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Skalkaho Chapter 15: Chuck Woodson Comes For Frank

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The morning after the first camp Frank had calculated even with the disruption they had covered 15 miles going North-North-East from the plantation. Even when moving through the off-trail foliage thus adding several extra miles going back to and from the trail to camp. It was a twelve hour day which ended by 7:00PM at the meadow and it then it became quickly dark. The plantation was certainly a day back but another day without problem tomorrow would put Bangkok as just a distant memory for all of the party. This morning’s aspiration was for going 20 miles by evening. The plateau was about 200 miles North-North-East of the plantation and it would take another 10 days of travel by skirting towns and villages by remaining discreet from questioning eyes.  Having elephants for the journey indicated money could be present with the travelers. Elephants were highly prized in this region and to have one meant some kind of wealth status. In this case, there wer...

Skalkaho Chapter 14: Eureka, The Elephants Pull Its Weight In?

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By late afternoon thy after the private wedding between Prescott and Malee, the party started as a simple walk in the park onboard on these elephants. They were trained for log moving and heavy loads for the hauling of rubber tanks throughout the plantation. Prescott and Mauli had spent hours making the supply frames put on the four elephants before loading the expedition supplies. They would be reconfigured and the way back if Gold was found they could load the elephants with about 1,000 lbs. for each animal. When Malee and Frank first it was assumed more elephants would be acquired after the cache of Gold was obtained. Then Frank would go to Samarn's village for more freight bearing elephants. Enough to carry it all.  After-all one elephant would carry about $18 dollars in gold and what was expected was about 50 elephants or loads back to BCP. That would mean, Frank, expected to obtain almost one billion in the gold with a US value. Enough to complet...

Skalkaho Chapter 13: The Plantation A Flexible Mold

Often, Skalkaho wondered how he ended up in this spot and how he would continue on his journey. Though he did know he had intuition, insight, and integrity. Beyond his own mind, he could grasp languages, cultures, and know the character of everyone he met. If this was not the extent of all his gifts. The gifts would remain buried until a situation would arise and reveal to his mind what his ancestral lineage would reveal to him through his own DNA record. The flower made this possible. Otherwise, if not needed it would not be added to his actual status as he was an undaunted seeker of right. So far he knew his grasp of language people and cultures as some kind of wellspring bubbling up when the occasion required an understanding. The plantation was no metaphor, but rubber would stretch his gifts into a perspective that he would carry with him going forward. The "flower" had triggered a path for him to take only through his own being. His past accomplishments would reve...

Skalkaho Chapter 12: Bangkok, A Way Home

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Benjamin Skalkaho had long wondered how to get home and now he knew several years were in store for him before he went home. He had to spend time with the Buddha priest of Wat Anur in order to complete his plan for the gold giving fuel from an enterprise laying somewhere in the jungle of the high plateau country near the village of the chief Samarn.  So Bangkok, it was, and what path would he follow learning more of his craft with his friend and companion Mauli. His first task was to find an unassuming work in Bangkok. He first sought a wealthy rubber plantation on the edge of Bangkok nearer Wat Anur. There he found Bangkok-Chang LTD an old British founded rubber plantation from before the Second World War founded during the 19th century. Skalkaho called it the BCP as an acronym for its name. The plantation owners were part Thai and part English. This story held together as he wanted a job as a plantation worker. It would be rare to find an educated Cauca...

Skalkaho Chapter 11: Bangkok, Land of Plenty

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Off the plateau and on to Bangkok was the plan. After-all, Skalkaho had to find a way to acquire resources for his appointment and the settling up with John Charbonneau, who was his chief rival in life. He had a secret weapon and he needed to use it judiciously and for a higher purpose. The "flower" had his back. The long trans-south East Asian trail may have been one other had taken during prior wars. It was hot, sweaty and demanding. Mauli did not show any sign of wavering in the heat so Skalkaho kept his countenance looking forward without a frown and only a slight smile. This was a destiny, not a journey. He questioned whether revenge would impede his “gift" as was he instructed by chief Samarn from his village. The last night on the trail, lights of Bangkok occasionally made its way through the canopy as they worked towards the city. It was about twenty miles from where Maui and Skalkaho trekked when the lights made the heading clear for the first time in man...

Skalakaho Chapter 10: Meet Charles Woodson

Skalkaho had an unexpected surprise when he reaches the Mekong River in central Laos. A CIA operative contacted him on the river banks as he had a small camouflaged hut back from the river bank on a higher piece of the berm. His name is Charles Woodson and he worked for a CIA networking scheme called "Air America". Chuck was young at this time and was relegated as a cargo pusher. He had been pre-dropped at this location for his new assignment. He was to move into Northern Laos about 250 miles away and organize the Hmong people for its defense against the NVA. The CIA was very keen to make things worse for its enemies. This story has some legs as Skalkaho remained resolute in his goal of making it to Bangkok. Chuck had Bangkok connections and could help him find a business anchor basing his US return in the next year. As Skalkaho read the local newspaper on November 25, 2017, he read more about Chuck disclosing troubles that may also follow his own journey living in Montana...

Skalkaho Chapter 9: The Beginning Of The End

Barely moving, Skalkaho rolled on his floor mat. A cloud occupying his brain brought immense pain, it felt as if he had been bludgeoned almost to his death. The only thought he had was just hanging tight to the floor mat. His mind was a whirl and a putrid convulsion was about to begin in his stomach. Skalkaho was about to find out how fast he would dehydrate from whatever Red juice he had just drunk earlier.  Moaning is not disrespectful in his current condition and moaning seemed to help. A brief moment of conscientious turned into a delirious dreamlike state. Everything he had ever learned or had experienced flashed before in his thoughts. In fact, some thoughts came forward without any reference or origin of its nature. It's almost as if he were being recreated by every ounce of his being.  The delirious stage lasted for many hours perhaps days, if possible. The villagers came in from time to time and left a jug of spring water from somewhere nearby. He also remembered...