Found Homesick

Yesterday i had a bit of a time sharing the two weeks spent in Thailand. It's almost impossible to try to condense a trip like this into a few photos and 5 minutes without selling sort the meaning or magnitude!

I picked up some more rolls of film today from the trip. It's been hard tonight as i sit here and scan in photos from the adventure. These particular images come from a very humble village there in the mountains of Mae Sot. The village is Kilometer 48, named for the highway marker at the entrance to the village. There is a single concrete road up for miles that have countless secondary roads that run off into beautiful red clay paths.

This particular day was our Thanksgiving/Harvest meal there. The rice harvest had come in and we were there at the right time. I couldn't help but feel like a child that gets tossed around from divorced parents where one parent raises them and discipline them while the other parent takes them to ball games and buy all kinds of things. I say this because i know that's not a normal day there in the village. It like the kids never getting to see the bad days of the parent that only has good times and wonderful events planned. I hope this makes sense.

Anyhow, i took a stroll out side of the site where we were hangin out to see what life looked like for the rest of the people there. I was excited to see children out playing and being children.
Running with kites up and down the streets. Stopping only to pull the kite out of the tree it ran into. At first the children were a bit shy and hid off the road from me. Eventually the braver ones ventured closer. i wonder if it was the curiosity that got to them. I had a fisheye lens that i was showing a few of them and them seemed to enjoy looking through it.

Here are some of the photos i have scanned in so far.

Just checking each other out. The little hen starts moving in on Kenny.


Lazy Dog takes notice of the white guy walking through his yard.



Some of the braver ones out from hiding.


Back to playing with the simplest of toys. String, some plastic and a little bit of wood.






i hope that these pictures will help you take note of the simple things in life. Truly take time to stop and watch the children play. Listen to them laugh. Look at them smile. See how totally happy they can be with so little. String, plastic, warm sunshine and the hint of a breeze, that's all it took. See if you can let go of rat race and play. i dare you.

TTFN
Doc




Production Note: Those of you wondering about the format of these photos. Holga that was modified for 35mm film.