Our Motorbike Adventure - Part IV

ADAM - After several days hard riding we decided to wind down a little the next by going on a bike ride in the local area. Great, so not only were still sitting on bikes but this time we had to peddle! It was worth it though as we came upon rice fields and had a very strange “chat” with one of the workers about what part of the plant the rice comes from. After being laughed at by a field full of local women I decided it was time we got back on the road again!!

We had another great days riding and even though we set off late we arrived at Tho Dueang to find that we had been totally TETed. This time there were no shops open and none of the restaurants would serve us as they all had private celebrations. Going back to our hotel and resigning ourselves to the fact that we were going to go hungry again we decided to ask the receptionist if she knew of anywhere we could get some food. She looked puzzled and made a phone call. 2 minutes later she told us to follow her and walked back down to the street and into someone’s house!

ELLIE – The evening just got more and more bizarre! It turns out that we were now in the home of her Uncle, a policeman with two children. The lady from the hotel left us there saying ‘I go now busy me’ and suddenly we were alone in this strangers house. He disappeared off and his eldest daughter came to sit with us. She spoke some English and before long we were having a pretty normal conversation, aided of cause by the ever helpful phrasebook. Her Dad in the meantime was preparing some lovely TET food for us, a dish of roast pig, I can’t call it pork as I’m not sure which bits of the pig were used but it didn’t look like normal meat! And lots and lots of rice. On discovering that we liked coke they proceeded to take cans off their offering to the hearth spirits that had been the center of their TET celebrations!

After we had eaten as much as we could physically manage the Dad brought out a random alcoholic drink which I wasn’t allowed but which he enjoyed forcing on Adam. Apparently he was ill and couldn’t drink it but he enjoyed giving it to his new best friend! Ad forced down a couple of glasses of what smelt like pure alcohol with a smile and then we all sat around chatting, well we chatted with the daughter and she translated bits for her Dad. Suddenly her Dad got up and went over to the corner of the room and started getting changed into a shirt and trousers. We presumed he was going to work but when he finished he asked his daughter if we could take a photo of him! He then got a bit photo crazy and pictures had to be taken of every conceivable group of people present – quite amusing. Just before it was time to leave he motioned for Ad to pick up his alcohol glass again – unwillingly Ad did as instructed and then he kept pointing at me. We knew that I wasn’t allowed this special ‘mans’ drink but we hadn’t got a clue what he wanted me to do – suddenly I realised, he wanted me to take a photo of him and Ad saying cheers but because he couldn’t drink due to his illness they were going to do it with empty glasses! Even as I took the photo Ad looked very confused about what on earth was going on!