[sabang]

Wife hasn't got a brother pen, but her young cousin who lives in the nearby village seems to have adopted the place. With the blessing of the MIL it seems, so maybe he's givin it old roger, but he's kinda young for that sort of stuff at 14. TIT.

[mack]

Originally Posted by BigBadSi

congrats Sabang

Tam and I are going to have a look around Uttaradit on our next trip for possible sites,she does have some land which is now hers as her father died,but its on lowland and Uttaradit does suffer heavy amounts of fl;ooding thus being the reason that its a rice plantation.

Smullenpe and I have formed a partnership BadSi, providing quality homes at affordable prices in low-lyng areas throughout Southeast Asia. Smull provides the engineering/architectural expertise while I handle the promotional end. We could set you up in this quality-built home for around 1,000,000 baht (with the P-R discount, of course). Just give it some thought for now my friend, but you'll be hard-pressed to find a home of this quality anywhere else at this price.

[sabang]

Well the house has been up for over six months now, and we went up there recently to see if it had fallen down yet. Amazingly, it hasn't, about the only things that went wrong were two water leaks- one in the second bathroom, one in the Isaan kitchen/Laundry. The builders came back and fixed these themselves, no ploblems. Jeez, we lucked out with those guys.

Looking more like a home now-







This critter seems happy enough- we get some weird insects here, right next to the jungle. He's easily a foot long-



The dogs are well pleased with the place too.



Our household taro crop will be harvested in the new year. We'll make a poxy few thousand baht from it, and no doubt be eating taro for brekkie, dinner & tea for a while.

[sabang]

We're moving to Ubon mid/late February- we can rent our place here for a tidy packet, and if the first couple of months living there doesn't drive me totally bonkers, we'll put a fishing pond, sala and carport up too.
Lets look at the exciting life of a village yokel. Heres the local KFC-



The nearest town is ThaMuang. The edge of town-



Mrs Santa here runs the main village shop- she's a lovely lady, and delights in giving me some weird food to try every time I drink there. It sure ain't the Ritz though.





Our nearest farang neighbour, 2.5km. He works in Singapore- yet to meet, but we're in contact.





This pleasant lake is about 5km away- I'll definitely try a spot of fishing here-



Some of the locals grow their own tobaccy-



Some apparently cultivate another weed too. Plenty of water buffaloes around, but these days they are just kept for status- and their dung is used for fertiliser-



Meet the Meat-

[sabang]

There are two market days per week, and round here this is the time to see and be seen. The market sort of sprawls in and around the Wat.





The local pork butcher- the fine art of butchery is done with a chainsaw and a machete around here, judging by the cuts of meat. mrs knows how to pick the decent cuts though- to the locals fat, skin, meat, gristle whatever, they don't care- it's all the same to them.



Isaan pork sausages are nice- better than the pale imtitations we get around here. 3 for 10 bht.





Everything you need is to be found here. Isaan is said to be the poorest region of Thailand, but here in Ubon the locals eat pretty well- prolly better than us really, if freshness and nutrition are your parameters. Most things you eat are raised, grown, fished, hunted or foraged locally.



No doubt lifes tougher in the drier parts of Isaan though.







Second hand clothes from Korea. And if you don't have wellies round here in rainy season, you should probably buy a boat.

[yusamile]

Good luck in the cuntry Sabang. I like the cuntry wery much. I like the food, i like the people, i like the wide open spaces and travelling down cuntry roads and seeing rice paddys etc. If the internet was available and it was close to the ocean, i would love to give it a shot,....but i do need to get to the ocean for periods of time, else i go all ting tong an shit.

[sabang]

No ocean within miles of us samiley, but we do have the Mekhong & Mun rivers nearby, & a big reservoir with a beach- good for a swim. Internet, theres a CDMA tower not far- apparently theres a pretty good chance I can connect through there which should be OK- faster than dial up, but not as good as ADSL. Otherwise it's Ipstar, which is bluddy expensive & unreliable- but better than nothing.

Yeh, the Isaan people, fresh air and open spaces are great- and Ubon city is 30km, so not too far for the odd night out in the big smoke. I reckon I'll like it up there but if it doesn't work out can always move back to civilisation.

[tommiecoughlin]

Thanks for the photos and text sabang....the house looks great

Being just outside the jungle....how about yer cobra situation?...have heard larger poodles are great dogs for quelling the problem of cobras around the house. Been told best to have two poodles and that they root out the bastards like a pair of mongoose.

Looks like a great adventure is in store for you with the move. m8.

[sabang]

Heres an Ubon style beach samile-





It's on the Siriporn reservoir- quite pleasant to have a meal or just a beer in those rafts too, theres dozens of them. The locals dub the area 'little Pattaya', apparently it parties hearty when the Uni students finish their semester.

This is the Mun River at a place called Phibun-





And the Mekhong, at Khong Chiam-





Where we go to have some nice big Mekhong shrimp-

[roamer]

Thanks for the posts sabang.
The house and surroundings look fine.

Looks a fairly peaceful and tranquil life to me.
All the Best with the move.