You were looking for which cottage?
You were looking for which cottage?
Feb 19, 2002: The town per se is unremarkable. Shops Internet cafes restaurants kids dogs motorcycles Tourists. You can walk from one end to the other in fifteen minutes at a properly leisurely rate; there are literally half a dozen streets and some you'd be more inclined to call "paths" (which doesn't stop the occasional car — and cars are the exception rather than the rule in Pai still). Hardly ever does any vehicle move over 15mph. It just doesn't seem necessary. There are no traffic lights or even stop signs. There are no yield signs. Nobody yields and everybody yields. There's a substantial "Shan" (Muslim) population — it's a little strange seeing them dressed as we see in photos from the Middle East (the women just have headscarves, tho', they aren't fully covered). Typical of Malaysia but it just seemed odd. There's a mosque right in the center of town. The Shans seem to have a handle on bakeries, so remarkably good croissants and other stuffed breads could be had in several spots. I tried a tiny loaf stuff with coconut and sugar. Very nice.
Aside from curiosity about all the stuff we'd read about Idyllic Pai, I had pre-scheduled a break from school and "work", making sure to omit these two days (plus part of the weekend) from the class and office schedules. I didn't really need the break, in retrospect, the weekends had been enough break from both.
Back to Pai: First, I've discovered that the bus between Chiang Mai and Pai is considered one of the worst rides in Thailand, even by people for whom cost (in order to be able to perpetuate their travels) is everything. I met several such people on the siilor we chartered to get back from Pai this afternoon. It was a blast (more on the return trip later on):
The best thing you can say about it, is the outside of the bus was clean when it left CM. Otherwise: noisy, cramped and uncomfortable travel with the huddled masses, stripped gears, ("if you can't find it, grind it"); a bus driver with a bad attitude and a death wish. Can't recommend it too highly. But it did cost less than a buck and a half. The trip took about 4.5 hours. The last hour we averaged about 10mph — traversing innumerable switchbacks and hills. Mid-trip we stopped for a pee-break. After this, the other operator (i.e. the bus guy who wasn't driving) unceremoniously posted "barf bags" on the ceiling grab bars. Fortunately, no one used them.
The guesthouse ("Rim Pai Cottages") was basic but nicely (aesthetically) constructed. Think of Shaker simplicity with a Thai touch. The room (I'll have pictures later) is maybe 12 x 16' two beds, a table (but no chair), and a small bathroom. Hot water. I hate cold showers. Yes, that would be the outline of my ribs. I don't think Kathy's ever seen them.
The room did not have aircon, just a fan. I'm not sure whether my request was misunderstood or the answer misrepresented. I was surprised at the range of temperatures in the course of the day, and how quickly the heat of the day faded — around four in the afternoon. The mid-day sun was intense and there were very few people "out and about". Even the dogs took a break. But at night the fan cleared out the heat in the room and the sleeping was cool.
The town is pretty flat but in a valley. I rented a bicycle (an entertaining experience in and of itself) but you really need a motorbike or to rely on tour operators to get you around. The major activities here are trekking ("been there, done that") and rafting (only between October and Jan — water's too low now). There's a cooking school but... no time.
Tourists here ran the gamut, and that's what made it all so remarkable. They're not as, well, dirty as the "city slackers" I've seen in Chiang Mai; could just be that there are so many more people around CM that only the really "nasty" ones stand out. I met at least a dozen people in the course of two days, many had been coming to Pai year after year for a decade or more. At least those who were out of their 20's.
The curmudgeon (no, not me) above is a Danish Pensioner, Oovit or something
like that; he has spent more time each succeeding year here for the
past several; 10 months this time. His pension of ~$1000/month covers
his home in Sweden and his travels. He was an Electrician on an oil
tanker. Seems to drink a great deal of beer, at least he did
with me. I confirmed he is neither Burl Ives nor Kris Kringle.
A policeman (Moongsit) took our picture, then returned to drink with us some more. Moongsit also runs a taxi service to Chiang Mai and Mae Hong Son (about about 3 hours from Pai; MHS is a little closer). Asked for my address to look me up when he's down here and I wouldn't be at all surprised if he did. For the record, he packs a Smith & Wesson 38 caliber revolver; he did remove the bullets before showing it to us. We thank him for that.
Below, "Ben the Brit", wide eyed, wholesome (looking) has arrived, we drank for a while longer before I went off with him to meet his new mates. Never did get dinner that night.
Missing from the photos are Gary-the-Kiwi Integrated - hammock - with - mosquito - net - store owner. The hammocks were great and a good value, but I didn't want to carry it back home. Next visit perhaps.
[The reason you see a green beer bottle is because we drank all the cheap beer, that comes in the brown bottles. The store had no more. Beer Leo: 38 baht for 375ml. A typical Thai version of a convenience store; this one had the added "convenience" of a table, bottle opener and glasses. Imagine doing this at your neighborhood "7-11" would that you could even buy the beer, in the US. Hell, I once started to open a Coke I'd bought a liquor store in my hometown as a kid, I thought the shopkeeper was going to have a cardiac arrest right then and there. Here we drink beer on the main street with the local cops.]
I ultimately ended up hanging out with Ben & Co until, well I don't remember exactly:
The girl whose feet figure prominently in this picture is Swiss, just up from Chiang Mai where she was studying Thai Boxing, she lives in a nearby hut; the five-some including Ben the Brit were a Canadian from Vancouver, a Kenyan, a New Zealander and an Aussie. Ben and the Aussie were going to head for Laos next. These people had just met. Getting a feeling for Pai yet? The card game they're playing is called (sorry, Mom) "Asshole": I was in no condition to understand or play it, but in the course of the game somebody becomes "President", "Vice President" and... "Asshole". Sounds a bit like our government, but you can't always tell who is the real asshole. In this game, it's clear.
For the record, the hangover that followed this drinking bout was not the worst of my life (that would be Tequila Shots, circa 1979), but it is probably in the top five.