There I sat on a wooden bench, a morally spent emotionally bankrupt Prison Officer watching dirt poor, but happy content villagers going about their day. Knowing that in a few short days we would be on a plane back to Australia. I pondered life the universe and everything. I was 44 years old and thanks to the wise Government I would be allowed to put on my blue suite for another 20 years so I could get a reasonable pension, or retire early [55 ]on a dog food and baked beans pension. I am no dreamer and knew that there was no way I could stay here and live a locals life. A diet of sticky rice, chilli paste, frogs and bugs while living in a hut and sleeping on a board was going to do, plus my wife would have been on the first plane back home. How could I make it work, there was enough money to last a few years at best, not an option as at the end of the money it would be back to Australia, older, broke and starting out again.
In life chance, fate or serendipity often pass us by, we are too busy to see it or too scared to try. On this day sernendipity walked in the house in the form of the Village head. The Village head actually spoke English and had acted as my cousin in the wedding. We opened a few beers and talked. He sad to me that I must be happy to be heading home soon, as he knew it is very hard for a Farang to stay in places like this. I said, I would be happy to live here if I could make a reasonable living. Hearing my reply he said, the Government is selling cheap land for the planting of Rubber trees. With those words Rubber Trees, memories of my father came to me. My Father had been in the British army for many years and was posted to Malaysia. He had always told me that the only reason he was there was to keep Dunlop Rubber's plantations safe. How could I say no to Rubber. Here was my get out of jail free card and it just might work. So began what would be a life changing journey.