Volume 3, December 21, 2008
In this edition...
The Coconut Telegraph
"Kayak seating"
Fabricate a functional back support.
Sangkhlaburi is home to my dear friend Daisy Dwe and the Weaving for Women (WFW) programme. For over 10 years, Daisy has been training ethnic refugee women to weave and providing a secure work and living environment for these women. Daisy is a model of how one person can make a difference. We arrived as Daisy was released from a three day stay in the hospital due to hypertension and high blood pressure. She appeared tired but the fire in her eyes burned strong, as always. Within a few days Daisy regained strength, enough so that she set up her lounge chair at center field to monitor every game of the annual church football (soccer) tournament. "The crazy football lady" assures me that she still has some good years left and will continue to fight for her beliefs.
Our mission was two-fold: 1) visit WFW, assess needs and develop an annual plan and; 2) test pilot two prototype sea kayaks for Sanghalei Canoe & Kayak.
Sangkhlaburi is also home to another friend Brent Bateman and Sanghalei Canoe & Kayak.
I paddled one of Brent's canoes in April, 2008, with an article published in Canoeroots Magazine's autumn edition and was eager to test the kayaks. Brent had one kayak water ready when we arrived and the second some days later. These hand made wooden craft are functional works of art and it was a privilege and pleasure to paddle the first kayaks made by Sanghalei Canoe & Kayak. Check out the "Kayak Review" for initial impressions.
The Coconut Telegraph has received some interesting comments to date. I have detailed a few in Letters to the Editor.
Abstract thoughts, musings and idol banter.
A Long Time Coming.
The first kayak.
Life's sweet mysteries.
