Tomahawk and his hennessey Hammock

I was out wandering around Thailand for a few days and just wanted to show my friend "Cyber slinger" that im still using the hennessey hammock he gave to me last year. It has been one of the greatest pieces of gear I have ever owned.

Lately I have been wandering around solo because Mam has been busy with fashion shows and the like. Im sorry to say that i was forced to srtip her of the "Jungle Girl" moniker due to her running off like a priss at the site of a Gecho. But, I will admit, it was a fairly large animal.

anyhoo, Im kinda operating for the moment on no money so Ill get back online asap. remember that all donations can be made via the paypal button on my blog.

Thanks to any and all!

Tomahawk - scouts out!

Tomahawk in Laos

As you may know if you are follower of my blog, I was in laos for a few days last week. I was wandering around the town of Vientiane looking at the local folks selling all manner of items from Tigers teeth to bear gall bladder.

The Hamung(spelling)Chinese folks were out in force selling herbal and animal remedies to heal all of your aches and pains. Mam and I stopped to chat with an old lady about her wares and I happend to notice 2 tigers teeth bound together with rubber bands, dried snakes, lizards, monkey hands, and a bunch of herbs neither one of us could identify.

Here are 3 pics for you to enjoy.

Any donations to the tomahawk travel fund will be put to good use and greatly appreciated! Thanks!

Tomahawk - Scouts out!

Tom and Mam in Laos along the Mekong river

The other day I had to make a run to Laos to renew my Thailand visa for another 2 weeks. Mam decided she wanted to come along with me to enjoy a little vagabond travel and adventure.

This is a short but entertaining video of both of us enjoying the sunset on the Mekong river in Laos.

I am still amazed that just a few short weeks ago I was sitting in my tent in Arizonas Huachuca mountains and now, Im watching the sunset on one of the major rivers in Asia.

It has been an interesting adventure so far, and I have done it with very little money.

Remember that any donations are well used and greatly appreciated. The Paypal donation button can be found in the right hand column of my blog.

Im outta money and I need a new pair of shoes! If you enjoy the blog and the stories/Pics etc. any help would be appreciated.

Thanks!

Tomahawk - Scouts Out!

Bull Penis anyone?

I was wandering around North east thailand the other day, I went into a small road side stand to buy some coffee packets, and perhaps a little bit of sticky rice.

I saw the shop owner dishing up what looked like a bowl of assholes for a customer, turns out is was stomach valves, spleen, esophagus, and other Cow/Bull parts to include the Penis.

Looking over at the cutting board as I paid for my coffee, I saw a pile of fat. I asked what it was and was told it was cow udder.

These local cats and kittens were eating this stuff with much pleasure - Ill pass on these local delacasies and stick to the foods i know and love.

Tomahawk - scouts out!

Saijung Kaipo tempering a jungle knife

Here is a short but interesting video of my good friend and master knife maker tempering a blade in his home made water trough made from an old tractor tire.

Tomahawk - scouts out!

Tomahawk and the rat hunt

Here is a short video of tomahawk and his piratical friends shooting their home made shotguns. We went on an all night rat "Hunt", but mostly ended up shooting at a plastic jug, and sleeping. we bagged 4 rats all night!

Tomahawk - Scouts out!

Tomahawk and the Rat hunt

Last night,I was invited on a Rat hunt by my friend Saijung and his son. All 3 of us piled onto their motor bike and headed off into the dark woods , armed with home made shot guns and head lamps.

I sat wedged between Saijung and his son as we headed down a thailand Back road toward the designated hunting spot. Once there we built a fire, and practiced firing the guns.

These guns are pretty simple affaris but very accurate and pretty to look at, It shows a lot of cleverness in the way they are made.I greatly admire the use of available materials; like the small listerine bottle used to hold gun powder, toy caps to fire the charge and luffa gourd as wadding, cool stuff!

The thing I like the most is the way these Piratical rascals hunt! The first build a fire, then lay out some sleeping mats, break out the food and whisky, then send the young guys out to hunt while the old guys lay around, drink booze, eat, smoke and sleep! Perfect.

I really hope you enjoy viewing these pictures, Ill post a vid or 2 soon also.

Remeber all donations to tomahawks travel fund can be made via the paypal button on my blog.

Tomahawk - Scouts Out!

Popski's private Army (PPA) WW2

"Only to the fools amongst the men of my generation will the realization come as a surprise that we liked war"

Peniakoff in his autobiography.

Vladamir Peniakoff or "Popski" as he was known to his men is another one of those interesting characters that emerge from the wood work in times of war.

I would have loved to man the twin vikers machine guns on his Vehicle Named "The Piss pot", as we explored the north african desert behind enemy lines. I believe the conversation and experience would of been pretty interesting.

Below is a little info on the man and his unit. for further reading on this subject you can look up his Bio online and track down his Autobiography.

Tomahawk - Scouts Out!

