Sat 27 Jan 2550

  Bangkok to Mae Hong Son, Thailand
Wednesday, February 14, 2007

Sat 27 Jan 1541hr. I am in Suwannabhummi airport waiting for my flight to Chiang Mai. I have to wait for a while as actually yesterday was when I should have flown to Chiang Mai and now I should be on a flight to Mae Hong Son. I feel quite stupid having stuffed up the dates,misread the ticket, and even worse as that is the 2nd time I have done something like that in the last year or two. A few years ago I wouldn't have thought I could do something so careless. Maybe I am getting old. Maybe I have flown too much and just aren't being careful and mindful. Maybe my life is too busy and I am juggling too many things in my head to be able to organise myself. Whatever the reason I hope it doesn't happen again.

The new airport - it is nice and clean and has some good points, but overall it is not good considering how many years and how much money was spent on it. It is adequate I suppose, but it should be fantastic. Currently I am sitting on the floor as there aren't enough seats. Even if I wanted to look in the shops (which I don't) I cannot as they are too small for someone with luggage, the walkways are too small and congested and there are too many people asking me if I want an overpriced taxi (while the reasonably priced metered taxis aren't allowed in the convenient areas). Through immigration etc is a huge area filled with expensive shops, but that makes little sense, as there isn't time after checking in to see much of them (and they are all over priced also). The only people that could get much use of all that space are transit passengers. I am sure some favoured businessmen have made millions on this airport but the Thai people have been given a dud. Oh well, it is a very convenient dud to my place only 30 minutes away.

Anyway I am on my way to Mae Hong Son to meet a volunteer (Jim) who has booked in with Antipodeans. I have managed to convince Antipodeans to let me place him in Pangmapha with Khun Jaree and Khun Dtuk. He will conduct gibbon research with Dtuk and also help Jaree teach the local kids. Judging from the time we spent there in July he should have the time of his life. It should be a really good placement and an amazing experience for him.

As l have had limited money and no time, I have asked Jaree to arrange his accommodation. I really should have gone there and done that myself, but I didn't have the opportunity and Jaree is very capable. I have already worked out a budget after consulting Jaree and sent it to Antipodeans and I presume this volunteer paid his money long ago.

Incidently volunteering isn't free. I try to make it as cheap as I can, but I need to get people to pay for their own food, accommodation, transport etc. I have got them to pay Jaree for her time also (AUD$150 for a month) as she earns no money ($0 per year). And I have asked for my transport and some other costs to be covered plus some pay for me (AUD$200 for a month). I take it Antipodeans gets some money from them as well. I think this is all reasonable and not expensive compared to life in Australia. I hope I give people an amazing experience and a great time; but at the same time I want my family to be able to eat, have somewhere to live and the kids be able to go to school, so some pay for me is needed. What I get actually is probably not enough to achieve those above aims.

Anyway, as it happened Jaree couldn't get the accommodation we expected and as it is high season the guest houses don't want to take on a long term (28 days) guest. Until recently we have had nowhere for the volunteer to stay which has been very worrying. Jaree had said that we should cancel the placement; but it is pretty late to do that to a guy who has paid his money and is looking forward to his trip of a lifetime. Added to that I know Antipodeans wont give her another chance to have a volunteer if we cancel this one. Jaree and Dtuk are great people, the work they are doing is excellent, the place they live is beautiful. I really do believe the volunteer will have a great time, will learn and develop a lot from the experience. Also this is a great chance for Jaree and Dtuk and a chance to spread information about the gibbon's situation and the situation of people living in that area. Added to all that, if I am right and the guy loves it, it will be good for Antipodeans and for me, as hopefully more people will want to come to volunteer in Thailand.

So I didn't cancel it and about a week ago Jaree said she has one place that will take him. But at 700B per night. That's way over the budget, but if this is going to happen it is our only choice. I worked it out that it'll cost me an extra AUD$550. It is my fault for not going there and booking it myself and I do want this to work, so I'll pay and I told Jaree to book it. I haven't heard from her since. Jim is turning up in a couple of days and I don't know if we have got accommodation for him. Jaree doesn't answer her phone or email. Probably because everything is ok, but??? This guy has paid money to have an experience organised by me, but currently I am not sure if he even has somewhere to stay. Added to that it has cost me AUD$550 plus AUD$50 for new air ticket. So far this year I have AUD$600 worth of work booked in. So my entire years wage has gone on this project that may or may not work. Argghhhh!

One of the reasons I mention all this is because some people have expected volunteering to be free. Sometimes it can be and I wish I could provide it free, but realistically if I am to organise a really good experience it takes lots of time, stress, money, grey hairs, phone calls, travel and effort. I really can't do it for nothing and also get someone fed and housed and transported. Hmmm, normally after all that things are well organised and it works out well. This time even with all that(and lots of stress) I am still not sure if everything is ok. I am not feeling very happy. Hopefully I will write more soon that everything has worked out.

What else? Another concern has been the estate of my father. It is still dragging on after nearly 2 years. Some more of the money has come through now though and so I have enough to cover things like the above problem and actually have enough to live for a year even if I can't find more work. It has been very difficult to get reliable information from State Trustees about how long things will take and how much money is going to be given to us. My brother got annoyed at the process and said he didn't want any of the money, but just his share of the house. I said he should take his money but he was very sure he didn't want it. So the only definite 100% information I have had to plan around is the fact that I would get the money (or what was left of it after we had to give some to my father's brother and sister who weren't entitled to anything (Australian law is quite strange.))and also allowing for my brother to take a small amount as I am sure he will change his mind a little bit.

New car parked out front of our place

While this has all been happening I have had to make decisions and financial plans based on the little info I had. I have accepted the job offer with MAF although it will probably mean this year will be a transition year where I earn almost nothing. We have brought a new car to replace the old one that was braking down too often and we are in the process of getting somewhere to live in Chiang Rai, amongst many other things that need to be decided now and agreements made.

As it turns out I am still not 100% sure what is happening but it appears now my brother has totally changed his mind and will keep all the money he can from the estate (half for him and half for me). That is ok. He can as his father left that to him, but my plans need to be scrapped and put on hold again until I know what is happening. I am definitely feeling that I can rely on no one at the moment (even I seem to be untrustworthy as I am making stupid mistakes). Anyway I am better off than I was and the new car is very nice and the new job when it starts will be very good. I think. Or am I finanially screwed up again as I have made committments based on information that wasn't true???


Sat 27th Jan 1843hr. Jaree just sent a message that she has two more options for accommodation. Both only just over the budget, but both without bed, hotwater or TV. One is a bamboo hut. No TV doesn't matter as it is in Thai anyway and Jim wouldn't understand it, but I am not sure he'll go with the other points

I will write again soon hopefully in a better mood and with some stuff sorted out.