The Beach up North

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Woke up quite early and decided to hit Central Mall to do some shopping.  Do yourself a favour and pass on this place, it's like a Yohan Center in Richmond.  There are 3 things I have notice about thailand that has stayed constant with me through my travel.
1.  The abundance of lady boys
2.  Dogs are just everywhere laying on the road like land mines, it's pretty hard to tell if they are dead or just laying there from heat exhausting
3.  Cell Phone stores and 7-11's are like starbucks backhome....there is like one i every block it seems.
Anyways so the night is pretty chill, I find it hard to plan out the rest of my trip.  I have about 5 days left, not long enough to do anything crazy but also not short enough to hang around.  I am getting restless in Chang Mai, probably more then the place I am staying - SK Guest house.  I wouldn't stay here, they sorta nag you everyday to do somethign and the price I found out is quite expensive.  I would recommend going to Libra guesthouse and do most of your booking through Otto, the hippie/rockstar who has a side kick that calls himself Tom Cruise, it's quite funny.  I see him all the time courting all the Farangs but he is quite a nice guy.  His prices are about 40%!a(MISSING)t times cheaper then most booking places, I wish I met him earlier. 
Met up with Anna on the street and she told me to come meet them at this other guesthouse to watch a movie.  Katie and Anna are leaving tonight, anna to london and katie to Singapore and Sean, okay I'll call him Charles now since we sorta bonded is also leaving tommorrow back to France. 
Night couldn't have been better, caught the last half of Snatch and watched Braveheart.  There is something strange when people depart from you during your travel.  You feel like you have connected with them in some way and it's never  a good bye but more a see ya soon.  One by one, Anna and Katie came back to say their good byes, I try to make it brief because I don't like good byes.  I hung out with Charles the night slamming back 5 whisky and cokes and watching the remainder of Braveheart.  Afterwards we hit the Night bazaar abit and what do I do, I buy a sword.  There is something with me and watching a movie and going shopping right after, it's not good.  Last time I watched The Last Samurai I went to the night bazaar (big market in Chang mai) and ended up buying 3 swords, so now I have 4 swords I have to figure out how to bring back home.  I am going to run away if they play kill bill...
I got up early the next day and chilled with Otto and decided to go to Pai.  Everyone has told me about this place but haven't been able to give me an accurate description.  Most of the guesthouses will tell you not to go and that there is nothign to do but don't listen to them because they dont' get any commission of it.  Trust me on this, Pai is awesome...the hour and a half ride up their was just shere beauty.  I think the reason why most ppl can't describe it to you is b/c you just have to see it for yourself.  It is just a beautiful place.  Pai to the North is like Koh Phi Phi to the south, it is "The Beach" of the North.  I can't really describe it but there is abit of mystery to this place - I haven't prepared to stay over night because all my gear is back in crappy SK guesthouse. 
I tried renting a scooter earlier but didn't have my passport so had to resort to walking which was better because I really got to see alot on foot.  I can easily of stayed 5 days here but damn no change of clothes but hell I'm going to stay the night anyways. 
When I first got to Pai I wanted to be man and the element and for go the map for 20 baut.  Do yourself a favour and buy the damn map because I ended up walking around in the middle of no where.  Once I bought the map I was back in action - walking around Pai is really neat - it's like Koh Phi Phi but up north.  There are bungalows on the river you can rent but I didn't know about it (b/c I was a putz not buyign a map) and rented this other place which wasn't even on the map but it was clean, alot better then SK.  That bungalow on the river would be pretty cool...
Okay I have to cut this short b/c it's gettign dark and I have made mental pictures of how to get back to my guesthouse.  The last thing I need is to be lost here.....
Next post - back to Chang Mai and then to Bangkok.

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Comments

[anonymous]

Your account makes me want to go!
Hey, you know how the internet be a quick ride that drops you off at an unknown corner of the universe? That's how I've felt as I've been reading about your whole trip. Thanks a lot - I think Thailand will be in my near future. Caroline