Isaan Style!

Best of luck to you and Kluay. Thanks for sharing ...

2012-04-12T20:51:31.165+07:00

Best of luck to you and Kluay.
Thanks for sharing part of your life in Isaan.
Always an interesting read.

MJ, the taxi drivers can be very selective. If the...

2012-04-11T10:42:39.719+07:00

MJ, the taxi drivers can be very selective. If they think it will be too busy, the fare is too short they are not interested.

Another Aussie with his Thai girl must have tried at least 6 taxis before one took them.

Amy, if we had McDonalds, Subway or Burger King I would probably hardly ever go to them here in Ubon.

We have KFC and I have been there maybe 5 or 6 times in 7 years :)

Thanks for dropping by guys.

Brunty

Wow, a hassle-free day filled with food you missed...

2012-04-11T01:31:18.438+07:00

Wow, a hassle-free day filled with food you missed. Who'd have thought?

Out the front of the embassy I flagged down ab...

2012-04-10T21:12:46.453+07:00
Out the front of the embassy I flagged down about 4 taxis to see if they would take me across to the Platinum wholesale markets, but none were willing

so, what? Bangkok taxis are doing so well now that they can refuse fares? normally you can't walk down the street without them bothering you to get in.

Hi Bob, thanks for the dropping by and I do hope I...

2012-04-10T17:44:54.365+07:00
Hi Bob, thanks for the dropping by and I do hope I will always have a part to play in Ja’s life for sure. As for the road Kluay and I take we will just have to wait and see what fate has in mind :)

Psychomud, I gave up guessing Thai girls’ ages long ago. I have always struggled getting them right. I thought Kluay might have been around 22, but she is younger than that.

Stefan, she is mature beyond her years. She has been great to me and she is a grafter. She works a 12 hour day 6 days a week and is so happy every day.

Hi Mike, things are getting back on track. Thanks for the kind words on Kluay and I also agree with you.

Thank you all for dropping by.

Brunty

Thanks Ken, a few people have said the same thing....

2012-04-10T17:26:09.073+07:00
Thanks Ken, a few people have said the same thing. I have had a few close friends express I suppose shock about Noot and I splitting. Things are getting back on track, have to as life is too short and I realise I have to enjoy it while it lasts. Thanks for dropping by mate.

Brunty

Brunty, Glad things are back on track for you, loo...

2012-04-10T14:25:13.863+07:00
Brunty,
Glad things are back on track for you, look forward to reading more Isaan adventures.

Kluay is right;, she is สวย, also said respectfully.
Mike

Looks like Kluay has a strong head on her shoulder...

2012-04-10T02:35:20.339+07:00
Looks like Kluay has a strong head on her shoulders - and a very beautiful one, too.

How old did you think she was when you first met h...

2012-04-09T10:34:28.513+07:00
How old did you think she was when you first met her? In a previous post you said you thought she was older then what she actually is. She looks 18 to me. And yes, she's cute - respectfully of course. ;)

Well, count me among the oblivious; I had no inkli...

2012-04-08T01:23:50.125+07:00
Well, count me among the oblivious; I had no inkling anything was amiss in your personal life. I did note that your recent "Issan Style" posts were less frequent, but thought that was just a blip in the rhythm of life.

I also just read your 5 Apr post, so very happy to hear you're back on track. Best wishes to you, and thanks for sharing this very personal story.

Warm regards from Ken C.

Good for you and Kluay. It takes a new girl to fo...

2012-04-06T20:30:53.930+07:00
Good for you and Kluay. It takes a new girl to forget an old girl. You will always be in Nong Ja's life. You were too much a part of it when you were with Noot. I look forward to hearing more about you and Kluay and your adventures.

Benjawan is fine. We get along well and I still se...

2012-04-05T22:30:30.570+07:00
Benjawan is fine. We get along well and I still see her when she isn't so busy. She lives in a small room about 400mtrs away from my house.

What about Benjawan. Is she a part of the promlem?...

2012-04-04T19:57:22.697+07:00
What about Benjawan. Is she a part of the promlem?

Hi Snap, it is the hardest thing I do every day. I...

2012-04-04T16:44:17.852+07:00
Hi Snap, it is the hardest thing I do every day. I look forward but also hate having to ring Nong Ja as too many times I end up in tears. I miss her so much, just miss our time together.

Sangsom is an evil thing by the bottle load :) Personal life is going to be kept out of the spotlight and just concentrate on Isaan. The years seem to go so much quicker now.

BO2W, thanks for the kind words and am happy some of my rantings had helped you. I often have the urge to write but when I sit at the keyboard nothings seems to happen. I end up reading newspapers online instead or Youtube videos.

Lloyd, the big thing is learn from them. It has taken me too many times to learn from mistakes I have made but hopefully now I will take a lot more notice. It can be good and bad for sure. A drink is needed at times, but the cutoff point just gets shady after too many :)

Ironside welcome back and thanks. “And wisdom to know the difference" that is what I lack at times :)

Stefan thanks for the very kind words, it is sad but a new door has opened for Noot and also me. We both have to now move forward and live our lives and be happy.

My little Nong Ja I will see when she visits or I go to Bangkok. I can stay at her grandparents’ house. I am hoping to travel to Bangkok every time we have a long weekend. I have already written all the dates down and started looking at flights.

