Masks at the festival

I am in Mahasarakham. It is a town in Thailand where I lived for a long time before.

In Maha- sarakham now there is a festival with street stalls every night. Can you see what they are selling on the stall on the left of this picture? Do you know any of the characters from the masks?

Soon I will go to another town.

love from Grandad in Thailand

Happy birthday Isaiah

I am in Thailand but this picture comes from Australia. Do you know who these people are? They are all relatives of yours.

The lady at the back is Aunty Irene. Some of you know her. She is my sister. The young man is her grandson, Michael. His mother is a cousin of your mother or father.

The older lady is my mother. She is also Aunty Irene's mother. Some of you call her Grandma but she is really your Great-Grandma. She is Michael's Great-Grandma too. Michael was her first Great-Grandchild.

The little boy on Grandma's lap is Isaiah. He is Michael's son, Aunty Irene's Great-Grandson and Grandma's first Great-Great-Grandchild.

On Wednesday this week, Isaiah had his first birthday. Happy birthday Isaiah.

love from Grandpa John

Goodbye Cambodia

Hello from Thailand. I have stayed nine months in Cambodia. My life has been very interesting. It is a very different country from Australia. Do you think you would like to visit Cambodia? I would like to go back again one day.

Now I am in Thailand. It is right next to Cambodia. I flew in a plane. I am in a city called Bangkok where I stay with my friends.

After Thailand, do you know what country I will visit next?

love from Grandad in Thailand

Snake boy

I was riding my bicycle through one of the villages in Kompong Chhnang. I stopped to talk to some friendly people. While we were talking this little boy walked out onto the road. Someone pointed to him and when I looked I could see he was carrying a snake.

'What is that kid doing with a snake?' I wondered. I was looking and worrying because I thought he might get bitten. Then after a while I realized that maybe it was dead. 'S'lap hawie?' (Is it dead?) I asked in Khmer language.

'S'lap,' someone answered. The snake was dead. So I got my camera out and took some photographs.

Please don't try to pick up snakes. It could be dangerous.

love from your Grandad in Cambodia

Sailor chook

This chook thinks it's a sailor. Because of the flood, the people who live here have their boat right next to their house. And there's not much room for the chickens. So this one decided to go for a ride in the boat.

Now imagine the boat drifted down the river away from the house. The chook could go for a long ride. Maybe it could sail all the way down the river to the sea. And then it could keep going until it reaches Australia.

If you go to the beach, keep your eyes open for a chook in a wooden boat. Perhaps it could reach you in about six month time.

Cluck, cluck from your Grandpa John in Cambodia

Surprise in the dipper

When you want a drink of water, what do you do? When you want to wash your hands, what do you do?

There are no taps in my house. If I want a drink, I have to buy water from the shop. If I want to wash, I need to go outside and get some water from a big pot outside the door. The rainwater from the roof runs into the pot. I take the water out with a plastic dipper.

The other morning I went to get some water. When I picked up the dipper there were two eyes looking at me. Can you see them in the top picture? 'What is this?' I wondered. I noticed it was giving a peace sign so I knew it was friendly.

When I turned the dipper I could see the frog had beautiful patterns on its back. So I took these pictures for you.

Croak croak from your Grandad in Cambodia