Sawasdee Ka! We are in 'PAI' - Best Place!

Saturday - 21 June 08

Hello everyone. Leaving Chiang Mai and off to Pai.

I was up early, packed and organised ready to hit the road to Pai. Rick ducked out to get a quick maccas breakfast and we were off. We were picked up at 10.45 am by songteaw and then did the rounds of guesthouses and hotels to pick up others travelling in the mini bus to Pai. We were then driven to the other side of the river in Chiang Mai to the bus company and taken from there in the mini bus to Pai.

Pai is only 195km from Changers but with it is a mountainous drive and lots of windey roads and trucks so it took 2hrs 15mins which was pretty good. It was a very picturesque drive through the mountains and we had a stop at the 'Halfway Coffee Stop' which was good. It was so cool coming through the mountains and lots of fabulous views.

We arrived in Pai at 2pm and the bus company called the guesthouse that are staying at to come and pick us and our luggage up as there are no taxi's, tuk tuk's or songteaw's in Pai, everyone hires motorbikes to get around.

We were picked up by the guesthouse by 2 motorbikes and they are skillful in carrying all the luggage we had plus us, but they did it. Our little bungalow is excellent and quite comfy the only downside, no airconditioning and it is quite hot as Pai is in a valley surrounded by mountains. Our bungalow is facing the pool, which is green and we wouldn't even attempt swimming in it, its a shame cause its so hot here durning the day and cool at night. It is like an african hut made of concrete with a thatched roof, nice and modern and it has stairs outside to the terrace on the roof which has deck chairs and table and you can sit up there of an evening and see everything around you. There are 20 bungalows ranging from standard to deluxe and is surrounded by rice fields and is about 15 min walk across the bridge into town.

We dumped our stuff in our bungalow and then walked into town to hire a motorbike for the time we are here so we can get around and see all there is to see here. The motorbike we rented is a small automatic 100cc step through and it will do us. It took a little getting used to and Rick does the driving and I sit on the back like madam muck, its wicked. It only costs 200 baht a day ($6.70 Aus) which includes insurance, helmets and the hire of it.

We went to the 7/11 to stock up on supplies, had a quick dinner at a restaurant and then headed back to our bungalow to settle in for the evening. By this time we were buggered and just wanted to relax. We have cable tv but it only has 2 english speaking channels, BBC world news & Aljazeera, both good channels.

I know I say this everytime we move on to somewhere else, but Pai is awsome place, its reminds me of Byron Bay and Mullumbimby minus the beach and ocean. It seems to be a popular place for backpackers and has heaps of backpacker accommodation and guesthouses. Its very hippy, my kind of place.

Anyway its been a big day today and we have lots of exploring to do tomorrow so will sign out, no internet where we are staying so have found internet cafe in town so may be a day behind in doing blog. Until tomorrow. Kob un Chai!