Taking a break from fighting floods in Bangkok

30 October….Family, sport and travel seem like three good ways to fill one’s leisure time and that’s pretty much what we’ve been doing lately.  Unfortunately we’ve also  had to deal with the massive flooding in and around Bangkok as the late season heavy rains have swamped all rivers and canals and the people of Northern Thailand have suffered enormously as a result.

 

The happy couple opening gifts

Julie spent the first two weeks of October in Sydney, catching up with friends and family.  I was in town for a few days and our beautiful daughter Anna used the occasion to invite all family and friends to her and Carl’s place in Springwood for an engagement party.  Very strange (yes, and exciting) as a parent to hit one of these major milestones and know that our only daughter is planning for the next big stage of her life.  But it was fantastic to see all the family and friends in one place celebrating such a worthy cause.  On ya, Anna and Carl.

Making parents proud....Will, Anna and Zach

Anna, Carl, parents and partners

I went on to Auckland where we hosted some key customers at the two semi-final games of the Rugby World Cup.  The downtown Auckland area around the marina has really smartened up after they won the America’s Cup and it was in full force during the Rugby World Cup.  We also got to spent a day out on Waiheke Island enjoying the wineries and beautiful food. 

We were forced to enjoy the wineries of Waiheke Island near Auckland

So overall, a beautiful city, great atmosphere and a very special place to be if you are a rugby fan.  And seeing Australia play New Zealand in the semi-final was a special treat, even if the result was decidedly unpleasant.  But the All Blacks are worthy World Champions, you gotta give them that.

Riding a local taxi on the only road on the island

From Auckland I zoomed back to Bangkok for a night and then spent a few days in Mumbai (Bombay) India with more customers.  Mumbai is best described as an acquired taste but I love all aspects of it except the traffic.  The road network is so inadequate for the number of cars that you spend literally half your day in a car while your driver expertly fights the traffic.  It’s crazy and chaotic and probably carcinogenic but that’s Mumbai for you.

Girl boats and boy boats at Koh Samet

Living the dream

We followed the advice and practice of the locals and stocked our fridge with the essentials of life – water and beer – before heading south to Rayong where we caught the little pink ferry to Koh Samet.  Because we booked at the last minute we couldn’t stay at one of our favourite places but instead stayed in little bungalows on very pleasant Pudsa Beach, which is a short walk from the main activities.  We had a great two and a half days on Koh Samet, morning swims in the sea, reading under a beach umbrella, walks along the beach, great food everywhere, cold beers at sunset, very relaxing and enjoyable. 

Cocktail hour with sand between our toes

One afternoon we hired an ATV (all terrain vehicle) and went for a great exploration trip around the island.  Actually, the island only has one road on it and to use the word road to describe it is a bit generous.  In most places it was no more than a four wheel drive track, heavily rutted, muddy and almost impassable for a normal car.  But not for our flash little ATV which handled the bumps and turns with great enthusiasm.  All good fun.

Don't worry, I didn't let her drive

Exploring the uninhabited west coast of Koh Samet

Back to Bangkok and the grim reality of massive floods hitting the northern suburbs, being held back in most places by long dykes of sandbags as the authorities tried to redirect the water into less damaging areas and along canals that have flood barriers.  The mighty Chao Phraya River had burst its banks in numerous places further north and flooded vast areas, mainly on the western (other) side of the river.  But as the week continued so did the water and more and more of the city slowly became submerged.  The worst hit areas were the large industrial factories on the northern edges where many tens of thousands of people couldn’t work due to flooded industrial estates. 

You can just see Julie waving as she's standing on the dry side of the sandbags

When ramps to the floating pier start underwater and go up you know you've got issues

 Meanwhile, most businesses in Bangkok took whatever precautions they could to protect their business, usually by building brick walls in front of their shops and/or piling sandbags up around all entrances.  The empty shelves in all markets were testament to the people hoarding essential items (What?  No more toilet paper!) and the supply chain for many products being broken so no deliveries could take place. 

To be honest, the mood in the city has been quite pessimistic and at work we heard daily stories from staff where their homes were flooded and they had to evacuate.  The added risks included downed power lines causing electrocutions, diseases in the water and – yes – even crocodiles.  Schools and the government offices were all closed.  Many people voluntarily left the city for nearby beach or island resorts so they wouldn’t risk being stranded in buildings without power. 

A flooded old building near the river

Thai ingenuity - putting their cars on blocks to keep them above the water line

As I write this the risk of flooding in the downtown area has not passed but similarly does not seem imminent.  It seems to be driven party by the tides because we know that at high tide the river overflows in many areas causing localised flooding.  But there doesn’t appear to be a big risk that any flooding will reach downtown Bangkok and hopefully all the flood barriers and dykes that have been erected will hold so most people inside the walls stay relatively dry.  And if that is the case then many of these one and two metre high barriers that have been built all over town will be for naught.  It will also mean the skeptics like me will be right and the nervous-nellies that bailed out will be wrong.  Which is also good.

Julie doing her balancing act along sandbags in a flooded market

Sandbags might stop the river but not me!

The owner of our favourite lunch and beer spot near Wat Pho puts on a brave face in her flooded restaurant

There’s no denying however how tragic these floods have been for Thailand.  In addition to the nearly 400 deaths across the country we know that the massive flooding up north has devastated countless villages where people live simple lives, where crops are ruined, roads are cut off and there is no government infrastructure to provide any back up or relief.  To those millions of people the consequences are enormous and will never be measured or truly appreciated.

Childish imagination brightens up a new brick wall protecting a local shop

In Bangkok the big Melbourne Cup luncheon which is ANZWG’s largest annual fund raiser, and which Julie and many others have been working tirelessly on for months, has been postponed due to the floods.  This means the organisation will be severely cramped in raising the funds they need to support all of their many worthy causes. 

But to end on a happy note, the St. Louis Cardinals won the World Series and our fridge has an ample stock of cold beer.