I tried o be a good father figure to her, and she was a great daughter. When I ring her at nights she seems happy and also settled in well. This has made me feel much better as I was so worried about her being upset and confused.

Thank you everyone.

Brunty

Damn, that's one sad blog post. You must miss ...

2012-04-04T06:09:28.993+07:00
Damn, that's one sad blog post. You must miss Nong Ja terribly - even I do, and I just know her from the pictures you graciously shared with us. Hope she can visit sometimes on vacation or something like that? You were her father figure, and a little girl like her needs that so much - and you were such a great dad for her, too.

Sorry for rambling about stuff you already know.

Best of luck mate, it looks like you are on your way to rebuild your life and that at least is good to hear.

Best Wishes

Stefan

Long time reader, second time commenter (first com...

2012-04-04T02:28:29.235+07:00
Long time reader, second time commenter (first comment was the couch to 5k comment a couple of yrs ago) Woow man..sounds like your have been through the wars, glad to hear your on the road to recovery....hang in there bro.

It's great that your keeping up the blog, its one of the very few that I follow....always honest, insightful and even funny at times. keep the great work up...

As for sayings, this has to be my "live your life by one" saying...so much so that I have it tattooed down the side of my torso..

"God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
Courage to change the things I can,
And wisdom to know the difference"

Very sad read, all I can say is think what you wan...

2012-04-03T20:57:25.166+07:00
Very sad read, all I can say is think what you want going forward and regroup. By reading your blog and through it believe i have ave got to know you a little.... Wishing you all the best for the future mate.

Daryle

Hi Brunty, I have heard about this for a number of...

2012-04-03T02:38:02.420+07:00
Hi Brunty, I have heard about this for a number of years and came across this blog while searching for Thai's who are against this practice or Thai groups who are against it but couldn't find anything. I wonder if you could email me some info if you know of anyone-it would be great if there were links but anything you have would be very much appreciated.
Lisa

Mistake are there to be made otherwise you wouldn&...

2012-04-03T00:37:15.135+07:00
Mistake are there to be made otherwise you wouldn't learn where you went wrong.

I think its good to let of a little steam and if going on a bender helped then surely it can't be all bad.

in this day and age, that is a considerable achiev...

2012-04-02T22:20:54.054+07:00
in this day and age, that is a considerable achievement. they are to be congratulated!

I hope you will find your inspiration to blog agai...

2012-04-02T19:39:20.304+07:00
I hope you will find your inspiration to blog again. Your site, Darwin's and Memock's have helped me a great deal in settling down in Ubon and understanding Thailand better.

Brunty, my heart just sunk when I read your news a...

2012-04-02T14:35:41.344+07:00
Brunty, my heart just sunk when I read your news and I won't repeat comments...but, I know how much you'll miss Nong Ja...and, I know how much damage Sang Som can do. Stay away from it.

I also draw a line between my blog and my very personal, personal life. Good decision.

Life REALLY is short and shouldn't be taken for granted. I'll be 50 this year *sigh* and each year I want to do more and live more simply.

I'm beginning to rant.

Take care and good luck :)

MJ, I hope it is good advice I will live by until ...

2012-04-02T09:32:43.233+07:00
MJ, I hope it is good advice I will live by until my last breath :)

Thank you MJ for being a good kind friend. It took me a month to digest everything and take stock.

Don't worry MJ, I would have found Sangsom myself and if it wasn';t Sangsom I had been drinking it would have been a much nastier spirit for sure.

You have helped by dropping by mate.

Thanks a lot mate and take care.

Brunty

Hey Vern, I thought Noot was my life partner, she...

2012-04-02T08:42:52.094+07:00
Hey Vern,

I thought Noot was my life partner, she is a beautiful person and I took her for granted.

As you know Noot never came from a bar or anything like that, she was never after money, or really cared how much we had.

All I can say is that my eyes have been opened like never before and I hope I never make someone I am supposed to love feel the way Noot did at times.

Amy,

Thank you so much. People go through heartache all the time. I have before in previous relationships but splitting from Noot was devastating. I had never felt pain and sorrow like that.

I am a lot happier but there are still times where I get down on myself with "If only I did this or that" but I know I cannot change the past.

Loving a child like Nong Ja is different. She does not really understand it all.

Chatting to her on the phone last night and when she asked me, "Can we go swimming?" and I have to tell her "no" she cannot comprehend she is so far away now.

Last night she said, "Jay, are you okay?" And I replied, "Okay"

Ja said, "Jay don't cry I love you so much."

When she comes out with things like this it tears my heart apart, makes me miss her and our time we spent together so much.

Life is a big challenge, doors close and others open and I am now walking through the new open door.

As I said, I hope never to make the same mistakes I made before,I have learnt a big lesson from this loss and hope this makes me a better person, especially a partner.

Thank you Amy for being so kind and hope all is well for you back home.

Brunty

If you love someone, tell them every day. Don’...

2012-04-02T08:29:10.786+07:00
If you love someone, tell them every day. Don’t just assume they know.

good advice in any event, Brunty. like Vern, i need to digest this information.... we're very sorry to hear about this development in your life.... glad we got to visit and meet Noot way back when. i feel partly responsible for introducing you to Sang Som! not sure what you say.... wish we could help somehow.