Anna the dog

[Saint Willy]

Sorry about Mr Yahoo, BLD.

Before my op I had a really pretty nurse give me a very attentive and close shave downstairs, if you know what I mean. My only pre-op advice would be to sort yourself out before going into the hospital... I thought I was going to have a problem at one point.

Damn, I had a male nurse do that, I didn’t have your problem.

[beerlaodrinker]

20 years ago i had an opp to get rid of the ass grapes ( heamarouds. (Ouch) and my nurse assigned to shave my parts definatelty earned her salary that day

[Stumpy]

20 years ago i had an opp to get rid of the ass grapes ( heamarouds. (Ouch) and my nurse assigned to shave my parts definatelty earned her salary that day

This is the exact reason my daughter got her Med degree as an anesthesiologist. One day we were joking and she said "Dad, there is no way I am gonna have a career shaving a man's balls or ass or some Vagina"

Good career choice....

And listening to you lot go on about getting a chubby when a nurse shaved you makes me as a dad feel way better..

[Mendip]

The day finally came when it was time to take Cooper and Maddy to their new home with Gallowspole in Nong Khai.

They seemed to know something was up and on their last night they trashed their night time accommodation.



It was a planned early start on Sunday morning with just me, the daughter, Cooper, Maddy, a bottle of Funginox, and tube of Canesten and a big tin of Cujo's Prickly Heat. We were all set.



We departed ten minutes behind schedule at 0710 hours on Sunday morning, a new box for the puppies for the special occasion.



People said I was mad travelling further north east into Isaan at the start of Songkran, but I'd done my research. Everyone would be travelling on the Saturday... why would anyone wait until the Sunday?

Twenty minutes into our journey my decision was vindicated... an early pit stop on the new Highway 1111 ringroad to sort out some back seat rattles and the road was deserted. I couldn't understand why Google was estimating 5 hours 57 minutes, I'd knock an hour off that easily...



The plan was to link up with Highway 2 north of Korat, thus avoiding the city, and then follow that road all the way to Nong Khai.

Sadly my right turn on to Highway 2 was blocked off, so I had to take a left and then do a U-Turn, but all the bladdy U-Turns were blocked off for the Songkran traffic. Forty minutes into my journey and I was in the strange situation of heading south-westwards back into Korat, in exactly the opposite direction I wanted to be travelling in. I was on a deserted, free flowing carriageway, but all the time looking at a wall of north-eastwards heading traffic coming out of Korat... which I needed to join. The woman on Google kept telling me to make a U-Turn and I started getting shitty with her as each and every one was blocked off with traffic cones. I was back in the city suburbs by the time I found an open U-Turn, and 50 minutes in to my journey Google had now added an hour to my ETA in Nong Khai.

I was now stuck in the flood of north-eastwards creeping traffic from Bangkok that I'd hoped to stay in front of. The opposite carriageway was deserted.

WTF didn't they travel up on the Saturday?

[Mendip]

The traffic got so bad that some of us were diverted onto the opposite carriageway, although I'm always very nervous driving in these lanes with just a few traffic cones to separate you from the traffic coming at 100km/hr in the opposite direction.

Another problem with these temporary lanes is that you can't stop, and by this time my morning tea and coffee had gone through and I was busting for a piss. Our lane was now going slower than the proper NE heading carriageway to our left, which did nothing to improve my mood.



Cooper started playing up, and discovered he could use his sleeping sister Maddy as a step-up and climb out of the box. The daughter had to put down her tablet and was full time employed pushing Cooper back into his box. She was none too impressed.



We eventually re-joined the NE heading carriageway, which was now gridlocked... and we were still 100km from Khon Kaen.



Just as I was considering trying to piss into my thermos coffee cup in front of my daughter the traffic opened up a bit and I stopped at one of the many fly-tipping stations at the side of the road. The daughter and I got out of sight of the traffic and did our business.



And this was also a much needed refreshment stop for Cooper and Maddy. After which they did their business too.



We rejoined busy but flowing traffic to Khon Kaen by which time Google had added another hour to our ETA at Nong Khai. Mind you, we were still doing better than this guy...

