
Pai is a small town north of Chiang Mai in the mountains - about 4 hours in a bus and described as "a mountain paradise of easy living". Its a lot cooler there (25 degrees) and a higher chance of a downpour ( frequent occurance) .
On Friday we took a minivan to Pai, I (Michelle) was stuck on the backrow of the minibus with the sourest pair of Aussies I have ever come across. They didn't say a word the whole trip either to each other or to anyone else, even when the bus stopped for "toilet breaks" did they engage with anyone else. Of course, the few days we were in Pai we kept running into them as its such a small town and can be walked in a matter of minutes.
Our accomodation comprised of a little chalet on the banks of a river - simple bedroom with ensuite ( we're using that term very liberally !) - but it was cheap and cheerful and mosquito free ( v. important) although the entrance to the chalets was quite mucky and turned into a veritable swamp after a downpour but the flip flops survived and dried easily afterwards.
We hired mopeds on the second day and just travelled around visiting temples on hills, canyons, elephant camps, hot springs (strong smell of sulphur) and generally spinning around the countryside.
I (Michelle) had never ridden a moped before and it was some craic initially "test-driving them" - they were automatics so that made it easier but when you are passed out very closely by a 16 yr old kamikaze driver on a motorbike - it tends to freak you out a bit.... felt like the lads on Dumb and Dumber riding the little scooter with the seriously unflattering helmets that also gave you bad helmet hair !! Sancha on the other hand LOVED the moped and fancied herself as a veritable biker after 2 hours on our chicken chasers. A pink motorbike will be bought in Santry on our return and will be seen most mornings tearing through the traffic in Ballymun/ Port tunnel heading for Earlsfort Terrace !!

We enjoyed the locals and their music in the local hotspot "Be-Bop" where local bands played till 12pm then the amercians took to the stage for an hour ! The after hours drinking location was a place aptly called Bamboo - a large bamboo hut complete with bar and food. We tucked into Singha beers and PhadThai at 3am !! well that was the local equivalent of the chipper !!
Back in Chiang Mai today ( Bank Holiday Monday) and are heading to Laos tomorrow, we are getting a bus to the border at Chiang Kong; probably an all-day bus trip then the slow boat the following day down the Mekong River to Luang Prabang - that's a 2 day boat ride !! We had better charge up the ipods. We had the option of getting a speed boat that would only take 8 hrs but after taking to other travellers it seems its very dangerous and high crash rates !! well its not as if we are in a mad rush either so its the slow boat to Luang Prabang... we can work on our currently non-existant tans (bar the freckles of course) on the deck !!
No comments:
Post a Comment