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Published: November 5th 2006
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Hand brake Thai style
This was the bus we took from Chiang Mai to Pai along windy mountainous roads...we felt really safe. Before I begin two small points. Firstly, GWAN MUNSTER...what a start to the season! (shame about Leinster eh?) Secondly, thanks for all your mails on how to cheat at the rubik cube. I am a little disappointed that you think I would cheat...come on you must know me well enough to realise I like to play it by the book.
Ok, so we are going about this final Thailand blog a little arseways! Given the size and popularity of Chiang Mai this should of course be our Chiang Mai blog with a little slice of Pai, however we couldn't see why everyone raves about Chiang Mai so much and so this is our blog about Pai with a little slice of Chiang Mai. For those who still haven't got it Pai is pronounced pie.
Our brief stay in Chiang Mai was pretty uneventful. I hadn't prepared myself for all the go-go bars and we were expecting a town more like Luang Prabang, this topped with the fact we had already done most of the activities on offer and that the place is over-run by tourists means that it hasn't left much of an impression on us. However we are
going back for 2 days prior to flying to Kuala Lumpur and intend on catching some Thai boxing so it may redeem itself yet. We did get a lot of home comforts, stocking up on books (I had resorted to reading a book about Brazilian football?), drinking Starbucks coffee (well just one...the cost was a little inhibiting) eating the best falafel and hummus I have ever had (Ed has come around and admitted hummus is good....I'll have him veggie soon) and yes shamefully we made a trip to McDonalds! Ok so I can hear some amongst you shouting, how would you like Chiang Mai? you may as well have been in London! To defend ourselves, we did get some culture in, we checked out numerous beautiful Wats (some of the most decorative we have seen) and we visited the night market (grave disappointment but Ed did get some lovely new fake Teva's to replace his fake Nikes which died a death from pavement pounding between Wats). So that as they say was that!
Pai on the other hand we could stay in for weeks or months!. It's a four hour drive along windy mountainous roads (3 hours of which
I spent desperately needing a loo...the pain!) It's only a small town which lives as far as we can see chiefly off tourism. The towns got its fair share of hippies and a huge population of ex-pats but everyone seems to get along just dandy and it is by far the most laid back place we have been. We made friends with a lady who makes great currys and noodles, who explained to us that she and most others in town work 14 hours a day, 7 days a week but everyone is really happy. This seems crazy to us but she meant it genuinely! We found the best guesthouse (Pravees House for anyone who is going to Pai) and sat back for a few days not really doing very much. We have spent much of the past few days on mountain bikes again, tackling the many hills and sweating alot. We also took part in a meditation class (I know, really getting into the hippy vibe...you should see Ed's kaftan...only kidding) it was pretty interesting, if a little pointless to take time out of our stressfree lives to relax??? Today, however was the highlight; our main reason for coming
to Pai was due to a travelblog I had read about bare back elephant riding.
We cycled out to the camp (Karens Elephants) with our bag packed with bananas for Jumbo. Jumbo it turns out answers to Camsen, a female 39 year old. I am stuck for words to describe the experience but we have added loads of pictures and hopefully a video clip (check out the link to the video clip on the top left of the entry "How not to get on an elephant") so you can get an idea. Camsen was a bit of a naughty elephant but we were so pleased to see the mahout never once used his hook on her and when she decided to stop to eat, well we just waited until she was finished. It was so much better riding on her back and better again going in the river for a little bath. Camsen decided it was bath time for us too (she seemed to think a river full of elephant poo would clean us up nicely) and promptly dunked us in again and again and again. I got a bit annoyed when she pushed my head under the water
with her trunk but who can stay cross with an elephant for long? We soon made up. Wet and very tired from clinging onto Camsens back while she clambered about in the jungle we wearily made the cycle back to town. Elephants are great!
Updated November 8th - Chiang Mai.
It's our last day in Thailand (Chiang Mai to be exact) we fly to Kuala Lumpur tomorrow and are really looking forward to covering so much ground so fast and touching down in a completely different country, culture and religion in only 2.5 hours.
Our last day in Pai and our first in back in Chiang Mai were pretty cool due to them coinciding with a Thai festival, Loy Kratang, occuring on 4-6 November or at the full moon. It was nice to see the Thais out partying and we bought our own Kratang (a little float with a flower, a candle and three incense sticks) to make a wish and float down the moat in Chiang Mai. Your wish supposedly comes true if the candle stays lit until the Kratang is out of sight. Unfortunately for us our candle went out before it hit the water...bad omen?
As has become a bit of a tradition we tend to get a bit tipsy on our last day in each country so I had better leave it there and let the pictures speak for themselves.
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Camsen
I'm so jealous, that video link is hilarious!