New Photo Gallery Available for Viewing

I have finally finished reviewing and editing the 629 photographs taken on 30 December 2009 documenting the Elementary School Field Day and the Lao Loum Funeral Rituals.

Despite four frustrating days of limited Internet access here in Udonthani, blogs on the two events have been written and posted.

Today was spent grocery shopping. We ended up going to three different stores to complete our grocery list of common foodstuffs such as Cheddar Cheese, Sunflower Cooking Oil, Turkey Breast. It is something that you get used to - eventually. You also learn that if you see some foreign food item, i.e. "Grapenuts" that you know that you will need in the future but not necessarily now - you buy it now. I have waited a month to buy Grapenuts. I have waited 6 weeks now to buy Carrefour's apricot desserts.

We had a surprise today too. In preparing for our upcoming trip to Laos, I had asked Duang about my reporting date to Thai Immigration. Every 90 days, foreigners in Thailand must report to Immigration Police their address and telephone number. Usually when you report, the Police put a paper in your passport with the next date listed in English when you must report. The last time we had used the office at the airport in Udonthani which was in the process of opening for business. My paper had a date in Thai for my next reporting. I asked Duang last week when I had to report and she told me "After Songkran (Thai New Year)" Today I asked her again and pressed the point to discover January 2nd! She had used the term Songkran to mean "New Years - Western New Years"! Fortunately the airport is only 10 minutes from our home so we drove over to resolve the issue. Duang explained the situation and the official said that there was no problem. I filled out the form and got a new paper stapled in my passport with the next reporting date stamped in English.

All in all another good day here in Isaan.