Went to see the monk again hoping he can help to sell LD. Called on the Indian dealer but he says we must have ‘chit’ from customs. British Embassy say its impossible to sell. Seemed more concerned with who should have dealt with us. On to Immigration, No good. Tried a few car dealers this led to a place near war memorial were the dealer wants it for himself. Will try tomorrow and see customs to find out how much duty will be payable. Met the Swiss blokes again from Agra, they lost the wheel of their VW again, they went on  to Kathmandu then flew to Bangkok, better way than we did it I think. They’re in a worse mess than us though. Stayed at same hotel again, not bad for 30 baht a room. Tomorrow follow it through and hope for the best.

So far so good, customs clear now it depends on the business. One minute were up thinking everything will work out, next thing were back to square one without a lead.

I wonder on the outcome of the next hour. Another knock back!! He wanted to give us 10 thou baht, the bloke who took us there 1 thou baht and the rest in import tax and out of it we would have got £200 and that wouldn’t do us…We had a good feel from it he took us to the restaurant next door,  Hope we have more luck tomorrow…Spent a couple of hours in the most fantastic cinema  ever. Watched ‘Mash’ really enjoyed it Baht’s gone down to 48 to the pound! Blokes been today to see about LD, coming back tomorrow. The humidity here is 80% permanently sweating.

He came back but he wouldn’t buy, the engine number was different !! Last night went with an old boot 50 bhat, its like a brothel in here they were all in the corridors and blokes kept coming up. But it was hopeless I’d have been better not bothering. Brian went with one also. Been driving around all day trying to find a buyer for LD, Visited customs and excise again

Nagasena, Buddhist Monk, first met in Delhi Asoka Mission India then the Marble Temple Bangkok,

, they only want 6 thou baht, bloke agreed on 20 thou, but another man who took us in there ( carrying a gun) wanted 2 thou, that leaves us with 18 thou If it comes off it wont be too bad. Photos turned out ok . Brian left today for Butterworth. Visit to Nagasena and Swedish monk at MarbleTemple. Good talk talk of experiences stayed till 2 am then went back to Juabsang.

Nagasena, Buddist Monk.

It was great talking to the 3 monks last night they’re marvelous people Nagasena especially, he has read no other books in his life except philosophy and great works and he’s personally known to the King of Thailand and many other knowledgeable people, yet he’s so easy to talk too, a good friend, The sequence of events today as been so fantastic to be unbelievable. The deal we had arranged for 10.30 fell through and it was supposedly settled, the man with the gun who wanted his 2 thousand Baht stayed at the hotel to keep an eye on us. But we finally lost him, went back to the hotel and checked out immediately. Movie ‘The Games’ to 7pm. No place to stay. Visit Nagasena within 2 hours a man is going to buy LD and they take us to their house. Then another man arrives and he wants to buy, another friend of Nagasenas.

Come day go day, each day brings new experiences and ideas. We’ve been having some really good talks with the months about many things and life in general. Though I admit what they think of as logical according to the way you accept ‘the mind’ I don’t think its possible to ‘think’ on those terms and live a ’normal’ life. Today we ate with the Swedish monk he is a very ‘deep’ thinker too deep I think! Nagasena decided the price we should get for LD because the man wanted to lower the price. So he chose the ‘middle’ way. Fixed shockers today 75baht. Were now staying with an Indian family on the other side of the bridge (built by japs) I miss Larraine letters hope I will have many in Singapore.

Had a good, run out today to a beach about 50 miles from Bangkok on the road to Cambodia, Pattaya beach. The whole family went, they’ve cleaned out LD taken the beds down and taken the wheel off the back , so I hope this deal goes through, we’ve agreed on 19thou baht. Drank a bottle of whiskey on the beach had a good meal they insist they pay all expenses Typical Indian hospitality, but it gets too much. They don’t even want you to think for yourself. But we can stand it until the deal goes through, We hope to be in Penang on July 6th to confirm our booking on the Australasia. Had a good day rounded off with a good meal bath and stayed in our room.

