Sightseeing around Pai and beyond.....

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As predicted I was in a really deep sleep and really not wanting to get up at 430 - as per, when there really is something i need to get up for I can't sleep the night before, so managed about 3 hours, great, not!! BUT my survival instincts kicked in and was right as rain by the time i made the walk up to the parked up bus - great it was a VIP bus again - and i had my same seat as last time - funny as i was last to board! Was pretty surprised that everyone else had made it on time! Well before 5am as i was 5am on the dot by some miracle some how or other!! Apart from a German guy everyone else on the tour was Thai, so it was a Thai tour guide, luckily one of the girls spoke fluent English so she translated to me :-)

We drove for a couple of hours and ended up at a Chinese village high at the top of the mountains above the clouds, so high my ears started to pop! We were there for sunrise, however the sun wasn't up for coming out to play (but at least the torrential rain from the previous night had stopped!) but it was still an amazing sight with the mist / clouds etc all below us looking down on the mountains - got some great photos!

Next stop was a huge lake, again spectacular view with horses running freely, by then the sun was trying to put in an appearance which was an added bonus!

We then went on to see sheep and their baby lambs - more opportunities for cute animal photos!! They really were sweeties :-) (no goats there, haha!!)

Back on the VIP bus for our next destination - another 'hot spring' which was advertised as hot spring and mud bath - yet again it was a health place and a fake hot spring, however this one was quite luxurious and i really wasn't looking my best from the lack of sleep and early start so thought I could do with some pampering - loved the mud pack! Then went and had a soak in another heated pool - this one did actually have minerals in it and felt like it was actually doing something tho! But still to find the real thing - that's really turning into a mission, ha!

We then headed off to visit a 'long neck tribe' these people wear gold rings around their necks! They were all lovely and let us take photos and i bought a couple of nice bags, one will hold literally loads, which is what i need as a daybag! Hmmm wondering if i'll get away with it as a 'handbag' on the plane as would def fit all the extra stuff in!!! I also got dressed up in the local costume that was quite amusing!


Second but last stop was fish cove, this was set in a national park where i could have spent ages wandering around if only there had been more time, only there wasn't so we made the best of it and explored the waterfall and fishes, the fishes actually have no eyes, explanation is because it's so dark there they don't need eyes and so nature didnt give them eyes, and nature only gives us what we need - interesting fact of the day ;-) All explained by the Thai girl in perfect English! I really wish I knew how to speak Thai - (I"ve just about learn't 'Thank you' )as their such interesting people to talk to (and lovely too considering they have to suffer me not knowing a word of their language!!) Actually out of all the people i've met here so far the best conversations have all been with Thais themselves.......

We then set off back to Pai and stopped off one last time for the first sunset of my trip - we literally only just made it in time to watch the sun set behind the mountains - amazing!!

Got back about 7 so was a long old day (14 hours in total!) but brilliant and nice to have a bit of culture after coming all this way! Was actually really relaxing too considering 1st day with no yoga or bike trips, have to make up for it tomorrow with my 2 hour class, ha!

Oh yeh, another street stall meal - rice and spicy sausage - was so hungry after the trip again couldnt face the long wait in a restaurant, ha.....

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