Thank you for joining us as we go behind the scenes of Fred's Diary 1981,
with the third edition of
"Behind The Scenes".
Robert Fear takes us on his journey, as he travels in Asia taking daily notes in a diary.
This authentic look into his dairy has been extended by going behind the scenes with Robert as he reveals himself to us each week with an original inside look.
"Reflections of his time in Thailand"
The Isra House on the outskirts of Chiang Mai was like
a family house with a few rooms, out in the countryside.
Falling for Chiang Mai
This is one of the most amazing places I have ever stayed in. It is called Isra House and is situated on the outskirts of Chiang Mai. I was greeted like an old friend when I arrived here a week ago. It wasn’t long before I met up with Graham and a couple of days later with Sharon and Aja. They had been on a five day trek to visit local tribes (and smoke opium).
I landed in Bangkok but didn’t hang around and got an overnight bus to Chiang Mai, which is in the north of Thailand. As we neared our destination there was a spectacular sunrise over the hills and after watching that I started to relax. Arriving in the early morning it seemed very quiet and laid back, considering this is the second largest city in Thailand.
The weather is a real contrast to Hong Kong, which was often cloudy and sometimes downright cold. On getting off the plane the change in temperature was noticeable. It was dusk and 31C. Here in the north it is comparatively cool in the evenings, refreshing even, but beautiful and sunny during the days.
You can borrow bikes from the guest house and several times we have cycled into Chiang Mai to have a good look round. They have also come in handy for getting to the swimming pool at a nearby hotel, where I’ve spent several afternoons soaking up the rays and swimming a few lengths. This is starting to feel like a really enjoyable holiday.
There is no pressure on me to move on and as everything is so cheap here I plan to stay for a few weeks. There is a big water festival in the middle of April, which is reputed to be especially good in Chiang Mai. It would be great to be around for that.
The sunny atmosphere has been conducive to getting some letters and postcards written to family and friends, with a longer one to Rita, who didn’t sound too good last time I heard from her. I am still really worried about her and can’t help blaming myself.
I have let everyone know that they should send letters here for the time being. It will probably be a good two weeks before I get anything back. Letters are a lifeline when you’re travelling but it’s not always easy to know where you will be, so that people can write to you there.
So, life is good and I’m really enjoying this part of my trip. I am meeting a lot of fellow travelers and having some fun and games with them, doing some exploring, but mostly relaxing.
This afternoon I will be going on a five day trek to see the local tribes, which should be very interesting indeed. I am just heading off now to get some supplies from the local store before coming back here to finish my packing.
Picture provided by author Robert Fear
How did Fred, Andy & Stan get out of this mess?
A real shock awaited me.
The police were there making a check of the guest house.
While sitting on the verandah with an American guy, Stan, I remembered with horror that Scott had given me a small container of grass and that it was lying on my bedside table. I just hoped that Graham had managed to get rid of it somehow.
My heart fell when I was called into the room and confronted with it. I didn't have much choice about confessing that it belonged to me.
They carried out a body search, turned out my bag completely and were disappointed not to find anything else.
The next hour or so was spent filling out forms and reports for myself, Stan (small amounts of both opium and grass) and Andy, another American guy, who was visiting a friend at the house. He only had a small amount of grass on him.
We all pleaded guilty. What big offences we thought and hoped that the situation could be sorted out within a couple of hours.
They had taken our passports and we had to go with them in an open truck to the police station where we were escorted inside. We sat in an office for a while and all of us at that time were expecting to be interviewed, fined and released. However, the wheels of Thai justice don't move that fast.
We were put in the cell, which was fairly clean although the toilet stinks, at 4:30 p.m. It’s quite roomy with three different sections, all separated by metal bars. Luckily they didn't separate us and only locked the main door.
The police were there making a check of the guest house.
While sitting on the verandah with an American guy, Stan, I remembered with horror that Scott had given me a small container of grass and that it was lying on my bedside table. I just hoped that Graham had managed to get rid of it somehow.
My heart fell when I was called into the room and confronted with it. I didn't have much choice about confessing that it belonged to me.
They carried out a body search, turned out my bag completely and were disappointed not to find anything else.
The next hour or so was spent filling out forms and reports for myself, Stan (small amounts of both opium and grass) and Andy, another American guy, who was visiting a friend at the house. He only had a small amount of grass on him.
We all pleaded guilty. What big offences we thought and hoped that the situation could be sorted out within a couple of hours.
They had taken our passports and we had to go with them in an open truck to the police station where we were escorted inside. We sat in an office for a while and all of us at that time were expecting to be interviewed, fined and released. However, the wheels of Thai justice don't move that fast.
We were put in the cell, which was fairly clean although the toilet stinks, at 4:30 p.m. It’s quite roomy with three different sections, all separated by metal bars. Luckily they didn't separate us and only locked the main door.
Just In Time For This Post!!!!
A New Review!!!
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fascinating and detailed.
By Rebecca H on February 4, 2016
Format: Kindle Edition
By Rebecca H on February 4, 2016
Format: Kindle Edition
I really enjoyed this travel diary which Fred kept as he journeyed firstly to Hong Kong then on to Thailand where he regrettably ended up in jail. After being deported he records his time in both India and Nepal. If you are looking for a travel guide this is not the book for you but it does give an insight into the reality of how it was for young western travellers over 30 years ago. Every day Fred would jot down all the details of what he did and saw or even ate. It was so interesting to see how he kept a note of exactly how much he spent on drinks and food etc I bet it’s a whole lot more expensive now! In Thailand he was charged with possessing grass and thrown into jail. This was a particularly difficult experience but even there drugs helped to while away the tedium and anxious waiting for release. In fact drugs feature prominently throughout. It’s amazing what a young body can withstand! We learn of his exploits in Nepal and in India and of the friendships and camaraderie among fellow travellers. In among the minutiae there are also some beautiful descriptions for example of leaving Kathmandu Overall he had a marvellous and life changing experience which he has written about very honestly.
Did you miss the first two segments of Behind The Scenes?
Fascinating time capsule from the 80’s
NEWLY RELEASED SECOND EDITION
SYNOPSIS
Have you ever wanted to read someone else’s diary?
Would you like to experience travelling in Asia without leaving home?
Then this book is for you. Fred’s Diary 1981 is a fascinating insight into a young man’s travels around Asia in the early 1980’s. This is a unique opportunity to delve into Fred's daily diary, which details the 158 days he spent travelling around Asia. Follow Fred throughout his extensive travels to Hong Kong, Thailand, India and Nepal.
Appreciate the many friendships formed along the way with fellow-travellers.
Relive the highs and lows that he experienced during this fascinating journey.
Recognise the huge differences in technology, particularly communications.
Become immersed in the different cultures, peoples and surroundings of Asia in the early 1980's.
Understand more about the drug culture of the 1980's, especially in Thailand and Nepal.
Learn from Fred's youthful mistakes, especially if your dream of travelling to Asia becomes a reality.
The price of Fred's Diary 1981: Travels in Asia has been dropped to £1.99 / $2.99 (was £2.99 / $3.99).
Get your copy while this offer lasts:
You can find out more about author Robert Fear on
Rukia Publishing's
Meet the Author page:
Come back next week when we publish another original segment
of
"Behind The Scenes"
with
Fred's Diary 1981
by
author Robert Fear
 |
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