If you are new to this site please take a look at the About this Site page. Updated 10 December 2005.

News Where I am. What I am doing. Future plans. Updated 28 March 2006.

My blog is the best place to read my latest thoughts, anecdotes and news.

Blog archives from March 2004 to January 2005.

Blog archives from January to August 2005.

As this site is at capacity I am now keeping my latest photos offsite: travels, wild things, transport, flora. Photos are updated regularly and each link includes only the latest 200 photos.

Family News Updated 25 January 2006.

Temples of Angkor photos of monuments in the Angkor Wat area, Cambodia. Created 20 March 2005.

Thai festivals Updated with photos from Loy Kratong, November 2004.

Tether thy camel Travellers' theft stories—in hope of keeping paranoia alive. Updated 14 December 2004.

Photos from my two week visit to Vientiane, Laos October 2004.

More silk than you can poke a shuttle at.

My new hobby is creating music on my computer. Listen to my creations

I consider it my second home: Mahasarakham in north-east Thailand. For those who asked what it is like... (with update August 2004)

Goddess' birthday Yes, here at last—the ultimate body-piercing page.

Favourite Story

No 1 English teacher

I was allowing myself to loosen up a little, going into crazy storytelling mode from time to time and invited the monks to do likewise. 'Not appropriate for monks' was the answer I was given.

However, as we get to know each other they have become much looser and we have many jokes together. We are not following a published course but I do use lessons that I am able to download from the internet. The monks tend to set the course of discussion that goes much wider than the materials presented. I guess the questions stem from their reading. 'Please explain the meaning of "rally" and "gather" ' for example. The favourite topic so far seems to be sexual practices in Western countries. I think they were quite shocked when I suggested there was no value for a man in marrying a virgin.

I asked them if our topics were appropriate for monks. The reply came, 'We can discuss anything.' He didn't need to add, 'We just can't do anything.'

Recently we were doing an exercise in relation to a newspaper article that required them to put a list of events in order. After they had been working on this for some time I asked, 'What is number one?'

The reply came in a rather dry tone, 'A condom.'

Some of the others laughed a little but I had difficulty controlling my laughter. He was right, of course, Number 1 is a popular brand of condom in Cambodia. I had seen the posters advertising them.

site © copyright John Shield 2001-2006

Site updated 31 March 2006.