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Published: January 27th 2010
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We were excited to escape Chiang Mai - it’s a large city and its energy is a notch above what we’re used to, to say the least. Not that our time there wasn’t interesting and enjoyable but to a couple of people used to some measure of green, quiet existence it can start to make your brain rattle. Can’t wait to see what 24 hours in Bangkok does to us. We were ready to leave our mid-trip doldrums behind - the grumpy elephant experience left us feeling down, missing our kids and home…we needed a change of scenery to get out of the funk.
We waited for our ride to Pai at the gate of the guesthouse and right when we thought we had been forgotten a songthaew pulled up. Our jaws dropped as we had been told it would be a minivan and the thought of three plus hours on the country’s curviest road in a songthaew was not anything we could imagine. The 6 other European and Australian 20-somethings in the back all had wide grins on their faces and as we climbed in I said ‘this isn’t a minivan’. They had a good laugh and said that
we were simply taking the truck to the minivan. They had all had the same reaction.
It was nice to chat with everyone on the way there - three Australians, a girl from Holland, and two Brits. When one of the Australians asked us where we were from I said Colorado - he laughed and said that 5 out of the 6 Americans he had met thus far were from Colorado. Glad our state is represented well in the traveling circles, a good adventure-seeking lot.
The ride to Pai would be fantastic on a motorcycle and many do it that way. It was pretty in the van as we wound through the mountains, curve after curve after curve. It’s every bit as twisty as all the t-shirts proclaim. During our stop half-way there we were really reminded of the mountains in Costa Rica…very similar. The three-hour drive started to feel a bit long toward the end as one gets lazy about trying to keep the car sickness at bay but just as I started to really get tired of the whole deal, there we were.
I was surprised at how large Pai was - for some reason
I was picturing a sleepy little place after Bill warned us about how terribly BORED we’d be but immediately we could tell that it would take more than 6 hours to grow tired of it. The population is listed in Lonely Planet at a little over 2000 and I’m certain the tourists double that number easily. This was the first place that we didn’t have a reservation for so we set off to find somewhere to stay. After walking around a bit and checking out a few places we ended up at Baan Pai Village, a bit pricey and the bungalow was very basic but the grounds were absolutely beautiful. There is a coi pond and platform settees and the whole place is just done up properly.
Pai is a nice place to wander around on foot but we soon found ourselves discussing renting motorbikes the following day. Not exactly Harleys they’re totally manageable scooters that everyone in town drives around. I think the rental shops revel in handing out the goofiest helmets ever to the tourists. Todd calls them dumb and dumber helmets and they really do no one any fashion favors.
Before dinner we decided to
head up on foot and try to find the place that I had read about on Travelfish, Pairadise. We found it about 10 minutes walking from downtown and stopped in to check it out. We found out that they had a bungalow available for the next day for 700 baht ($22), 400 baht cheaper than Baan Pai and a really beautiful place with a stream-fed pool suitable for swimming. It sits up on the hill on the east side of town and overlooks the mountains to the west. A German woman and her Thai husband and 5-year old daughter run the place and are very friendly and welcoming. We told them we’d be back in the morning to see if they still had a room…
Back to town we went where we found the Witching Well, a little restaurant run by a British guy who seems to have quite the following. The place was packed in a town where there are many restaurants that go were empty. I think the hook was the chocolate cake we saw everyone eating, that and the prospect of a little non-Thai food. The table full of expats next to us apparently have moved
permanently to Pai, as many have done…they came to visit and never went home. The rent for a 3b/2b western-amenity house is only about $150 a month and the one guy said he paid 1500 baht for six months of electricity use ($47). You can understand how at least that part of would be appealing if you had no reason to stay in the US. I like Pai, but I don’t have the least bit of desire to live in Thailand. We like where we live, high mortgage, electricity and all.
Yesterday we moved from Baan Pai up to Pairadise (sic) and, short of the wifi not working, is a lovely spot to be. We've spent the past two days with our fat asses riding motorbikes all over the Thai countryside around Pai, up to two waterfalls one of which left a bit to be desired but the other more inspiring. We've been through the Chinese villages, past tiny outposts where the old women stand out front offering to sell you pot. No thank you. It's great fun to have the freedom to ride at will anywhere...
Need to post this (no editing so bear with me) as
we need to get up and get a bus ticket before the seats are gone. xo
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Chuck
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ice cream??????????
I don't know nothing about no ice cream--Todd must have contracted the dreaded thai fever... it's paradice here in all this snow, more coming, no place to pile it now.