Over looking the beautiful bay of Hat Ban Krud is a stunning Wat/temple complex. Guilded, sparkling, guarded by Naga, bordered by scented magnolia it lords it over a village which seems to rely on squid and coconuts for its income, plus of course the tourist dollar. This clearly rarer here as we get called on to pose for pictures and to help practice english.

"Good afternoon" we are greeted to a chorus of giggles from a dozen or so youngsters.

"Good afternoon" we reply, to which they all fall about choking with laughter.

"Ow are oo" one manages to get out between guffaws

"Very well thank you, how are you?"

Pandemonium!!

Time to leave Hat Ban Krud and we're in the reception area of Na Nicha motel scoffing the free breakfast of toast and coffee. A guy drives into the car park, gingerly dismounts his moped and limps up to the the buffet table. He's followed by an unfeasibly young thai girl in very cut off jean shorts. No wonder he's limping I thought. He catches my eye as he sits down;

"it's a good day"

"looks like it" I reply....

"I'm just thinking how glad I am not to be woirking on that"

I add and point to a construction site a couple of hundred meters down the road. A steel frame/concrete plynth with 3 additional floors all apparently held up with sticks.

"I'm way to old" I say.

"you're never too old" he says with a conspiritorial wink and a nod toward the thai girl.

"Don't bloody bank on it" thinks I

"Where you from"?

"Portsmouth in England"

"Oh! we're neighbours" he says

"I'm from Norway, what team do you support? Portsmouth?"

"I don't much like football, I prefer Cricket"

"What, with the horses?" He replies.

An Open letter from Colonel Blandford Fly to the people of Norway.

Dear Norway It comes to my attention that you think cricket in England is played on Horseback.

We no more play from horses than we do with sandpapered balls like the (ex) convicts.

Assuming you no longer go leaping from boats with horned helmets and axes I'll be pleased to share 24 paces and a brace of good pistols with you at your earliest convenience.

Please be good enough to inform my man. Fond Regards Blandford Fly (Col).