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Wow, I can not believe that the last blog i wrote was in Kanchanaburi. A great deal has happened since then, namely after chiang mai which i only spent a day in i made it over to Pai and i am so glad i did. Chaing mai is so terribly touristy and i found no opportunity to talk to the locals. I can't say that i've had the same problem here. the place is stunning.
Settled in a valley on the banks of the river pai and surrounded by forest on all sides the tempo here is beautifully down beat. very calm, very beautiful and the people, amazing. i have met a lot of locals, shared their company, invited into their homes and had memorable conversations. there is music everywhere and everyone knows each other. thankfully, the music played is not the horrid techno, dance rubbish you get on khao san road but jazz, classical and thai. everyone is so chilled and laid back they're almost horizontal!
i arrived last friday and cannot believe i have been here 6 days now. as soon as i arrived i booked a white water rafting trip. i never knew that floating down
the rapids with a life jacket and helmet can be so blissful and exhilirating at the same time. Unfortunately, the rapids were not so great because the rainy season has only just started but hey it was a great introduction. I am now addicted and will definitely be doing this again.
it was a 2 day rafting trip and we stayed in the forest on the banks of the river in bamboo huts. met some wonderful people and have some great pictures but unfortunately the best of them are with the french girl Julia who promised she would email them to me. Let's hope she does.
What i have been doing for the other 4 days? elephant riding and exploring. i went on the elephant today and after that experience i am of the firm opinion that the beasts are not for riding. while they are beautiful and magnificent they have this bizarre capacity to make you sweat despite being as dry as a bone. i didn't sit on a chair but on the back and boy does that hurt. their spine digs into your ass and the only other option is to sit on the neck but
there it is impossible to get any balance. quite unnerving.
From hereon i shall admire them from afar!!
tomorrow morning i will be getting a minibus to chiang khong, north east thailand on the border of laos. because it's so far away (9 hours journey) i won't arrive till 5:30 and will have to go through another labour of finding a guest house.
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