Mary's Diary (Part 18)
I just think he was such a nice man
To start with the latter, the cat family was still there and looking pretty good. Quite a relief. With the tuktuk driver the following was agreed: 100 bath per day. That is 20 bath for 2.000 days.
Before I left, he already got 1.000 baht from what I had to pay him. He also received an envelope with 3.000 baht. This was to pay the TV and electricity bill. That could be 2.300 bath at the most. He had also received a key to the garden gate from me, with a key ring that is dear to me.
The day after I got back, he came to pay. I already had 2.000 baht ready for him because I was so happy with what he had done for me. He presented me with a bill of 1.500 bath.
The money that had to be left over from the bills was not discussed at all. I got the key back, without the key ring. All of a sudden my joy was not much left at all.
My daughter-in-law came to mediate after I called her. After much back and forth, he said, I thought I could keep all that money. And a key ring, which had never been on the key.
I was completely speechless from so much rudeness and I just thought he was such a nice man. He eventually returned the money that was left over from the accounts. At such a moment it is a pity that I do not speak the language.
I continue to be amazed
Around me I see a big difference between people who have respect for animals and people who don't have this at all. While cycling home from the supermarket, I see a large lizard crossing the street at ease.
Cars are coming from both sides. I'm already squinting my eyes and preparing to run over the lizard. And then what happens? The cars brake, slow down and come to a stop. Everyone waits patiently for the lizard to disappear into the bushes. I continue to be amazed.
The school trip
We went to Cha Am. Fortunately only fourteen children went with us, that was manageable. Half of them do not swim very well and it is nice if they all come home in one piece. Everyone was equally sweet and listened well.
The beach was fairly quiet and the sea was calm; it couldn't have been better. Everyone clearly enjoyed it. There was also a lot of eating and drinking, a real holiday. On the way back, one after the other fell asleep, a successful day, we should definitely do it again.
The Thai woman does not exist
The Thai woman does not exist, of course, just as the Dutch woman does not exist. But I meet one now, as I had never met before. A friend of my daughter-in-law. A perky little woman, well dressed, spoke perfect English and knew very well what she wanted. Had been married three times and told that if a man didn't do what she wanted, she would get rid of it again.
With number 4 she lived in Oman. Also has a large farm in Thailand with staff. She arranges all affairs and travels a lot. A special person, I enjoyed meeting her. I have been invited to Oman for a holiday. Ah, you never know. So there are also those who can plan well and are very business-like.
Resort with swimming pool
Less than 15 minutes from me we found a resort with a swimming pool. Such a beauty! They also have houses that are in the water, which you can rent, and also houses between the greenery, something for everyone.
The pool has a very high slide, which kept my grandchildren busy all morning. You can also cycle on a pedal boat on the lake where the houses are located. The greenery around it all looks equally beautiful, really something to visit more often. Sad that the Thai can only use it if they have some money: 300 bt for an adult, 150 for a child.
You smell the rain
As I write this, the long awaited rain is falling. You smell the rain. I enjoy it, also the drop in temperature.
The cat family is becoming more and more accessible. When I'm working in the garden, not one runs away anymore. I think they find it exciting, what I do there. Even when I pick up the food bowls or bring them back filled, they are close by and immediately come to eat. Aaien is still not there.
Maria's Diary (part 17) appeared on Thailandblog on April 29.
Nice story, Maria.
However, that you still expected money back from the man? I don't even do that with my girlfriend. If I give her money for the market, I'm sure it's gone. You just have to give what you want to lose. The man didn't really mean anything "evil". It's just the way it is. Don't blame him and next time give him what he actually has to pay. But that does mean that you will be labeled as stingy. A little more won't hurt.
It's no fun with that keychain. I wouldn't have been happy about that either, because I also have a set of keys with a key ring that is over forty years old. The thing looks ugly, a transparent polyester block with my name engraved on it. But once received as a gift from a classmate on a nice package evening. I would take it off if I entrusted my keys to someone. The key can be replaced… the memory cannot.
Or the devil plays with it. When I woke up this morning, it hit me "Haven't read anything from Maria for a while, would everything be OK?" And yes, it looks like everything is OK with you. Still fun stories, don't go to Oman, because then you might melt. See you soon or until emails.
It's nice to read about the everyday things that make you happy! Happiness hides in a small corner, and you found it, even more fun that you share it here in your diary!
And yes, the key ring... I also have those gadgets that have a personal story behind them.
