(10:30 p.m. January 18th)
Turns out my friends advice back home about the rampant and bloodthirsty mosquitoes in Thailand was wrong, so all my training was for not.
I will however explain to you later about a nasty little creature call the fire ant.
Today was our second day on the job site. Our task was to cover the floor of our host’s home with concrete.
We were up at 6:30 a.m. and after a light but tasty breakfast we were into our cab/trucks leaving Khaolak and off to the site.
Mixing concrete here is not nearly as back home. There are no fancy concrete mixers, no shoot that delivers the concrete to the location and definitely no pre mix.
We were supplied with two large tubs used to mix the solution for the floor. The grey soupy cocktail consisted of the following: 8 parts fine sand, 6 parts gravel, 4 parts water and lots of good ol’ Canadian sweat (that was the part that bound every thing together.
The team acted as a well-oiled machine forming mixing teams, shoveling and water teams.
Once the concrete was mixed we formed a line and buckets were passed down the row to the HFH site workers who smoothed out the mixture on the floor.
Lunch was served under a canopy near the site and we all happily munched on the best Shrimp Pad Thai I have ever tasted.- so fresh and fragrant. In the corner of each of our dishes was a little pile of chilies and we were advised that if we didn’t like the spice to just brush it off. I removed half and mixed in the rest. I am happy to say that my sinuses will never be clogged again – ICHYWHAAWOW!
My friend Dale was right when he told me before I left that Pad Thai in Thailand was nothing like that at home. There was virtually no Coconut milk in the dish and the taste was unbeatable.
After lunch we went back to work, which proved a little more difficult. The Sun was in its full glory and labour proved to be difficult but everyone remained in good spirits. Some of the team members broke off to start building the septic hole.
Now, here is a piece of Sage advice.
When in the Thailand wilderness never pick up any dead wood from the ground. I quickly realized this when I picked up a stick to fashion a slingshot to humour the driver. I was apparently disturbing a Fire Ant Colony and they were quick to taste my tender Canadian flesh. Two managed to bite me. Fire Ants are probably about 400 times the size of our domestic ant back home but I swear it felt like a Great White Shark was having a nibble on my hands.
Stop shaking your head Brad.
You too Patti – and get that grin off you face Dale.
Thankfully Team leader Norah applied a bite relief wipe (kind of like a towelette) and the pain subsided briefly.
(Still no boo-boo kiss on the hands.)
Once again my injury was logged in the book and on we went.
We completed our day’s work around 3 p.m and headed back to town.
The group decided that we would take advantage of the local Thai massage locations before and after dinner.
I should clarify that there are many locations providing “authentic Thai massages” I am convinced that for a few extra Baht you could have an authentic Thai Massage at the nearby Seven Eleven.
Our first stop was at a “Fish Spa”. No…not a Spa for Fish but a Spa where you immerse your feet in a fish tank and hundreds of little “Turkey Fish” eat away at the dead skin on your feet.
After you get over the initial shock of these little critters nibbling at your toes it is actually kind of cool. Occasionally they give you an aggressive tug but by in large it is kind of like putting your feet into a large bath of “Seven-Up”.
The session lasted for a half an hour then we were treated to a foot rub by a Human. We put our feet into a fragrant solution consisting of warm water, lime, flower pedals and I think sugar cane. We were then given a massage using pommis, yogurt and what looked like Mango paste.
Awesome experience.
After the fish bath we had a quick dinner and then back to the Seven Eleven for a foot massage. Kidding.
For 250 Bhat we were given an authentic Thai Massage. Of course they didn’t have a Spa shirt in my size so I had to forego humility (pants on, shirt off – geeeeze).
Again another awesome experience that will be repeated while here; although I was a little curious about the solution they were putting on my back to prepare for the massage – a very strong metholatium with what smelled like just a hint of.... well we can talk about that other day.
So here I sit, hand throbbing from sling shot mishaps and fire ant bites. My skin a little burnt from the days sun, my back a little sore and my feet tingling, tired, hot sticky.
Simply the best experience I have ever had.
Thanks for reading, talk to you tomorrow.
