Pai

After trekking in Chiang Mai I let my sore muscles recover with a day learning how to cook some delicious Thai food, then I got myself on a minibus to a small town called Pai. The journey consists of a three hour ride through the mountains, which, although beautiful, consists of over 700 hair raising bends that could present a challenge to even the most iron-clad stomach. It was worth it though, as soon as I stepped off the bus I knew I would love Pai. It is quite westerner heavy but is incredibly laid back. After looking at a couple of guesthouses on the main strip I got a tip to head to the river where I checked myself into a bamboo hut, resplendent with hammock and porch and with free wifi. All for about 200 baht (less than 4 pounds) a night (and there are cheaper places they just didn't have availability). I then spent the afternoon doing what Pai is designed for - chilling out. I had coffee with friends and dinner with another couple of women I met at cooking class. In the evening I went to check out what the nightlife is like. It seems I arrived a day too late for the really lively nights - Friday and Saturday.

The following day I discovered most of the sights around Pai  - natural hotsprings, waterfalls etc. are most easily accessed by scooter or motorbike. I have never driven one of these. Nevertheless I decided this was not a problem and when the rental guy asked me to prove my ability proceeded to give too much throttle and nearly flatten a Thai person. I was promptly rejected. Fair enough. As my more skilled and mechanically gifted friends left me in a trail of dust I was contemplating what to do when the solution presented itself to me "mototaxi miss?" - Sure! I hopped on the back of a motorcycle and entrusted a stranger in a reflective vest with my life and limbs. The ride was pretty beautiful and only interrupted slightly by the constant chatter of my driver: "How old you?" - "23" - "Ohhh same same...you drink?" - "Err, no [lies]" - "You smoke?" - "Err, no [truth]" - "Hahaha you good" etc etc.

We arrived at a waterfall abut 15km out of town and I spent a pleasant couple of hours watching local kids dive kamikazee-style into one of the pools and sliding on he bellies over the smoothed over rocks.

My mototaxi driver was waiting for me and proceeded to make the ride home pretty awkward by asking me out for a drink. Having politely declined I then had to spend the next 20 minutes gripping on with my thighs to avoid death while leaning as far back as I possibly could. On the plus side this was an excellent abdominal workout.

My final day in Pai was fairly uneventful. I was not in the best health after the meal I had eaten the night before so I adopted a group of English girls and spent the day chilling at the pool at Fluid bar.

If I'd had more time in Pai I would have loved to have visited the hotsprings as the sun sets (the nest time of day to go) and I have also heard good things abot a place called Jungle Farm from a group of Canadian girls I met on the next leg of my trip and had some good times there. But sadly I was booked on a minibus to the Laos border where a two day riverboat journey awaited. Time to say goodbye to Thailand!

Next stop: 2 day slow boat to Luang Prabang.