It was a twisty, turny, beautifully scenic van ride to Pai. Before I left, I said to Lex, "I'd like to sit next to a nice Australian man on my way to Pai." I haven't met too many Aussies here in Thailand and I was just putting it out there, seeing what would happen. So we get to the "terminal" - I use the word very loosely - and poof! Here is a very nice Aussie man named Rob. We were the only native English speakers in the group and we immediately struck up a conversation about speaking foreign languages and the difficulties there in. The 4 hour van ride over the mountains was non-stop talk of politics, economics, social anthropology, and traveling. We both didn't book accommodations in Pai, being assured we'd find a place, no worries. Down to the riverfront we hiked with our full packs and were turned away from place after place. We finally found a small accommodation with 2 rooms for 200 Baht each- $4 - not far from the river. Pai is a very small town that has been very quickly converted into a mecca for wayward tourists, Rastafarians, and quiet-seekers. The whole town is colored in red, yellow, and green and "One Love" is posted somewhere on every block. Reggae music rolls from car stereos and cafes. Rob & I wandered up the crowded main street in search of dinner and found a great roof-top balcony where we paid next to nothing for a scrumptious Thai dinner. The main street is lined with vendors, bars, and cafes and we did some window shopping and eventually sat down at a sidewalk bar for Singha beer and people watching. We settled into a conversation about meditation and my new traveling companion expressed his desire to start a daily practice, but also his lack of knowledge on the subject. Well, he stumbled into the right person! We planned to meditate together the next morning to start his new daily practice. **It's amazing to me how we can find just what we're looking for as soon as we become aware that we're looking for it.** Rob was very interested in these lanterns you can light on fire and float up into the sky so we bought a few of the crepe-paper creations at a sidewalk vendor and walked down to a riverfront bar to light them. We tied 2 together and, with the help of some locals and tourists, sent them off into the sky. The physics behind it is you start this wax ring burning and the ensuing smoke fills the crepe paper cylinder until the heat lifts it right out of your hands and into the sky. It was a blast! I got some good pictures I'll post next week. After a few fruit juices at the open-air bar, we returned back to our rooms to surprisingly find a bar attached to the lower floor. The walls, it turned out, were made merely of woven bamboo and we were both kept awake by bar patrons drinking and talking until late followed by the roosters who start their wake-up calls way before dawn, then motorbike engines blaring down the quiet street. It was also refreshingly chilly and the bedding was just a thin blanket. On the plus side, the mosquito netting worked wonders and I wasn't bothered by buzzing or biting when I did manage to get to sleep.
Around 9am we met up and decided to take our meditation practice down to the previous evening's riverside dock. It was warm and quiet and we settled in for a short practice, then inquired about accommodation at the quaint bungalows. For about $1 more than we paid last night, we each got a private bungalow just a few steps from the river front, comfy porches with cushions for napping and the odd hammock strung from palm trees lining the walkways. We've just finished a nice western-style porridge and muesli brekkie and now I think it's time for a lay by the river. We're talking of renting a motorbike - Rob races bikes and I wouldn't trust myself to drive one in my wildest dreams - and exploring the surrounding hills this afternoon. Pai is surrounded by countless waterfalls, hot springs, and caves. I think 3 nights here will be too short, but I'm ready to enjoy every moment I'm here.
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