Sad if someone else loses it carelessly. So had my grandfather's wristwatch. Wanted to wear it one day and it disappeared. After weeks of searching and hearing the gardener, maid, etc., my own friend turned out to have worn it one evening to show off. Cards were played and you guessed it. We then went to see those guys to 'buy it back'. But the villains had pawned it in turn, for poor 3000 THB. To the pawnshop but it turned out it was already sold. Apart from the fact that the thing weighed 72 grams in gold alone, and a collector's item, it was still my grandfather's thing, and you will never get that back.
Furthermore, the pennies; you always lose what you give. Hopefully the utility bill was duly paid.
Keep a good diary, keep posting!
That big lizard must have been an iguana (possibly a monitor). Whether people stopped out of love for animals is uncertain, because it is precisely those animals that are sometimes seen as bad luck. For Buddhists, the Thai are not immediately striking animal friends, but that is about to change:
A stray dog suddenly crossing from the bushes (twenty seconds after calmly crossing his “A dog”) headed the number plate of my car, penetrated through the radiator grille just next to the radiator block from which a piece of plastic support broke off, fell through the fairly soft bottom screen next to it, all the way under the low-slung Toyota. As I came to a stop from fifty per hour, I saw in my rear-view mirror the man I thought was dead, making crazy high jumps with four legs at a time. Before I could turn around, two Thai men in their thirties had already parked their 4×4 a little way behind me. Except for a small, shallow, barely bleeding cut on the head, the animal appeared unharmed but still in shock (can't miss it). After stroking the victim a bit, and since my car was no longer in good driving condition, they carried the dog to their car to take him to a vet. Unfortunately, a day later I could not find his practice where they had described it to me; I hope the animal escaped unscathed.
I hope they are a bit kinder to the dogs in Thailand. We have experienced that a taxi driver just drives on when a dog crosses the street. Now that I read that they do stop for a lizard, this is the world upside down. We also notice that if we agree on a tax price of 400 bath and we pay with 500 bath, the money simply goes into his pocket. I think it's up to us to say it's okay, but don't take it for granted that it's a tip.
VAT, ifvt Taximeters; make sure you always have small denominations with you. This way you avoid the problem. Also ifv highway. Always pay cash. If I liked the ride or if the driver is cool, I can add some tips.
Have we always been lucky when tolls have to be paid and I have 100 baht then the driver gave me the change and the receipt and it was a meter taxi.
When we get in and we have to take the toll road over a meter taxi, I say toll road and I pay.
Doesn't always go well once and then we were even cheaper than the meter did give a tip. With a fixed price to HuaHin or Pattaya from the airport 50 extra for the airport, he wanted double the last time. That didn't work out suitcases were already out and hand luggage were on trolley hotel and I had the exact money and tip but I took that off sorry bad luck for him.
Hmm, "the world turned upside down"? What do you have against lizards? Dogs in Thailand are not always nice to people either. Between 18 and 6 a.m., in lonely places, they are even the most conspicuous physical threat to an individual. I've been chased and circled by a mob several times and in the event of an attack, thanks to the lying around of my heavy camera on a sling, it has remained with a minuscule leg snap with a scar. The best remedy, well known to the Thai, is a stick of 40 cm or longer. Never make a gesture of threatening or hitting, but point straight at the dog in line with your outstretched arm. Nevertheless, a mob is difficult to control.
The world is not upside down…. if you kill a lizard by accident or on purpose, you're in for bad luck. That's what Thais believe. That's why they stop... a dog means nothing, so it can die and moreover there are enough of them.
By the way, Jef, buy yourself a teaser – one of those devices that emits a pulse of 5000 volts or more. You can already get it in the size of a double pack of cigarettes. Just press the button and the whole pack of dogs runs away. So far I have been able to keep dogs off me with ease. And in the dark, the device also works as a flashlight. It has a battery and you can charge it at home, so you always have power. If a dog is still deaf or insensitive to the sound of the device (it makes a very loud and crackling sound, so that the animals prefer to run away), you can still give it an electric shock. I'm sure this dog won't bother you anymore. But as I said, it hadn't been necessary until now. The beasts run away.
I had already mentioned the bad luck messenger, I hadn't thought of a teaser yet.
Hi Maria, I always enjoy reading your stories. Now I read about the resort near you, could I get the address and place from you, thanks in advance.
Greetings Bea Lothmann
In my opinion, you can hardly trust a Thai. If you give them money, they don't think about their duties for tomorrow. But yes, it's not like us. No social insurance and almost no pension. And we just complain... Eddie