Fiery sun rising over BKK like the eye of Sauron

Sauron coming this way

The last two days, driving out the coolth and pushing temp to 36 deg C (95 F). More coming.

(Been watching The Hobbit with my wifes nephews and nieces visiting Bangkok. Still a great story!)

Fiery sun rising over BKK like the eye of Sauron

Sauron coming this way

The last two days, driving out the coolth and pushing temp to 36 deg C (95 F). More coming.

(Been watching The Hobbit with my wifes nephews and nieces visiting Bangkok. Still a great story!)

Amazing Thailand, disaster floods and drought at the same time

Or is that the media love to wish bad things come on the happy life in our little Thai Shire? Or perhaps to use the place as a bogus locale of a coming apocalypse?

Amazing Thailand, disaster floods and drought at the same time

Or is that the media love to wish bad things come on the happy life in our little Thai Shire? Or perhaps to use the place as a bogus locale of a coming apocalypse?

Torrid weather on the way

According to the Thai Meteorological Department, this weeks fresh northerly breezes and rare thunderstorms will yield to an oppressive wave of heat, up to 44 degrees C, during the coming holidays of Songkram. Nice while it lasted, with night temperatures plunging to the high 70s F.

Torrid weather on the way

According to the Thai Meteorological Department, this weeks fresh northerly breezes and rare thunderstorms will yield to an oppressive wave of heat, up to 44 degrees C, during the coming holidays of Songkram. Nice while it lasted, with night temperatures plunging to the high 70s F.

Sleep without aircon

My (Thai) wife not using air conditioning at night late this week (in the Bangkok hot season) when midweek freak rains (causing serious local flooding) cooled Bangkok very nicely and brought night breezes from the lovely north.

However, this is,  as always, with a table fan directed at the bed.

less than this, you don't need it.

Sleep without aircon

My (Thai) wife not using air conditioning at night late this week (in the Bangkok hot season) when midweek freak rains (causing serious local flooding) cooled Bangkok very nicely and brought night breezes from the lovely north.

However, this is,  as always, with a table fan directed at the bed.

less than this, you don't need it.

Take a bath in front of the whole neighborhood

That's what my wife does in her Southern Thai village, doesn't think a thing of it, carrying on several conversations at once. The Thai bathe at least twice a day, and in all the years -- more than 50 -- I've been here, I've never smelled a single case of B.O., even on crowded buses in the heat of the afternoon in Bangkok. Remarkable how at the end of a hot day, everyone's shirt seems as freshly pressed as in the morning.

It was an olefactory shock to move from Thailand in 1963 to England, where many people bathed 
once a week. Standing in line at Sainsbury, you thought you were in the cheese department.

Bangkok heat stopped my heart

Failure to drink enough water over two hot days made my heart stop for 4 seconds. 

Sounds preposterous, right? I always thought that this water drinking business was an old wives' tale. Or rather, a new wives' tale, since it's mostly young people one sees toting around plastic water bottles.

But last year I learned something new about my body. Dehydration can be serious business especially if you are a bit older. Buildup of salts affects the body electrical circuits including those that produce the so-called "sinus rhythm" that times the heart rate. The result: a static-like and alarming condition called atrial fibrillation, which often leads to "sinus arrest", temporary stopping of the heart (see illustration). This is not as dangerous as it sounds, since the heart has backup beat sytems that usually refire the circuits. But the danger is that you are very likely to pass out for a couple seconds which could result in your falling down the stairs or other accident.

Result? I now have a pacemaker, which gaurantees 60 beats a minute. Effective, but a couple of extra bottles of water would have been a lot cheaper!

This is 4 seconds. How about 6 or 8 seconds? You'll mostly come out of it, but don't fall down the stairs in the meanwhile. Otherwise, a nice way to go.

Bangkok heat stopped my heart

Failure to drink enough water over two hot days made my heart stop for 4 seconds. 

Sounds preposterous, right? I always thought that this water drinking business was an old wives' tale. Or rather, a new wives' tale, since it's mostly young people one sees toting around plastic water bottles.

But last year I learned something new about my body. Dehydration can be serious business especially if you are a bit older. Buildup of salts affects the body electrical circuits including those that produce the so-called "sinus rhythm" that times the heart rate. The result: a static-like and alarming condition called atrial fibrillation, which often leads to "sinus arrest", temporary stopping of the heart (see illustration). This is not as dangerous as it sounds, since the heart has backup beat sytems that usually refire the circuits. But the danger is that you are very likely to pass out for a couple seconds which could result in your falling down the stairs or other accident.

Result? I now have a pacemaker, which gaurantees 60 beats a minute. Effective, but a couple of extra bottles of water would have been a lot cheaper!

This is 4 seconds. How about 6 or 8 seconds? You'll mostly come out of it, but don't fall down the stairs in the meanwhile. Otherwise, a nice way to go.

True tropical paradise: cool green and lush village morning today

True tropical paradise: cool green and lush village morning today in southern Thailand. Vs. dessicated hot Isaan last week. Temp this morning here in Nakorn Sri Thammarat only 28 v. 30 up north. Difference: year round rain here creates real jungle. View from my bedroom at wife's house.

Rubber price in drastic decline but have't heard a complaint yet. Most of their focus on kids.

A scene from Paul Gaughan

True tropical paradise: cool green and lush village morning today

True tropical paradise: cool green and lush village morning today in southern Thailand. Vs. dessicated hot Isaan last week. Temp this morning here in Nakorn Sri Thammarat only 28 v. 30 up north. Difference: year round rain here creates real jungle. View from my bedroom at wife's house.

Rubber price in drastic decline but have't heard a complaint yet. Most of their focus on kids.

A scene from Paul Gaughan

Escape to Isaan heat

Temp 40 C (104 F) at our farm house today, radiant wall temps to 43 deg. Wet rags under fan cool to 27 (thankfully)

Mango shower

Yesterday the gathering 95F heat broke with a pleasant morning "mango shower", first of the year, which kept skies gray and temps down all day for pleasant neighborhood and canal-side walking in deep Ekamai. These light pre-season rains are common in SE Asia and India, said to help ripen the mangos. Sure enough, the market was loaded with the fruit, though the ones on our deck tree are still green. Our US visitors were delighted with the taste.

Bangkok hot season

Following life through Bangkok's hot season -- without air conditioning. Well, most of the time.

I will try to keep this blog growing from now until the crazy peak of the hot season in April.

View from my bedroom follows. See the little circle? We'll be talking more about that place, my traditional teak Thai house right in the middle of the city, a study in thermal contrast.