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I arrived in Ubon Ratchathani late on Wednesday night and was greeted by Khamma, Pell, Yo and Ying (another of Khamma's multitude of cousins).  After a meal at the very same restaurant we visited after our wedding, we drove home where the dogs, Cherlon and Kitty (!), barked a symphonic reception and jumped up at me as if it was the return of the Irish Rover.

Nothing much has changed around Thamuang, people come and go whilst wanting to know your business, but it is easy to just drop into the slow pace.

For the first three days I just relaxed and fought off the jet lag, which hit me pretty hard this time.  We ventured on the motorbike to Trakon Phutpon on Friday.  A serious mis-calculation found us sheltering from torrential rain with thunder and lightening thrown in.  Needless to say we arrived home cold and wet.  The weather is, apparently, mild but to my sensitive English disposition it is humid, hot and horrible to relax in without dissolving in pools of sweat.

About three months ago we, or rather the house and the kitchen in particular, was attacked by termites.  There was no warning sign, they just appeared and destroyed what lay before them.  Copious spraying of insecticide seemed to send them away, and we have since injected the floors with some of 'termite-icide', in the expectation (or hope in my case) that the little blighters will die!

Termites idea of a meal

On Saturday I had a little wander round the farm and found Bung, my brother-in-law, busy ploughing a rice field, the new cows, a new chicken shack and young boy ploughing the family rice field ready for planting this year's seedlings.

My brother-in-law never stops working

The new cows

Happy chickens in their Five Star Chicken Shack

A young lad spending his Saturday morning tilling the earth

It never ceases to amaze me just how hard these people work in conditions that are beyond anything we have to endure at home.  I couldn't last ten minutes doing what Bung does, and I ashamed that his fourteen year old son leaves me for dead as well.  It is best just admire from the sidelines, but show an interest and have a go by all means, because that attitude endears you to village, and actually makes the locals proud to show you what they can do.

Bung is so resourceful.  We have not had water for two days because lorries keep breaking the mains pipe about two miles up the road.  Bung and his family live next and for some reason get their water from another source, which is not affected.  He somehow configured our pvc piping to connect to his supply, and hey-presto we have water.  We filled the bath and several 'Ali Baba' type monster pots and we have enough to shower and drink until our pipes are fixed - maybe tomorrow, but who knows?  If this was Saddleworth we would be phoning the emergency services.......