Where's Mr Hippo?

[mr_hippo]

I checked ‘Recent Deaths’ in Wikipedia and there was no mention of me so I think I am still alive! So where have I been?

A bad foot infection in early April stopped me from cycling and later in the month my wife died and I just went to pieces. Sometimes you think it just cannot get any worse but it can! Her family emptied all our accounts by presenting to the banks the passbooks, a copy of Goy’s death certificate and stating that I had left the country! The landlord gave me 24hours to get of his house and I ended up in a small, dark apartment in BangSue, Bangkok – the place that God forgot about!

I have had to sell most of my possessions including my Trek520 tourer and my Trek 7200 hybrid. I only have my Trek 2.5 left – road bike frame but built up with touring components so it’s a fast light day tourer. One bike was sold before the landlord threw me out of his house and the other two were stored at a friend’s house in LopBuri. The only cycling I done was to ride the 2.5 from LopBuri to Bangkok, about 170k, and taking the 520 to my LBS to besold.

Now I am living with a nice lady in Nakorn Ratchasima, about 300 kms from Bangkok and am back on the bike. Had a short ride two days ago and a longer one yesterday. It was great to get out again; raining today so cannot go.

Looking forward to getting the pedals turning again and after 10 years in a flat Bangkok, it’s nice to see some hills!

 

[Stephenite]

Good golly! That's a bit of a bummer.

I don't know what to say. Do you have any proper friends out there?

 

[Fnaar]

Blimey Mr Hippo, that's a sad turn of events... keep well.

 

[wildjetskier]

What can I say Mr H, sorry to hear about all the crap you've been through. At least you've come out the other side, good luck, keep riding and always look on the bright side (I feel a song coming on) ATB Jez

 

[HLaB]

Jeez that's sounds traumatic, I hope things are beginning to work out for you now.

 

[Dayvo]

Bloody hell, Mr Hippo, that's dreadful!

When I met you in Bangkok I could see how happy you were together!

It seems like things are improving again now and i hope it continues to do so.

Best wishes to you!

 

[fossyant]

That's terrible - hope things are looking up.

 

[mr_hippo]

Do you have any proper friends out there?

I'm afraid the short banswer to that is 'No'. All my life, I have tried to help people but when I need help there's no one there. Goy and I befriended an American lady teacher who was new to Thailand with no thought of reward. We gave her furniture, clothes and help with her teaching. I don';t like asking for moneybut I was desperate for money; had about hardly any cash and needed to borrow about a tenner for food. I phoned her and was expecting 'Sorry, Hippo, I can't. I'm short of cash.' Instead I got a 'I will not' and a dead phone line.

Another examplw where I got 'help' - I have known this chap (Stan) for about 8 years now, works and lives in Bangkok but has a house in LopBuri about 170 kms away. When the landlord threw me out of his house, I was in a desperate state so I phoned Stan and he said I could stay at his house, he would even rent a truck and store my furniture - sounds great so far, doesn't it? The furniture would be sold and he would take out what the truck cost and give me what was left. I asked him about a month ago how things were going. "I'll be out of pocket on that deal" he said. According to him, the truck had cost him 25,000 Baht a day & we had it for 2 days, that's about a thousand quid for the 2 days. Goy and I rented a similar size truck when we moved and that was less than 70 quid. I know fuel prices are expansive but not that expensive! So he has made a few bob out of me.