Occasionally, I have been asked how I fill my time here. Since the arrival of Covid wave no 3, exploring other parts of Thailand has been a bit restricted but there is never a dull moment in and around Hua Hin. Apart from the recent planning of our European trip, unplanning it, planning and unplanning it again, plus the time spent trying to make the Knock Knock Bar & Restaurant figures add up, there are always little jobs to be done around the house and there’s the garden, of course, complete with a small vegetable plot at the back of the house
full of mango trees (with no fruit yet), a pappaya tree (with plenty of fruit but almost too high to pick and which, since starting this blog, was blown down in the recent high winds), lemon grass, aubergines, aloe vera, ginger, basil, mint etc. And if the garden doesn’t provide you with enough of your ‘5 a Day’ veggies, then there’s always a plentiful FOC supply in the surrounding fields and hedgerows..
Every once in a while and especially during the rainy season, you come across something unwanted,
one of which seemed hell bent on getting into the house! But generally speaking, if you don’t bother these guys, they don’t bother you.
Recently, we tried a bit of freshwater fishing for the first time. I’ve never really taken to the idea of catching a fish and then putting it back from whence it came and, if I’m honest, I’m a bit squeamish about handling these slimy monsters and, in particular, extracting (or at least trying to) a hook embedded in Mr Fish’s mouth. But you have to try.
The experience was certainly not as boring as I had predicted but I’m not sure I will rush back for more of the same!
Hua Hin is known internationally for it’s abundant supply of golf courses. In fact the Black Mountain course here is, apparently, in the Top 50 best courses in the world. And there are more than 15 courses in the vicinity that are more or less of the same standard. The only problem is that they aren’t cheap – for Thailand anyway. Right now, because of the lack of tourists, there are some good discounts on offer but even so, a round at one of the top courses will cost you each about £100 if you take a buggy – something that, when it’s uber hot is really quite necessary. I guess this may be an acceptable price to pay for a round of golf at one of the best courses in the world if you are a regular golfer. But it doesn’t represent good value for money if you are an occasional golfer/hacker like me!
Hidden away around a 30 minute drive south of Hua Hin is a less then perfectly manicured 9 hole course within a military compound that is open to the public yet rarely used. It’s pretty basic with no caddies and fairly ropey fairways and greens yet, for an old codger like me who has only just started trying to hit a golf ball again, it’s perfect – and it’s cheap. There is no outstretched handed cashier here. You merely put your money in an ‘honesty box’ before starting out – all £2.50 of it!! And as an added bonus, there are plenty of vegetable picking opportunities as you swipe your way around the course to keep Nokky very happy! We were all set to play here yesterday and take some photos but Covid wave no 3 stubbornly refuses to go away so all gold courses have been closed. until the end of August at the very earliest. Hey Ho!
The area around Hua Hin is full of surprises if you care to look. We recently stumbled across this cave almost hidden in the middle of a small and less than ostentatious temple grounds. We were the only visitors, so the old (and seemingly only) monk showed us around. I’m happy he did as otherwise we would have got lost, for sure, as the whole complex burrows well into the side of the hill.
I couldn’t help thinking that, with a bit of commercial expertise added to this place, the temple and its inhabitants (1 or more monks?) would benefit enormously. But on the other hand this might ruin the beauty and simplicity of this most amazing and unexpected spot.
On another gentle trip into the local hinterland, we fell upon a coffee shop, almost in the middle of nowhere, outside of which was this most amazing display of old cars.
As I said, Hua Hin and its surroundings is full of surprises!
The government here is somewhat less than supportive to those who are most hit by the current Covid induced economic crisis. In typical Thai style, families rally round where and when they can but there are still untold thousands who are seriously struggling to put food on the table for their families. So it is left to a few charities to do what they can to help these unfortunates. We linked up with one recently, raised some money and gave more than 200 food parcels away to some of these needy folk. It was an extraordinary and, frankly, quite uplifting experience. In the morning, our Knock Knock staff plus girls from other bars (who just magically appeared) prepared the food.
From around 2.30 pm, some folk had already started queueing in an afternoon temperature of around 37c, despite a 4.30pm ‘hand out’ time. Once we started distributing, everything was gone in a round 20 minutes. Unbelievable!
I am happy to say that there is a good Liverpool Football Club following here in Hua Hin – both young and old(er!).
who also do good charitable work from time to time. Recently, the residential area of a local university has been taken over as an isolation centre for Covid sufferers, many of whom are lowly paid (and currently not paid at all!) immigrant workers from Myanmar. These poor folk are incarcerated with no food and, equally importantly during the recent hot weather, no water. So we tried to do our bit to help .
So, that’s a small snapshot of some of the things we’ve been up to during the relative freedom we have been enjoying during the pandemic up to now. But all that has changed as, earlier this week, Prachuap Kiri Khan province (in which Hua Hin is located) has been moved into the ‘dark red’ category due to the increase in Covid cases in this (largely unvaccinated) area . Thus, all bars are shut, as are gyms, karaoke lounges, hairdressers and all ‘non essential’ shops and there is a curfew from 9pm – 4.30am (but who would want to go out anyway when everything is shut?!). Restaurants can still open but for take away orders only and definitely no alcohol and no more orders after 8pm. So our little business which, along with others, was already struggling thanks to Mr Covid and the Thai government’s totally inept handling of this pandemic is now a disaster area.
Signing off whilst humming Gloria Gaynor’s ‘I will survive’!
R.
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