Isara Volunteer - Sean

[Sean]

Kitkat- I think that the ball and pole is actually a light, like a street lamp.  It looks huge because of the angle I was standing.  I'm not sure though, I'll have to check it out when I go back.  We also feed the fish.  We took out a paddle boat and cruised around the surprisingly large lake.

Betty- No my A/C remained intact.  However a lightning bolt hit the building and killed my computer.  Kirk however built me a faster one using parts we bought, and it was interesting to learn how to build your own computer. 

[Ginafish]

That sunset is beautiful What is Chompoo holding in front of her eyes?

[Sean]

Those weird looking things are Mangosteen's.  They are really good for you.  You crack open the fruit and inside there is this strange opaque goey looking fruit.  They are quite tasty.

[Sean]

Kitkat- here are some pictures of the Lotus expansion at Tesco.   Sorry about the quality, it was tough to get it all in.  There happened to be a Fit and Firm presentation going on in the newest expansion that just opened up underneath the movie theater.   Up the escalator is where the movie theater is.  The long picture down the hallway is where I believe construction was starting when you were here.  The last two pictures are of Tesco itself.  An awesome store that has everything.  Comparable to say a Target or Walmart with groceries.
   
   

[KitKat]

  Thank you so much Sean. The photos are great. Yippee, more shopping for me when I come again. Everything is so shinny and bright!  So the movie theater is upstairs?
Much better than before. 

[Sean]

So I went for a really long bike ride the other day.  Maybe an hour outside of town.  I really like doing this.  I usually head out on a highway in a random direction and then once I am far enough away from the city I pick a road and turn down it.  This one happened to be a long one and I found myself cruising through some great villages.  People usually yell out hello and are genuinely excited to get a hello in return. 

This particular ride was extra fun because I was really deep into a farming village, no where near the main road, when I came across a game of Takraw.  Takraw is like volleyball but played only with your feet.  I pulled over and the group of about 15 people asked if I wanted to play, and of course I obliged.  It was a blast.  It started to get dark so I had to take off, but hopefully if I can ever find my way back their I will go play again.

Cows playing soccer on a beat up school field, outside Nong Khai
     

Takraw
   

[KitKat]

The grass is so green and there looks to be a small pond nearby. It's a good place for cows.    Did you see many rice fields?

[Ginafish]

  On the Nongkhai Fit banner is the Isara man in orange and green! A logo sighting! And the mall is where you can not only find the Oriental Princess, the KFC, but also buy some sweet rims for your hoopdy ride.

I was going to congratulate you on your hour long bike ride, but then I remembered that by bike, you meant moped. It's a great way to explore the country side! The mom in me wants to remind you to carry a bottle of fuel with you in case you get lost.

[Ming]

Kitkat : Yes, It's the one that we've been to. And the big tall ball is the light for the park but they're not really turn it on everyday. 

That are cool pics Sean. People starting to making farm again now in a few week there will be rice fields every where around there.

[Sean]

Kitkat-  Yep its nothing but endless small rice fields, as well as corn, and a few other crops I'm not familiar with.

Ginafish-  The only extra fuel I need is water.  It was indeed a bicycle ride.  It's to difficult/fast to say hello and wave to people on my motorcycle.  But more importantly its for exercise, especially if I've been drawn to the darkside that week. (ref. PK and Pizza Co)

[Ginafish]

In that case!


(ya know, congratulations!)

[Betty]

Sean, that's great that you were on your bike! I was starting to agree with Ginafish about the fuel......that's too funny!  I'll bet you put your soccer skills back into play when you came across those guys.  It looks like fun!   We love seeing all of your pictures!  Gives me a chance to experience Nong Khai through your eyes   I especially like the little moving bike character!

[Sean]

A storm rolling in from Lao.  Its becoming a daily occurrence.
     

[KitKat]

Sean, thank you so much for the photos.  Were the shots taken from The Friendship Bridge?  Is  your condo in last photo?
How long does the monsoon season last there and how long does a storm of that size usually last?    Sorry for all the questions, but I've been curious about the rains in Nongkhai for quite a while.   

[Ginafish]

Those are some darrrrk clouds! Just like Kitkat: Do the daily rains have lots of thunder and lightening? Does it look like midnight when it's 2 in the afternoon? Do you find it hard to get around with just a bike and moped with all the rain?

[Sean]

Kitkat -  I took these from my room .  I get different answers on how long the "monsoon" season lasts, all I can say is that it started in May and supposedly lasts til November.  But there are as many answers as there are thai people it seems.  It has never rained for very long though usually less than an hour, that storm came and went in like 15 minutes.  It rarely is a Forest Gump type rain.

Ginafish-  Id say most of the time there is some thunder and lightning.  I love it.   You always can tell when it is going to rain because it gets windy and drops a degree or two.  At that point you have maybe 10-15 minutes to get where your going and still be dry.  I love riding my motorbike in the rain, its the only time its not really hot out.  The only thing the rain stops is the people that don't want to get wet, which is surprisingly almost everyone but me.

[Chompoo]

  I love riding my motorbike in the rain, its the only time its not really hot out.  The only thing the rain stops is the people that don't want to get wet, which is surprisingly almost everyone but me.

  

[thartley]

I love the rain as well.  I could TOTALLY UTTERLY AND COMPLETELY do without the nightmarish lightning and glass rattling thunder, though.     The rain is one of the most welcome things about this hot season.  In the mornings, the first thing I do when i wake up is go to my glass sliding door, part the drapes and press my hand against the glass.  That is my weather report.  If the glass it hot or cool, I know whether I need to take a water bottle and towel out with me when I leave or if I can make an unencumbered departure from home.    I dont mind riding my bike in the rain either, but the torrential downpours...yeah, I wait those suckers out.   

[Ginafish]

I wonder if they are like what I would call "heat showers", the temperature dips, it rains for an hour or less, then it's steamy and warms back up. Usually, we only have one or two a day when they happen, but I take it that it's a constant cycle of them in Thailand, not just once a day, but maybe three or four times?

[Sean]

Yea they are kinda like that, and it definetly gets steamy and warms back up afterwards if they are in the morning.  It only happens once or twice a day so far.  Most of the big storms seem to come in the evenings.

Kitkat-  Here is a great site for everything Nong Khai weather related.  Its where i get my daily forecast...which is always about the same.

http://www.tmd.go.th/en/province.php?id=16

[KitKat]

   LOL    I pulled up your weather website and you're right, everyday is about the same.      Thanks!

[Sean]

It does have some really cool features though.  Especially for anyone heading to Thailand who wants to know exactly how much rain or heat they can expect (data and averages back to 30yrs).

For instance, I went to look up the rainy season and it is technically rainy may through nov, but it is REALLY rainy June and August.  That being said it didn't rain today that I noticed

[Ginafish]

What kind of adventures have you been up to lately Sean??

[Sean]

Here are some pictures from todays Boon Bung Fai Parade.  I'm excited for tomorrow when they launch the rockets.
     
     
     

The last four are my students from Tesabon 2.  They were the best out of all the groups, they got alot of cheers from the crowd.

There are about 130 more photos on Smugmug if your interested. (link is below)

[thartley]

I rode though all that going to Tesco.  I knew the Rocket Festival was on the 18th, but I didnt know about the parade.  I thought they were just happy that I was finally going back to the mall.