Pai, Northern Thailand

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I'm nearing the end of our travels in Thailand and I'm so sad! Thailand has been so amazing all the way through (although the most damaging to my bank account!) I'm so happy that we chose to fly out of Bangkok at the very end of our trip, so it's not really the end for Thailand. There is still so much shopping to be done! hahha

So the last couple of days have been so chill. This entry wont' be very long since I haven't really DONE anything! But that's the point. Tory, myself and an American girl named Ali came to Pai a few days ago on the most sketchy public bus ever. We even had to stop en route to change the tires! haha Pai is a really small town in a valley, surrounded by mountains. I can't say this enough - the scenery is just stunning. While being here, sometimes I take it for granted and then realize what a beautiful place I'm in.

I'm not sure how this came to be, but Pai is also known as a hippie town. Everyone is extremely laid-back and the town has a underlying health theme to all of it's really great restaurants and cafes. Short of any major attractions, you don't come to Pai to DO anything. Well except maybe to eat. And that's pretty much all we've done since coming here!

We did rent motorbikes again for the past few days and have been biking around the countryside, going to waterfalls, temples and other smaller villages. Yesterday, we rode an elephant! I wasn't hugely keen on this idea, but thought that it was an experience I should take. There are many different elephant 'camps' where you can pay to ride an elephant around. So all three of us plus our guide got onto this massive elephant and away we went. It was the most uncomfortable thing EVER! haha We rode 'bareback' which really hurt your bum and was quite a hairy experience. I didn't realize that elephants were so hairy! Anyway - it was slow and hot but now I guess I can say that I've done it!

The better attraction that we went to was a nearby natural hot springs which was really cool. I've only been to a hot spring in Banff where there was a built up pool, etc. Here it was literally just a very strong sulphur smelling pool of hot, hot water flowing downstream into sand-bottom pools where you could sit like in a hot tub. Although we were already so hot, it was actually a very relaxing experience!

The best part of Pai, as I mentioned has been the food. There are so many different organic restaurants serving all kinds of different foods. We've eaten some incredible Thai food, Italian food (homemade pasta!), falafel and the best baked goods in all of Thailand. My fave spot (I've been there everyday!) is this really neat cafe/tea house that serves all these different teas for every ailment possible. So yummy!

Also - since we're nearing the end of our time in Thailand, we have been trying to take full advantage of Thai massages. Before coming to Thailand, I had never had a massage but here you can get any kind of massage imaginable for about $5 for an hour. The most interesting is a traditional Thai massage where they move your body in all sorts of directions, into positions you didn't you could do while stretching and massaging your muscles and cracking all of your joints. Sounds painful but is really wonderful!

Speaking of crazy positions, I almost forgot! To go along w/ Pai's health theme, the other major attraction is to do yoga. I have never, ever done yoga but I thought now is as a good time as any to try! haha omigod, what an experience! I wish I had pictures of this, but I did two two hour classes with a 61 yr old Thai woman who was VERY eccentric. Her 'studio' was just as weird as she was and smelt very much like pee. Hmmmm. I wouldn't go as far as saying that I enjoyed it, but I could be persuaded to do it again 😊

Ok - I'm getting eaten ALIVE by mosquitos right now. Good thing I spent so much money on malaria pills (although you can get any drug or medication here for about 2 cents a pill whereas in Canada, I paid $5 a day for malarial prophylaxis! argh!). Next, we are off to northern Loas where Ali and I are heading out to the middle of nowhere to do some hardcore hiking! Eeeeeeee! I'm so pumped for that. It should be quite an experience. Unfortunately, I have to spend two whole days on buses to get there so you won't hear from me for awhile. Hopefully me and my bum will survive the trip 😊

Miss everyone so much - if you ever have time, email me! I love hearing news from home.
Much love,
Celia
xoxoxoxoxoox

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Photos

Ali & I swimming at the waterfalls!
(Tory's pic)

Outside Pai
(Tory's pic)