[Shutree]

Songran traffic! I am staying home all week.

I cannot help noticing that your pit stop photo shows an empty road behind your truck. Did you get the police to block the road during your comfort break?

Take care and have a safe journey, there and back.

[strigils]

You must be mad driving anywhere on a holiday. Is there are reason why you didn't leave it another week Mendip?

[lom]

^ should have waited for Monday or Tuesday, this weekend is THE songkran traveling weekend

[Mendip]

The only thing I remember about driving through Khon Kaen was endless traffic lights. The countdowns seemed to start at around 150 seconds, and every b@stard light was red.



Five hours into the journey and I could see no light at the end of the tunnel.



Roadworks to the NE of Khon Kaen did nothing to improve our progress. I was sending Whatsapp messages to Gallowspole to update him of our ETA, and each time I was adding an hour. The original ETA was around 1pm but we were now at 3pm and losing ground all the time.

At the Khon Kaen Zoo turn off (which must be 30 or 40km NE of Khon Kaen?) we passed this sign. I finally felt we were getting somewhere... its always nice to see your destination on a sign.



We decided on a second and hopefully last pit pit stop before hitting Udon Thani. This time we used a PTT station as I also needed fuel after being stuck in traffic for so long.

Tinned puppy food, mince and chicken for Cooper and Maddy... served up in their Fray Bentos steak and kidney pie tin.



And home made steak and kidney pie for the humans...



And then onward to Udon Thani.

Two things I found noticeable about Udon Thani... decorative street lights and roundabouts.

Some sort of pink flower maybe?



Oh... and aeroplanes...





I liked Udon Thani and I think these must be the first proper roundabouts I've ever driven through in Thailand. There were three of them if I remember correctly.

This was probably the nicest.



As we left Udon Thani we saw this sign... our destination was next on the list. And the promise of another tunnel.



It was 4pm, the traffic was now light and there was definitely light at the end of this tunnel!



I sent a Whatsapp message to Gallowspole... 5pm! I was confident this would be the last update.

Not far now... Nam Som... is that not orange juice?



And finally... our welcome to Nong Khai!



And another!



We arrived in Nong Khai at 4:40pm... so I had twenty minutes until our scheduled meeting with Gallowspole.

I had one thing I wanted to do before saying goodbye to Cooper and Maddy.

The mighty Mekong... the end of our trip.



And the Friendship Bridge across to Laos on the far bank... into the sun.



At 5pm exactly we arrived at the hotel car park... ten hours after leaving home in Korat.

Gallowspole arrived a few minutes later with a dog loving friend of his.

After brief introductions and a short chat the puppies were transferred into new transport to embark on the next voyage of their short lives.

All too soon it was time to say goodbye... not nice after getting attached to the little buggers so I gave them a cuddle for one last time.



The sadness at saying goodbye was tempererd by happiness that they've been given such a good home.

Thank you Gallowspole!

[strigils]

Well done Mendip and those pups have grown and put on some weight in just the short time you've had them. Great they are staying together.

[Mendip]

I cannot help noticing that your pit stop photo shows an empty road behind your truck. Did you get the police to block the road during your comfort break?

Take care and have a safe journey, there and back.

Thanks Shutree.

That was just a gap between two cars... that stretch of road was a bit faster so there was up to 15 feet between vehicles.

You must be mad driving anywhere on a holiday. Is there are reason why you didn't leave it another week Mendip?

I have to go to immigration this Friday coming and my daughter goes back to school next Monday. I wanted to give her some kind of trip away but we have a very short window.

^ should have waited for Monday or Tuesday, this weekend is THE songkran traveling weekend

Yes... thanks Lom.


I had a message today from Gallowspole... the puppies are settling in nicely.

Exploring their new home...





I see now why Gallowspole didn't take me up on the offer of having my gardener for the day... his garden is in much better shape than ours.

At play...



And back to sleep again. Obviously very comfortable and happy.





These two guys have landed on their feet and it's great to see. In fact, bollocks to the puppies, I'm gonna see if Gallowspole can give me and the daughter a home as well. It's nice up in Nong Khai.

