We were sitting peacefully in the office here when all of a sudden there was a huge crash above our heads. Running outside, we found nothing. Whatever it was was still on the roof.
We climbed up and saw this fruit 'boulder' sticking out of a hole the size of a basketball.
Turns out we have a jackfruit tree just beside the office (Thai's call them Kanun); a few of these things have come down in the past but never this big. Turns out that jackfruit is the largest tree borne fruit in the world.
These things grow very large (see the pic and compare to Leo bottle), very heavy, and to top it off, are pretty spiky. I have yet to taste one, although the Thai's do lots of ingenious things with them (nice little jackfruit curry recipe here).
Thai rumour has it that if you have a jackfruit tree in your garden it is good luck...... But not if one falls on your noggin; it would be like being twated by Brian Blessed wielding a huge medieval mace.
So now, whenever I'm having a wander around outside, I have to contend with a) Snakes b) Rabid dogs c) My own general drunkeness (on occassion) and d) Falling jackfruit.
Life on the edge....Beware the jackfruit bombs!
(Pic above: That's where they come from. They can get up quite a bit of velocity between 'up there' and the floor).
See, another difference between the UK and Thailand. In the UK you'd have to have to make your garden a hard-hat zone if you wanted to keep a tree that drops bloody great bombs all over the place. Oh well, remember the blitz spirit!
Posted by: Wotchit | May 26, 2009 at 04:55 PM
Wotchit, I sweep under the tree every morning when half asleep. I reckon my untimely would make a great advertising poster for Thailand. They could take the shot just before the jackfruit hits my head and it could read 'Amazing Thailand' or 'Thailand - Land of Smiles.....and Death!'
Posted by: The Thai Pirate | May 27, 2009 at 01:05 AM
You always seem to write about something hilarious that joggles my memory (and always when I'm tanked up on caffeine too! :-D
'So now, whenever I'm having a wander around outside, I have to contend with a) Snakes b) Rabid dogs c) My own general drunkeness (on occassion) and d) Falling jackfruit.'
There's one more you need to worry about...
A friend of mine needed to do some shopping in Bandar (means 'town' in Malay) on a busy Friday.
Parking was scarce but he got lucky and found a parking space in the government offices nearby.
When he got back to his car, it looked like someone had beaten it with a huge mallet.
Someone big, mean, and mighty pissed off from the looks of it (and I got a good look).
The roof was heavily dented, so were the bonnet and boot.
Peoed, not because it was a fine car (I was afraid to ride in it even), but because he wanted to sell it when he moved on, he reported it to the nearest authorities, the parking ticket gals.
Walking over to his car, they pointed out why that particular space was available on a busy day while none others were.
Coconut trees.
The car killers, cat bonkers, noggin crunchers of the plant world.
Posted by: Catherine | May 27, 2009 at 03:02 AM
LOL that's a good Thai version of an 'aesop' fable if ever I heard one, if there is a spare parking spot, ask yourself why...
There are coconut tree's here as well, so that's another one on the damn list. I might have to write a post about 100 ways to pop your clogs in Thailand :)
Posted by: Ben Shingleton | May 27, 2009 at 04:13 AM
'100 ways to pop your clogs in Thailand'
Oh! That's an excellent idea for a post. I'll be looking forward to reading it, for sure :-)
Posted by: Catherine | May 27, 2009 at 04:37 AM
Ben locally coconuts pose the biggest danger from falling objects, including the dead branches when there is a high wind.
If I walk to the local shop I am never sure whether to look up to avoid coconuts or look down to avoid snakes!
The same with going on the bike, but then of course the rabid soi dogs have their fun too.
Safest option is the truck!
Posted by: Mike | May 27, 2009 at 06:52 AM
Ha ha, rabid soi dogs is a good one for the top100 interesting ways to pop your clogs in Thailand. Truck - Yes, at least that way you've got some protection, but then, you are at the mercy of the drunken runaway coaches, bumper welding 4x4's, or even the odd kamikaze moped. ;)
Posted by: Ben Shingleton | May 27, 2009 at 08:11 AM
It might in fact be one of those 'pub facts' but I believe that falling coconuts kill more peeps annually than sharks, snakes and spiders (feel free to correct me anyone who knows better).Cor, you folks are doing a GREAT job for advocating tourism in Thailand! You're making it sound like a tour of Afghanistan is safer (mind you, no coconut trees there, so maybe...)
Posted by: Wotchit | May 27, 2009 at 08:43 AM
Your blog and Catherine's comment brought back memories - one of those little open-topped Thai vans with a full load of jack fruit that towered three times above the vehicle, held down with a patch of canvas and string, taking a bend on two wheels in the mountains north of Chiang Mai, heading straight for me. Immediate visions of 100 mph jackfruit bombs crashing through the windscreen flashed through my mind. Missed me by inches, carried on at the same speed as if nothing had happened.
Bet that's the last time you have a beery doze in the shade of that tree!
Posted by: Pete, FrogBlogger | May 28, 2009 at 10:31 AM
SEE! another one! Another interesting way to expire in Thailand - Motorway Missile - Jackfruit variety. It's on the list. Any more? Keep em coming...
Posted by: The Thai Pirate | May 28, 2009 at 11:00 AM