Clear Skies

I was sitting on a deckchair by the pool yesterday, in a bit of a meditative state, watching the clouds go by. There goes one that looks like a dog...there goes one that looks like a sheep...there goes one that looks like a Ming Dynasty vase, only more detailed...

 European skies sometimes look like this - this is not photoshopped!
(Not my photo - from the net)

Anyway, I noticed for the first time since being here that there wasn't a single contrail across the sky; no airliners. I can't remember the last time I lived in a place that didn't have at least a few airliners crossing from time to time. So, I guess Mae Sot is not on the way to anywhere. Not even remotely. As a bit of an aircraft watcher/aviation buff/wannabe pilot, I'm surprised it took me so long to notice.

Bell UH-1 Iroquois (not my photo - from the net)

We do have some aircraft activity here in Mae Sot. There's the occasional Bell UH-1 Iroquois helicopter from the Thai military, and a little regional passenger plane from Bangkok every few days or so. Just enough to keep me looking up.

Dornier Do-228 (not my photo - from the net, also below, yep, nicked from the net. Too lazy today to go out and get my own pics!)

I guess it all makes me think about the level of visual/atmospheric pollution that we generally don't give too much thought to. There's contrails across the sky - big deal. Who cares, right? Well, After 9/11, when all aircraft were grounded, scientists had an opportunity to study the effect of the unusually clear skies. They found a difference of nearly 2 degrees Celsius between the day and night-time temps. In just 3 days. There you go, just makes me think, that's all...