Wrote to shipping corp of India to claim damages for LD on the ‘State of Madras’

Woken to a voice singing Mr Ken in a strong Indian accent at 6 am. To be informed its time I was up and let’s get going, I don’t know where!!! It turned out to be a 120 mile drive loading bales of cloth at the other end, I worked like a dog and he seemed to think I should. Eating well though in his home and he’s buying the car so that’s some comfort. Another night spent talking with the monks about philosophy Einstein’s theory of relativity and the like. Fell bad about not taking Nagasena and the monks out for the day tomorrow but these 2 want to sorted and signed up.

Letters home L, 4

What a day today has been, started with the familiar ‘Mr Ken’ call, then off we went to cash a cheque  took in the biggest temple in Asia on the way, were Buddha made his first speech. Then on to customs what a time! We travelled from desk to desk, up and down again one minuet yes next no. The reason was,  they have stopped the import of second hand vehicles into Thailand and also on a tourist visa it was impossible to sell, but after paying a back-hander I think it might go through, I hope so or we will be right in the cart, Were unsure of the price even now I hope we get the 19thou.

Well still no solution we have to go back again tomorrow. We’ve made a personal application to the director of Customs in Bangkok pleading for permission to sell LD.

Had a good swim tonight. LD had a flat tyre this morning, something always happens when the time comes to sell. Been talking with the Swedish Monk Peterson today about meditation I don’t really know what to think the bible says that doing this is leaving the mind open to evil spirits, Is it? Or is it the inner mind that we don’t usually use and are frightened of. I certainly would like to feel the freedom and comfort of mind it talks of.

Same old story back to customs to find nothing has changed, just had to compose another letter on the sectary’s desk asking him politely to consider our case, hung around till 3 pm still no reply. Back again tomorrow. But begging to think we’ve had it, getting very fed up with these 2 blokes now, not a minuet to myself. Were eating well and the place were staying is good we have a bathroom if you could call it that, It’s a concrete box full of water, the concrete keeps it cool. You pour it over you with a bowl. His wife cooks us nice grub, been hulking lino about today for them I think there making the most of us and LD in case it all falls through.

After all the wondering and waiting its no use. Even after we asked personally the director of customs it was still a no. The blokes who work in customs felt so sorry for us the took us out to dinner.. And now were left with the landrover with no beds and no cupboards which they proceeded to rip out regardless of wether they would be able to have the thing or not. Now they cant there not interested they just want to get rid of us as soon as possible. Nagasena still wants to keep trying but I think it will be no use So we will have to drive back to Penang and see how we go down there. Moneys getting mighty low Syl and Bev are out I’ve got 65baht but that won’t go far between 3 of us. The customs blokes offered a collection for us top get us back to Penang

As soon as the deal was off they didn’t waste any time even before we had finished our breakfast they wanted us to leave. Went to customs with  Nagasena but to no avail. Now we have a few more leads. Called atAustralia embassy they say we can emigrate no problem. The mons friend is a Chinese man and he’s going to see about buying it illegally so we have to wait till Monday to find out. Mean time we’ve moved into the Atlanta hotel 40 baht a night for a double room, will just wait till Monday Atlanta’s good and got a swimming pool.

Breakfast in style in the Atlanta hotel went to Marble Temple with Nagasena to a lecture, didn’t understand much of it but have a book to read ‘Buddhism in daily life’.

Well we still have a few things to go on Went to the Australia Embassy to see about Immigrating, American embassy to see if they can buy the car, then ours to see if its possible to sell LD in Laos without any problems. I really wish I had a letter from Larraine I can only ask her to send them to Singapore and heaven knows how long it will be before we get there.

