Just arrived at my friend’s (from UK) house here in Ubon, out in the countryside. Amazing views, lovely house and very hospitable family to share my next few days with. Living with a family will give me insights into Thai life as has Ubon already, with only 1% of tourists ever visiting this area.

Little English spoken but the local people are still very kind and helpful, willing to be patient and help me get places and things I need regardless! Taxis from remote places, suggestions on where to go, and even clothing in sizes to fit where petite is the average size (and I’m not).

I have a lovely wooden room, with shutters – no glass, but closed tightly now it’s night so new unknown bugs don’t ‘get me’! Green fly or unfamiliar vegetable piece on the edge of my plate? Fly! Cricket carried in to show me close up but held tightly so I don’t jump up and squeal! And yes, apparently they do eat them fried here…along with ants eggs and ants from trees (we saw a group of cyclists carrying long bamboo poles which are used to reach the ant nests…).

I am going to see the rice making process and ‘washing machines’ that separate the husks from the rice grains and learning how they grow and reap the rice plants.

I like to learn, and also learned that they date from Buddha’s death as western dates go from after Christ anno domini, so here it is 2558 (as I saw on one of my travel tickets, now explained!)

“…for Thai people, the traditional and most popular New Year’s Day happens in April. It is called “SONGKRAN”. There is a 543 years difference between the Buddhist calendar and the Gregorian calendar. Year 2015 in Europe is year 2558 in Thailand.”