[beerlaodrinker]

Thats a great result for the wee dugs and also very nice of gallowspole who has been a longtime member here to take them on. My hat goes of to you both.

[Saint Willy]

The sadness at saying goodbye was tempererd by happiness that they've been given such a good home.

I can imagine!

I ran across that friendship bridge once, a half marathon started at Nong Khai and ended at Vientiane and then they bussed us back. It was good fun.

[helge]

At the Khon Kaen Zoo turn off (which must be 30 or 40km NE of Khon Kaen?)

In Khao Suan Kwang

We always called it Khao Suan Kwang Zoo

Next time you pass, I'd recommend a right turn, go 100 meter and another right turn.

You would then be at the Blue Elephant.

Danish-Thai owned small resort


I had some good times there with cooled beer and free pies

One of the few places in Thailand I kinda miss

Log pa Facebook

[Looper]

Great story with the pup rescue Mendip

They are so photogenic

Champion stuff and I hope they enjoy their new life chez Gallowspole



By strange coincidence I just happen to have taken delivery of a T-28 Trojan this very day... Currently in the hangar for minor canopy repairs

[Joe 90]

Tip Top bloke Mendip!
Rescuing and relocating those two wonderful pups.
A lot of care,time and effort!
A great role model for your daughter.

[Mendip]

Our mission complete in Nong Khai, we returned to Korat today. The street dog work is never done.

As we left, Cooper and Maddy were playing with their latest toy... Gallowspole really has pulled out all the stops for these guys with no expense spared.



I left with a light heart... never have I been so comfortable leaving puppies at a new home as this. They are certainly two lucky little buggers.

The outward journey took 10 hours, trapped in the awful Songkran traffic making it's exodus from Bangkok, the return leg took just 6 hours, although it was a lot busier than expected. I think a lot of people are returning to Bangkok early in case of a new lockdown. The round trip was 756 kilometres.

We again saw Looper's T-28 Trojan...



And the debris from our outward leg was still there...



But I wasn't interested... the bright lights of Korat beckoned... we have street dogs to feed and puppies to save... because sure as eggs are eggs there will be more puppies.

A couple of mini steak and kidney pies with mash and peas also beckoned... not covered in yellow gloop but in glorious Bisto gravy. The food in Nong Khai wasn't the best.



And finally we approached home and our six dogs, waiting for their walk.



Where will our next puppy rehoming adventure take us?

Get your names down fast guys... maybe you will be as fortunate as Gallowspole...

Who else will be lucky enough to get a Cooper...



Or a Maddy... ?

[PAG]

Great effort.

[Looper]

Mission accomplished... well done Mendip.

We again saw Looper's T-28 Trojan...

That Trojan is a 1/48 upgrade to my original 1/72 T-28 which has suffered massive undercarriage trauma during a crash landing.

You can never have enough T-28 Trojans

Bit of intact undercarriage pornography from the new addition...

Not just a trainer but a counter-insurgency workhorse during Vietnam. Although I don't think they painted them canary yellow for that job, which is maybe where the stealthy grey Korat crate came from.

[Shutree]

^ Have you tried this Bravecto Shutree?

I was amazed that our six ate it... especially Dan who has been refusing all her favourite tidbits this last week. She even refused a bit of salmon this morning.

Well, I got my Lazada delivery and yesterday we gathered all 5 dogs together; mum and dad plus their three boys. Cut the tablet down to suit their 5kg weights and offered them as treats. Nothing doing. In the end it was the gf's daughter, who is quite good with animals, who wrestled them one by one, stuffed the meds in and did that throat stroking thing that Lom suggested to make them swallow. I think, after a bit of trauma, that they all had their treatment.

[Mendip]

5kg!!!

[Mendip]

These dog walks are getting very complicated.

It's great to have Dan wanting to join us again... but I spend more time untangling leads than walking.

[Headworx]

^A plank, a good sense of balance, and a sharp command of mush! Just a thought..

[lom]

^^ The white side and the brown side

[Saint Willy]

I see you have sensibly ditched your Jesus sandles.