The Elephant Mahout Project: Away from Elephants...for a while

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I moved house on Tuesday, to the one that's on Mr Boonserms land. I think basically he has this house that's empty and so was happy to have someone living in it, and for us that's very good news! Have a look at the 'before' pictures!

I went to Mrs. Noi's on Tuesday morning and was tapping away on the computer, but she kept coming up to me and saying "you need to go or you won't be ready when the truck comes," so I went and packed my things - my Thai worldly goods - and I was ready by 10.30am....the truck arrived at 2.30pm.

Moving, as with seemingly everything else in Thailand, involved quite a bit of beer drinking. The 'lads' arrived at the camp in the truck after having sorted out the electrics at the new house, so they had to have a few beers - I was driving (handily for them!) so couldn't join in - then when we got to the house and unloaded the stuff...they had to have a few beers (and there was definte evidence that they'd HAD to have some when they'd got the electrics done (hopefully not before!) Then we had to go back and pick up the washing machine....another excuse for more beer! It was beer o'clock all day!! Surprisingly though they didn't seem to get drunk at all.

I spent Wednesday sorting everything out. It looked quite a daunting prospect when I first looked at everything and I didn't want to get started, but once I did I got it done quickly. We don't have much, I even managed to get the washing done too!
It seems that men are the same the world over too (ok apologies in advance...) as Tia disapperared to his mums leaving me to do everything. He did catch a fish for dinner though...from the pond outside our house!!!!! How 'Good Life' will I be once I've finally got around to planting my vegetable garden that I've had all the stuff for for what seems like forever, following me from house to house? Home grown veg (if it works!), fish from the pond outside....it'll be chickens next!

Tia also brought some mushrooms back that he'd picked...and then said that he didn't want to eat them but I could...hmmmm....is he trying to tell me something. We ended up giving them to someone else. Note to self: must check if they're still alive, or on the trip of their life!!!!

Last night we went to dinner at another mahouts house, at a camp near to our new house, taking the fish. You have to try and make this, it was so simple. Just put some water in a pan, when it starts simmering add some garlic cloves and some whole chillies (no need to chop) we had 20 chillies but it wasn't spicy because they weren't chopped up (go on I dare you) a couple of lemon grass stalks, just cut into half or thirds, some kaffir lime leaves, some chopped up fish, pop the lid on and leave it to simmer until the fish is cooked - you could also use chicken. Simple eh? And tasted absolutely delicious. See how good I am to you? Cookery lessons!

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