Still Crazy After All These Years - Crazy Good

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My husband and I first visited Pai a decade ago, and remember it as a charming little town with dusty streets, good restaurants, great music, and lots of dreadlocks and artisans, with fantastic biking routes through the nearby lush countryside. It was at that time that I had my first elephant ride through the jungle, and an unforgettable experience river bathing with my enormous elephant. The bathing was particularly memorable because it was totally unexpected and I believed fully that I was going to be submerged fatally under two tons of elephant who decided to roll over in the water with me still on his back. However, once I realized I was not pulverized, drowned, and dead, I opted to do it again, thrilled with the experience I had with this beautiful majestic animal. It is forever seared in my memory.

And so it was a special treat to return to the same place with my niece Janelle, and see her jaw drop as she saw her first elephant "in the wild". Although she did not opt for the river bathing experience, this was her very first time getting close to and feeding these beautiful animals, which she has said she will never forget because it too was entirely unexpected. I am pretty stoked that we each had our initial elephant experiences spontaneously, and at the very same place. How cool is that?

Pai, as we expected, has changed a lot since we first visited. The charming dusty streets have all been paved, and the variety of restaurants now includes Italian, Mexican, organic vegetarian, and numerous espresso coffee shops as well as, of course, great Thai food. There are more streets, more artisans, and more live music venues, the best of which has got to be Edible Jazz, where world class recording artists blew us away every night with their stellar tight musicianship. And all is still affordable, clean, safe, and wholesome, just as the biking in the countryside is still amazing yet remarkably not very busy.

Ten years later, many things have indeed changed, but the landscape and positive energy of the Thai people remain as beautiful as always.

I am certain Pai will remain a trip highlight like it was in 2006, as we continue on to visit again Chiang Mai in the north, and later this year the beaches of southern Thailand.

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Photos

Wrestling Match with an Elephant
I got him down. I won. And I did not drown either. Bonus.

Lovin' My Elephant Bath Partner
Only after I realized I survived, of course:)

Roadside Elephant
He was enormous and suddenly just there. . .

Good Times Together
Last time we two were together outside of Canada was about forty years ago in Corsica. I think we are overdue.

Beautiful Pairadise Oasis
What a sweet place to come home to every night.

Biking Buddies
We had great fun cruising the hills around Pai, riding into the wind.

Ready Set for Take Off
Another first for Jamie & Janelle, flying in this 12 seater. "There's no cock pit!" says Janelle, when we get on. Nope:)

Sweet Ride
The 25 minute ride coming back in this eight year old plane with a complimentary sandwich and water - albeit no cockpit - was a great way to see the Thai countryside. Highly recommended.

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