Postcards from Thailand #31: Cheap Gazebos Cost Lives!

As a 'temporary' measure, the wife decided we needed a big gazebo to park the car under to stop the paint fading on the heat. All very normal so far...

...but then she mentioned Shopee and £60, quickly followed by mentions of three weeks delivery time and China. Alarm bells began to ring.

I learned a long time ago that you should never stand between a Thai woman and her favourite online shopping portal and being fair, she has got some interesting bargains from the red part of Asia but a 6 X 3m gazebo for £60? This isn't going to end well.

It managed two months. As it didn't actually rain but the cover, which was blue and thinner than a net curtain, was turning from navy to sky to white as I watched. You could almost move the thing by blowing on it, the metal work hanging just inches from the roof of her pride and joy. There was no way my motorbike was going under there.

...and then the rain came...

Luckily for the car, after two drops, the canvas split and the water came through or else the weight would have seen the whole thing buckle and take chunks out of the car. I quickly moved the car out just before a very mild gust of wind put the whole thing on a 45 degree angle.

Next morning, it was carnage as twisted metal lay in a flattened heap on the floor. I have no idea what the hell happened to the canvas top but no doubt it blew of and will be hanging from a tree somewhere.

The damn thing took three of us an hour to erect and just one of ME three hours to undo a gazillion nuts and bolts and take it apart.

That's what half a gazillion nuts and bolts look like!

I was told not to throw it out as it may come in useful...if anyone has any ideas, please drop them in comments.

Anyway. Money wasted. Nathen's fault for not putting it up properly of course and nothing to do with the fact that it was absolute shite.

And now 300 quid out of pocket as we got a proper one put up and attached to the back of the house which after two major downpours is still standing and keeping the car dry and sun free.

And no, this one didn't come from bloody Shopee.

Ohhh.and I've been reactive gardening again today and racked up 15k steps as I try to take back control of the garden.

Have a great weekend. I'm staying down here this weekend so a bit of RnR is in order I think :-)

@nathen007
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Daily Activity, Gardening, Walking