Popski's Private Army, officially No. 1 Demolition Squadron, PPA, was an unit of British Special Forces founded in Cairo in 1942 by Major (later Lieutenant-Colonel) Vladimir Peniakoff DSO MC. Popski's Private Army was one of several raiding units formed in the Western Desert during the Second World War. They also served in Italy and the Adriatic before they were disbanded in September 1945.

HistoryAt the start of the Second World War the British military in the Middle East looked for men who had experience in desert survival and knowledge of the North African desert. Vladimir Peniakoff was one such man and in 1941 he was commissioned as a Lieutenant in the British Army. By 1942 Peniakoff had been on a number of operations with the Long Range Desert Group (LRDG). British radio operators having trouble pronouncing his name led to the nickname Popski which was given him by Intelligence Officer of the LRDG, Captain Bill Kennedy Shaw. In the autumn of 1942 he was approached by Colonel John Hackett and asked to form a small independent unit to raid behind the Axis lines. The unit was officially designated No. 1 Demolition Squadron, PPA.

From a small start of five officers and 18 other ranks, Popski's Private Army eventually numbered 120 men, which was the smallest independent unit of the British Army during the Second World War.

Their first raid behind the lines in December 1942, nearly ended in disaster. Travelling from Egypt to southern Tunisia they were intercepted by German aircraft, which destroyed all but two of their jeeps. All they had left was what the men happened to be carrying. Starting back to Egypt, Popski and his men covered 4,000 miles (6,400 km) before making contact with British patrols.

Less than a month later they were back behind the Axis lines, conducting raids on fuel dumps and installations. On 19 March, 1943, a unit of three men accepted the surrender of 600 Italian soldiers that had been cornered in a wadi.

During its time in the desert, Popski's Private Army was credited with the destruction of 34 Axis aeroplanes, six armoured vehicles, 112 trucks and 450,000 gallons of fuel. For the loss of one man captured and two wounded.

Italy After Axis forces surrendered in Tunisia, the PPA saw action in the Allied invasion of Italy. They were part of the British force that landed at Taranto, where they were assigned to reconnoiter enemy forces in the region. They succeeded in getting behind enemy lines and capturing a German quartermaster, who provided details on troop strength in the sector. They also took part in raids in the Adriatic, on one occasion capturing the German garrison of Caserma dei Fiumi Uniti, killing 40 and capturing 152 men, for the loss of three dead and five wounded. In early 1945, the 700-man German garrison of Chioggia surrendered to a patrol of the PPA consisting of 12 men and six jeeps. The following summer, the PPA crossed the Sibellini mountains and captured the town of Camerino.

With the end of the Second World War Popski's Private Army was officially disbanded on 14 September 1945.

The Home Made gun

I woke up early this morning with a massive head ache. Feeling a bit dehydrated, I rolled out of my Hennessey hammock, folded my Monks robe blanket, then reached for my coke bottle canteen for a long pull of water.

The mosquitoes were pretty fierce so I lit 2 sticks of incense and stuck one into the bark of the trees at each end of my hammock.

Taking my last ½ liter coke bottle of water, I mixed a bit of cold coffee using 2 of those 3 in 1 packets of coffee from the 711 store.

After drinking coffee and swatting mosquitoes for a while, I packed up my gear and headed for the road. I know there is a town close by because the night before I had heard lots of noise in the distance.

As I walked down the road I kept looking at my feet and basically, counting the steps I was making, something made me look up, I saw what appeared to be a monk standing in the road – he suddenly, the vision turned into a whirl wind and came straight toward me, as the whirl wind hit me it felt exactly like someone slapped me in the face.

Odd but true, I guess the Naka(snake) spirit was working over time today .Feeling a bit refreshed after this “encounter,” I continued my way toward the little village. Once in the village I saw a small road side shop and stopped to see what was for sale.

I bought some water and coffee packets. I was about to leave when a man pulled up on a motor bike, apparently everything he owned was on it, to include his wife and baby. This Gentleman reminded me of my Aeta or Batak friends in the Philippines.

I noticed right away that he was carrying a long barreled home made black powder shot gun. It looked to be about a 410 guage or so. I asked him what he was hunting and he said ,”For birds”. He showed me the contents of his little pouch and it contained 3 small bottles, 1 contained home made bird shot – made by dropping molten lead into cold water. Another contained black powder, and the last contained caps, similar to those we use in the states for toy cap guns. He also had some coconut fiber for wadding.

This rig was pretty cool, and makes the first gun I have seen here in Thailand. The length of the barrel, the weight, the home hade bird shot and the use of toy caps to fire it ring of true bushman savvy and total wilderness understanding.

I hope to encounter other interesting things like this down the road.

Tomahawk – scouts out!

Tomahawk training mam in the use of a sling shot

Tomahawk giving Mam a little instruction on how to use a sling shot prior to heading out to hunt the elusive green mango.

They are pretty tasty served with a dip made from chillies,sugar and salt.......

Tomahawk - scouts out!

Mam and the mango hunt

Tomahawk and Mam out hunting mangos with a sling shot.

Tomahawk - scouts out!