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2005-2008

When I returned to Thailand from my last big journey, Nee was at the airport waiting for me.  We returned Udon Thani and I took up my teaching job at Rajabhat University in Udon Thani.  My friend Clem had accepted a job at Thammasat University in Bangkok so I took over his apartment and we set up housekeeping.  Nee opened a beauty shop and her son Top lived with us. 

In November of 2005 we were married in a village ceremony in Ban Yang Um (Nee's village).  And I happily settled into domesticity.  After a while, we decided to buy property in Udon and build a house.  Click here for details

In March of 2007 we went to America.  Nee was very excited.  We arrived in LA and spent a few days with my friend Avram.  We went to Disneyland and the beach in Santa Monica.  We visited the La Brea Tar Pits and went to a game show taping.  We visited my Aunt and Uncle.

Then we hit the road in a rental car.  We headed for Las Vegas and there we were married for official purposes.  This avoided the hassle of registering our marriage in Thailand which can be bureaucratically difficult.   After Vegas we saw Hoover Dam and the Grand Canyon and lots of nothing.  Nee was amazed at the open spaces with so few people.

In Dallas we visited my dad and Joy.  My cousins Ruth and Aynn and my Aunt Jean flew in to visit.  I showed Nee around Dallas and we visited my oldest friends David and Carol.  Then we stopped off for a night with my cousin John in Little Rock and spent another night with my niece Alli and her husband Dave.

After a few days of luxury accommodations with my sister and John we turned west.  Driving through a spring blizzard we stopped in Limon, Colorado for the night.  The next day we visited Buffalo Bill's grave and then stayed the night in Glenwood Springs.  We enjoyed our swim in the large thermal pool and had a great dinner.

West by way of Idaho we headed for Corvallis.  I visited friends and family.  I spent one day with my son Brentley and a day with my daughter Heather.  My ex-wife Diana had graciously agreed to store my stuff and since we were building a home in Udon, I decided to ship the goods to Udon.  We stayed at Diana's house while I sorted and packed my stuff.  This would prove to be a big mistake.  Nee became very upset during our visit.  Apparently, in Thailand, it is very unusual for divorced people to be on good terms. 

After leaving Oregon we travelled south along the Pacific Coast Highway.  We took the usual souvenir photos at the Golden Gate.  And, after a few days with Avram we returned to Udon.

About two months after we returned, Nee left me.  She said she was jealous of my first wife.  I kept hoping she would return but after several months I gave up and made plans to hit the road again.  At the end of the school term in March, I sold most of my stuff, put a dab in storage, dusted off my back pack and bought my airline tickets.

Who knows what adventures await me.

29April-1May2004 At the train prepared to cross into Mongolia, the bogies (the wheels under the train) had to be changed to match the Russian and Mongolian guage.  It was fun to watch the process.  It took about 4 hours then we were on our way.  It took a few hours for border formalities then we arrived in Ulan Batur and were met by our guide who cautioned us to watch our stuff.  Good advice because a traveler on another coach lost their wallet to pickpockets within minutes of arrival.

I was met by Boogi (bogey) our guide.  I would share a van with Rema and Detleff who I had met as we boarded the train in Beijing.  First we went to the bank to visit the ATM.  It worked for VISA cards but not for MC.  I exchanged some USD and then we toured UB.  It was COLD (-9c) and windy.  A temple, the main square, and a trip to the soviet friendship statue and then we traveled to the ger camp at Elstei.  First by paved road then by trail we went about 50km from Ulan Batur. 

When we arrived I was shown to my ger (yurt) and then we had some good bread and Mongolian style dumplings stuffed with beef for dinner.  My ger was heated by a wood/coal stove and it was toasty by after dinner.  The next day after a good breakfast, we went horseback riding.  Mongolian horses are very small and don´t wear horseshoes.  They do have a very rough gallop so I had to choose between a sore butt or sore thigh muscles from posting.  Turned out everything was sore.  Then I walked to a Mongolian ger along with Rema and Detleff.  Boogi answered questions and the wife of one of the horsemen served us Mongolian style tea...melted butter made it taste salty.  It was quite warm and the newborn baby had rosy, chubby cheeks.

After we left the ger camp we checked into the Baygol hotel which was very nice.  I had a hot bath...did I mention that there was no bathroom in the ger?... and watched BBC.  I took a walking tour of Ulan Batur and located a good spot to check my email. 

The next day after a good breakfast, I spent more time walking around town.  I had nachos at a Mexican style restaurant.  Not bad and then had a foot massage.  We were picked up at the hotel and taken to the station to catch the train.

We were warned about pickpockets again and it was a good thing.  I boarded my coach and put my bags in the compartment under my bed.  A few minutes later three Mongolian men came into the cabin and offered to help put my bags up above.  I said no and sat down on my bunk.  They left.  Later another passenger told me that they had come into their cabin and stole $300 of their honeymoon money from her money belt. 

Later, the other passenger in my cabin showed up.  He was a Russian veterinarian who lived in Ulan Ude.  He had been in Mongolia inspecting beef for shipment into Russia.  He was very friendly and we managed to communicate using sign language and my special picture translator. 

There were very few trees until we got closer to the border.  I fell asleep and awakened when I felt the train was stopped.  I went outside the coach and to my surprise noticed there was only my coach...no other coaches...no engine...just a deserted train station.  After several hours, passengers started showing up for the border crossing into Russia. 

Two Mongolian women joined Alexander and I.  They brought tons of stuff.  Really.  Cucumbers, tomatoes, bath towels, athletic shoes, hot water thermoses, TV antennas, etc., etc.  Then they started sorting everything into bags.  Then resorting things into other bags.  And so on.   We had a visit from Mongolian officials then the train began to head for the border.  Bath towels must be serious contraband because the ladies taped a towel to each calf and hid it under their slacks.

The Russian border was fenced and guarded and the process with the immigration and customs officials went on for quite a while.   After the officials left all of the merchandise came out of all the corners and the Mongolian women got off the train with their goods.  The train sat at the Russian station for a couple more hours.  Elapsed time to go 42 kilometers and to cross from Mongolia to Russia...twelve hours. 

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