Welcome to PAIradise (horrible pun on a sign for local restaurant or guesthouse...)

Sunday, January 13, 2008

Well, what I wrote about the bus not selling seats in the aisles or standing only was apparently wrong – well, it might have been correct about the bus station in Chiang Mai, but as we continued along on our 4-hour ride to Pai, we picked up more and more people that came onto the bus and either stood until they needed to get off, or sat in the front of the bus where it was sitting-on-the-floor room only. It made me nostalgic for the bus system in Uganda.

This bus ride, however, was one of the most gorgeous rides I’ve ever been on. About an hour into the trip we began climbing higher and higher, going up a ridiculous number of switchbacks to get us to the top of a mountainous area. It took us about another two hours to finally get to the highest point we were during the ride, and then we spent an hour climbing back down, via switchbacks, until we made it to Pai. The views from the bus were stunning. There’s no way to explain them in such a way that would do justice to the beauty we’ve found ourselves surrounded by, nor do pictures aptly capture the feeling that overtakes you, and leaves you breathless, when you come around a corner to see lush rolling valleys into the horizons with mountains on either side of you.

By the time we reached Pai, our excitement had built ten-fold to see what this town had in store for us. We found our hostel, one of the cheaper accommodations in Pai, but right on the River and right off the main strip. I was super excited to see a lawn area with multiple hammocks, and sarah and I get to share a queen sized bed with 3 blankets (note: the number of blankets provided by a hostel is a great way to gauge the local climate…Pai is definitely the coolest area we’ve been in – hot between the hours of 11-4 and FREEZING at night. We’re pretty sure it dropped into the 40’s last night. At least it felt like that. I’m sitting in our bed cuddled up in blankets with three layers on at the moment, and it’s 9:20am, if that tells you anything. I think I’m going to buy a hat today to sleep in the remaining nights we’re here)

We got settled, found some food, scheduled a cooking class for Monday and then took in the local scene. If Chiang Mai was the Disney world for backpackers, this is a combination of Pleasure Island (huuuuge bar scene) and Epcot (street vendors with food and crafts line the main strip). It’s also a huge place for Asian travelers, according to Lonely Planet, and I can only uphold that generalization. We were surprised to see as many Westerners here as we have, but apparently it is an up-and-coming tourist mecca, and we are traveling the very popular route throughout Thailand.

Sarah and I woke up this morning and went for a run, watching as the sun rose quickly over the mountains. It was BEAUTIFUL, and sarah didn’t completely kill me while running. We’re both now snuggled up under our covers hoping it’s going to warm up soon…but we know that we have to wake up the others soon and get on with our day. We’re heading on a long walk to an area of easy hiking and waterfalls, which we’re psyched about.