Pai

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This morning we left our big backpacks at our guest house in Chiang Mai and went to the bus station to buy a ticket to Pai and then went to the train station to buy a ticket to Phitsanoluk ("Pizza-no-luk"), because that's a midway point to head on to Non Khai, a border town of Laos. We were going to do the slow boat thing on the Mekong, but decided that journey would be way too painful to do since all we are going for is the tubing in Vang Vieng and to see the capital, both of which are pretty much right across the border from Non Khai.

So we went to the bus station and we were led to our van which is literally just a small van with 9 seats stuffed in the back and then two next to the driver. We were lucky to have the seats behind the driver so we had room to put our little backpacks on this strange sort of shelf that was there. It took about 3 hours with a 10 minute stop in the middle and I am so glad I don't get carsick, because this would have done me in. The road was incredibly windy and hilly. If it was a straight, flat path, I'm sure it would have taken about half the time.

Anyways, the first thing we did upon arrival was to book our way back to Chiang Mai. Our train leaves at 9pm on Sunday, so we decided we should leave Pai around 4pm to give us time to go back to our guest house, get our stuff, get organized, and get going. The only one available was a minibus (an upgrade!) for 150, the same price as the van getting here...

I love Pai. It's like Chiang Mai's baby sister. It's really laid back and has such a great vibe to it. There's a ton of Muslims here, which I didn't expect, a ton of hippies, and a ton of regular Joes (I don't know what the equivalent of "Joe" would be, so I'm going to leave it at that). Theres a river and some bungalows and huts on the side of it and some places to camp and send off those flame-floating lanterns -- I think these are for the king, but I'm not sure.

We're paying 100 baht per person to stay at Baan Chok Dee Pai, which has an area for tents, so we're using ours, and it has wifi -- the essential element for Ronald. We pitched our tent and walked around, ate, hung out, and have decided against a tour and to instead rent a motorbike to get to the Pai Hot Springs, which is apparently only 15 minutes away...we'll see. It started sprinkling a bit earlier, but all in all, it's been really pleasant weather.

Technical Details

• van from Chiang Mai to Pai: 150 baht
  
• minibus from Pai a Chiang Mai: 150 baht
  
• train from Chiang Mai to Phitsanulok: 440 baht
  
• I love but don't understand this: they ride on the backs of their friends' motorcycles/scooters with flip-flops, high heels, and sandals, and I have not once seen them lose a shoe...
  

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