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Published: July 16th 2017
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Geo: 16.392, 103.924
My already disturbed nights sleep was shattered at 02:00 by a pick-up truck passing at snails pace with music on full volume. The bass actually made the bed vibrate as it passed. Jai didnt even wake up ?! I had to get out of bed for a look out the window only to discover that it was accompanied by multi-coloured flashing lights and dancing kids ... all very Buddhist ?
After breakfast we fulfill out invitation and go to the house where the wedding is taking place today. People are already getting stuck into the beer and whisky but I cant face either just after breakfast. We leave our 'gift' and depart with a bag of food appropriate to the size of our 'gift'.
The annual tax on the ricefields is due just after we leave this year so we thought that we had better get it paid before we go. Bike to the village office which is always hard work. These are supposed to be the brighter of the village children but it is like care in the community. The one person who may be able to help us hasnt arrived yet today but we are told that she might
come in 'later'. Someone else offers to assist and then 3 people are stood examining the lists looking for Jai's name but I am not sure if any of them can even read. They all wear uniforms bedecked in medals (one for eating, one for drinking, one for riding a motorbike ... ??) as does everyone here it seems. They cant find Jai's name on the list so the cleaner offers to help. Eventually someone identifies a series of letters that spells Jai's name and we are making progress of sorts. We pay up then discover that the only person who could issue a receipt also hasnt turned up yet this morning, she too will be in 'later'. We are told that someone will bring it to the house 'later' but I dont believe them for one minute and no doubt we will be back before the week is out.
Back at the house I cut the top out of the tree in the front garden to stop it growing into the electric cables during our absence. I think that I have finished with the borrowed ladder now ... maybe ?!
In the afternoon I dig up the remainder of the carrots
and beetroot as I am starting to clear the back garden.
Jai comes with me for my evening walk again tonight and we have increased things by 1 lap.
The chanting from the temple has continued throughout the day with the same person talking over the top of it for most of the time. When we get back from our walk Jai decides that she wants to go and make an offering in remembrance of her parents. The place is quite busy with a lot more monks than usual as well. Turns out that the chanting is a monk reading from old parchments and telling stories from the Jataka tales about Buddha. The voice over the top is someone announcing how much money each person gives, something I really dislike. Anyway, Yai Sa and Por Yai Mee are both remembered.
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