean]

It is a time of extremes here in Ubon Ratchathani.

Last week's torrential rainfalls have been replaced by blistering heat. I am literally sweating buckets since 2 days ago.

Whatever happened to 32 degrees and moderate cloud cover??

Tomorrow we are embarking on a 4 day trip to the sea for some R&R. Will be a pleasant experience for me, as on my previous trips to Thailand, aside from staying with my wife's family, I have only ventured into the mountains. Will be nice to see if the my bounty-island ideas of Thailand's beaches are correct

Asmodean