27/12/2010 off to Kon Kaen

The trip to Kon Kaen started by us being picked up to go to the airport yesterday morning and our Niece (Bew), driving in the opposite direction of where we had to go. In true Thai tradition however, we got to the airport with plenty of time to spare.  So off to Kon Kaen we went.

Visiting the family is normally not as straight forward as one would normally come to expect and in this case just getting from the airport to Ban Nong Pai would prove to be no exception.  We were going to be going to a department store (Big C) to procure a computer.

Now you might be forgiven for thinking that seeing how we were picked up by locals that getting to Big C would be a sinch, oh no, no, no.  Three u-turns and a case of carbon monoxide poisoning in the back of the pick-up later we arrived at the Big C.

Now, for anyone who has ever purchased a department store pc would know that it is normally quite straight forward.  “Do you have this one in stock?” “I’ll take it.” You pay and that’s it.  Job done.  In this case however, the computer doesn’t come with an operating system pre-installed.  Not to mention that there are several options available.  You see the management of this particular department store doesn’t necessarily subscribe to the legalities or illegalities of installing an operating system on a new pc.  In fact they will install the latest version of Win 7, Office, Photoshop and more for the princely sum of 500bt.  Now it doesn’t matter what options you decide upon (I of course took the path of the righteous) the procedures will consume at least an hour or more of you time.

Having finalized our purchase I then proceeded to make my way out of the store.  This was going well until I got to the escalator and got accosted by some Isan screaming employee pointing at my package.  My wife explained that the receipt was already in the car with the rest of the peripherals we (I) had purchased.  Not to be deterred, she insisted that without a receipt the package I had clutched under my arm would not be accompanying me out of the store.  With all the courage I could muster, coupled with the 18months of learning Thai I uttered the words, “Pee Baah” (Crazy).  I then proceeded to walk back in the direction of the computer department. That seemed to do the trick.  We were finally allowed to leave the store.

Now all we had left to put up with was to complete our trip with a Thai driver who drives about 20km below the speed limit and more diesel fumes.  Must fix that exhaust one day. 🙂

Good to be home……….