Since my last post, Ann and I have covered a lot of bases. Coming to Thailand was only secondarily a holiday, and a lot of our time had been taken visiting banks, police headquarters, and clinics to transact the business that Ann had planned for. I have remained both a faithful companion and interested onlooker to the proceedings, humdrum as they may sound. 

But in between we have also done some sightseeing, taking in a lot of temples. Last week we paid respects to the late monarch, Rama IX, who is awaiting cremation in October. We were very lucky, I am told, that we were in and out of the Grand Palace and environs in about 45 minutes. Queues only a few months ago stretched hundreds of metres. Like Hamlet, we were dressed head to toe in unrelieved black garb, the suit of woe. Unlike Hamlet, we had no revenge to carry out and so, free from the chains of procrastination, we hasty caught a shuttle bus back to the train station.

Now, we are in Phetchabun, Ann's hometown. It's very warm and I am tired out from all the travelling. Today is a day of rest I hope, for tomorrow we leave for two days in Phisanolouk.