Today is a Bank Holiday ( Asanha Bucha Day ) and typical of a Bank Holiday in the UK it has been raining most of the day. In fact we have had 4 days of none stop rain during which the ground floor of our new house got flooded. I’ve spent most of the time cutting down the weeds on the Plantation which had got completely overgrown in places. I have also agreed to allow tapping of the larger trees ( After 7 years) to offset those that we sold earlier in the year.
Andrew
House Blessing
It was the Blessing of the new House today. Despite my better judgment I was persuaded to go. As soon as the women Arrrived they started cooking whilst the men Looked on Bored. I went and read a book in the resort on the Lake away from the goings on . After a while they all started chanting and walked round the house 3 times before some more chanting. Then surprise surprise it was time to eat. A total waste of my morning & not to be repeated.
Solar Farm
Out on my Travels I came across this Solar Farm being constructed near Ban Don Pak which us just outside Sang Khom.
What is output will be I don’t know but it didn’t cover a very large area so maybe it is just an experimetental farm.
Princess visits Kham Chanot
Went to Udon today on the way back Police officers were placed every 1 km from Udon to Ban Dung. This was due to Princess Bajrakitiyabha ( the kings granddaughter known as Princess Pa) going to visit Kham Chanot which she does on a regular basis as she works in Udon. Fortunately we just made it back before the Royal visit and hence did not have to pull over and wait for her to pass.
Market Day – Sawang Daen Din
With an overcast day in the offing it was too good a day to miss for a ride. I took the tarmac route to Dong Yen which was being resurfaced in places.
From there I proceeded onto Sawang Daen Din.
When I arrived it wa Market day with stalls in the Park area near the hospital. I took some Photos of the new hospital buildings and the temple before heading out towards Tesco.
Hospital
From There I returned via Phon Sung( number 3) , Kham Sa-at , Om ko and Phon Sung( number 1). Nearing Om ko I washed my shirt in one of the small streams as it was caked in Mud from the Red Din roads.
Tao Hai – Amphoe Phen
I last went to Tao Hai over two years ago. Then the roads leading to it were all Red Din and it was difficult to find your way in aand out . Now the roads have all been upgraded to Tarmac or Concrete as shown from this view to Tao Hai from Ban Na Fang making navigation easier.
Road to Tao Hai
I Returned Home Via Phibunrak and Na Sai to complete a circular route.
A wet day to Amphoe Fao Rai
With another overcast day in the offering I decided to go to Fao Rai which I had only been to once before in my travels. Past Ban Pak the heavens opened and there was torrential rain until I passed Soem. I had to stop and put my Phone & camera in my Dirt bag which is relatively waterproof. En route there were still many people working in the fields either ploughing or planting out this years rice crop. Fao Rai has nothing going for it all and the roads were covered in dirt in places.
Fao Rai Street
Ban Dung is a metropolis in comparssion. It only took me 15 minues to do a tour around town taking in the Temple,Hospital and Police station all standard requirements of an Amphoe.
Fao Rai Police Station
The return journey was for the most part rain free and I was able to record the names of all the villages I passed through. At Lao udon I detoured off the Tarmac roads which were becoming boring and took the dirt road down to Lao Luang, from there onto Kham Maet where I again took the dirt road around the lake and back into BanDung. I think I will be giving Fao Rai a miss in future.
Return to Charoen Sin
With it looking like it would be an overcast day I decided to go to Charoen Sin a place I had only been to once before. The route is the same there and back to make a circuit would be far to long. On arrival there were no fod stalls and around the lake and no Pedaloes and rubber rings for Hire. Obviuusley lst time I went it must have been a Holiday. I did a tour around town taking some more pictures.
Temple at Charoen Sin
Around this time the clouds dissapered and the temperature started to warm up. I stopped under a tree around the lake for a rest & adrink before making the return journey.
Rest at Charoen Sin
It was Sunny most of the way home and very hot. Just past Phon Sung I made a detour to go and look at the new Rice paddies.