Five Americans and one German strong, we made quite the motorbike posse. I was too scared to learn how to ride amidst the curvy roads surrounding Pai, so Bonnie and others were kind enough to tote me around on the back of theirs. We took a winding road north through peaks of mountains and stopped at a viewpoint for stunning vistas, clean air and grilled sweet potatoes. We continued on to a cave, but couldn't afford the mandatory guide and bamboo raft. Two years ago, all the hotsprings and caves were either free or barely charged. Now, with a recent tourist boom, the natural beauty of the area often comes with a price. No matter, we made our way down a dirt road and then a narrow footpath (on our motorbikes!) in an attempt to get to the base of a giant cliff. Based on the reactions of grazing cattle, it didn't seem like many of the locals use motorbikes on that path. Eventually, muddy crossings and steep inclines prevented us continuing our journey on bikes. We parked and hiked up rough fields and through jungles of brambles and bamboo before eventually we couldn't get farther on foot. I was wearing flip-flops, so I went barefoot most of the way, caking my feet in mud, stepping on a few brambles and enjoying the Thai landscape passing through my toes. We passed bamboo shanties of farmers and they gave Bonnie and Steve a bag of something we haven't yet identified.
It was dark on the way back, and I forgot to pack warm clothes. My teeth chattered, especially downhill. Tilman cut the engine and we floated downhill without a headlight, through curves and almost into some cows chewing in the middle of the road (unflinching, of course). The sun had set over the mountains and a pink glow hovered above them. Amazing. To get the chill out of my bones, I went straight to the herbal steam sauna when I got back to Pai. The smell of licorice filled my lungs, steam seared my face, it was a perfect end to a beautiful day.
The next night we celebrated Tino's birthday by sending off a couple of lanterns. We sent fireworks after the second one, trying to shoot it down. It floated high enough to appear the size of a star.
In the three hours in took to drive from Chiang Mai to Pai, we rounded 762 curves. Don't worry, I planned ahead and took a Dramamine- didn't feel a thing! The heart of Pai consists of a handful of streets filled with shops, restaurants, and guesthouses. The streets transform into a market each night, with souvenirs, black sesame pancakes and chrysanthemum tea at every turn. I stayed across the river in a bamboo hut, overlooking fields, mountains and spectacular sunsets. I spent plenty of time in my hammock and had to huddle in blankets at night to stay warm. I splurged $6 for a traditional Thai massage that ranks in the top 2 of all time. I followed it with an herbal steam sauna- just thinking about it makes me relax.
Reluctantly, I left Pai after 8 days. I made my way down to Chiang Mai for 2 nights and then on to Chiang Khong, a border town set on the Mekong River. From here, I crossed into Laos.
Here's pics of Pai:
Pai |
If you missed my account of lovely Chiang Mai, click HERE.
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