Nothing all day but we’ve eaten well, swam in pool lazed a while, had a smoke of grass before eating. Then at night a fantastic scene watching a piece of plastic burning and dripping while we all sat round smoking from what they call a bomber, a bamboo tube half full of water with a small piece on the side for holing the grass and you take it all in one breath. The hotel is fantastic compared with the other place its like 5 star and only 40baht a night for a room. In the same street is a watchtower hall and at the end of the street is a Baptist church and the hotel is full of junkies and hippies.

Visited American Embassy in the hope they would bye LD but no good. We left an advert in there then went to Laotian embassy but no good either. British embassy can send us back to England but not to Australiaunless we have a job waiting. We cannot emigrate from here only from our country of origin. Got the address of a building federation to try and arrange a job. The British Embassy are going to arrange to lend us £20 each, we have to go back Thursday. Went down to see Nagasena Chris and Peter had a good talk, even in the hotel we have some good discussions. There’s a lot of US soldiers staying here gone AWOL fromVietnam.

Another day that produced nothing!! Had a discussion with the monks about metaphysics and Buddhism.  We were also talking with a woman whos dead husband was the America ambassador to Thiland for 8 years. Back to the hotel again hashed up at night, not paid for our room for yesterday thets 40 baht . If nothing comes up we have to leave on Friday and go back to KLafter the 20 loan from the british embassy comes through. We eat cheap enough Fried rice from ‘Mamma Sam’s’ is only 3 baht but it doesn’t fill you for long.

Up early 6.30am drove 6 blokes to the airport made 60 baht out of it. All Helps. Nagasena took us to see a millionaire today but he wasn’t home then took us to see the owner of an ice factory he’s going to tell us tomorrow if it will be possible to buy LD. I think Nagasena feels bad as it was his saying we could sell LD in Thailand why we came. Today it rained and filled all the streets with a foot of water , the ground floor of the hotel was flooded too, The hippies staying here are real weirdos, they talk’ switched on’ and all that rubbish. Two other lads are working one’s teaching English, the other works in a news office for £30 a week. The other weirdos want to change the world and blow up Aussi, they’re really crazy they talk a different language.

Ken and Bev outside a Thailand temple

Wrote home L, M, T.

The last attempt and it might come off; the Chinese man with the ice factory is willing to give us 17 thou baht and another 2 for bribes. Monday 9.30 Maybe this time! Took the air ticket Peter the monk gave us into Pan Am, they have to cable Sydney so we should get it tomorrow. One lad here offered to lend us £50 which I thought was fantastic of him. Derek his name. Watched the films Nagasens a took in India Ate a good meal too at the Chinese mans place, the little Laos boy came with us he’s funny follows Nagasena like he’s a father, he leaves Monday for 7 months meditation course, Well be sorry to see them go they have been real good friends, Gave Bev some more cigs today no money from British embassy yet.

Golden Buddha Bangkok

The days become longer now its 8 days since we arrived here in Bangkok for the day!! Just paid out 160 baht to bring the rent up to date. Nothing from Pan American office, try again tomorrow. Changed another £10.A bloke here as been telling us about jobs on the rigs in Singapore reckons its possible to earn $350 a month Things may work out ok yet? £20 from Embassy, $40 from Pan Am and maybe sell the car on Monday AGAIN! Mileage on LD is now 55,000 making a total of 12and a half thou miles. Think I’m getting fed up felt like being on my own played guitar for a few hours then slept. Hope things start happening soon.

Just met a bloke it took him 3 weeks to get here, £12 to Karachi then flew to Dacca then Calcutta to Bangkok. Another knock back the Chinese man has been round to say its impossible to Buy LD because of the paper I signed on the border for 20 thou baht indemnity. Another at Pan Am they said they the hotel but nobody of that name was registered there so we have to go back Monday. There seems to be no end to it, goes on and on. Fed up of being here now nothing to do but wait. Its funny suddenly things change from just being here to WAITING here then its no good, Set the date for KL on Monday but who knows.