Published on 21 January 2008
Not the most original of lines i know.
Only two pieces of Pai for you to see.
This internet cafe we’re sipping apple tea at, also has insanely slow connection.
Oh, how i shall embrace high-speed internet and not take it for granted anymore!
This was at a river in the mountains, just on the outskirts of Pai.
Isn’t it bloody gorgeous.
There was a huge lawn on which i flopped myself down unto. The whole scenario reminded me of autumn, cold with warm sunshine that wasn’t too scorching, with lots of leaves and grass to roll around in like a kitten.
This morning, IceCalvin and i went to the market, then to Art Gallery again to chill out in the garden.
Before finishing Scar Tissue, i’d already bought a second-hand book from one of the many book stores here.
So i started on Primo Levi’s If This is a Man, while Calvin strummed away on a guitar and made up lyrics along the way on how i liked reading depressing books on holiday.
After two coffees each there, the owner (Happy Sun) asked us to join him and cooked us lunch.
I’m taken aback by the friendliness and generosity of the people here.
When if your life have you, upon meeting them for the second time, have them invite you for lunch at their dining table without charging you?
He made us a simple but awesome lunch of non-spicy soup with seaweed from China; a peppery stew of mushrooms, basil leaves, chillies and other unknown ingredients; fried egg with chopped giant chillies, and crispy fish that we couldn’t stop taking.
They were like mini ikan bawal stuck to each other by the sides, so that they formed a crispy fish pancake of sorts.
Then there was this naturally salty freshwater fish (but not as salty as ham yee) which i adored the most, and know i’m going to miss it back in KL.
We sat in the bottom garden, had more coffee and played with the cats after lunch.
I’m dreading the difference of life when i fly back already.
Instead of wearing sun dresses all day, i have to look like i belong in the city (or maybe i could be in denial and continue dressing like a tourist).
Instead of taking in the fresh air on a bike, i’ll be maneuvering through traffic and staring at red lights from the back of a car in a jam.
In truth, i don’t miss the city yet.
I just miss my friends, especially my girls.
Though IceCalvin can be bitchy enough for three girls… ha ha!
Published on 17 January 2008
I just finished a two-hour steam, body scrub and oil massage.
For 600 Baht/RM60.
The woman gave me this look -_- when i asked whether i had to remove everything. As in EVERYTHING. I’m used to at least leaving my thong on…
“Do i have to take this off too..?” i gestured at my panties.
“Yes, yes. You do body scrub,” she blared me with in staccato Thai accent while giving me the look > -_-
I hurriedly took it off.
I cringed and tried not to yelp while she did the body scrub cos she did it too hard!
Couldn’t help thinking, “WHY am i doing this body scrub when i have my cemerlang Biotherm mud exfoliate shit at home…”
Then came my other thought, for the experience, for the experience
Okay i have to go la.
IceCalvin’s waiting outside cos we’re staying at these cottages next to the paddy fields which are further from town (further means 3km away and i’m NOT walking back!)
This is where we stayed last night, by the Pai river.
This is me on the bike today while totally enjoying whizzing about Pai on it!
Beautiful weather!
Published on 16 January 2008
That’s the name of one of the guesthouses here in Pai, further north in Chiang Mai.
We rode a bike here today and it was my first long-distance (urm is three hours considered long distance?) motorbike ride.
The first twenty minutes took quite a bit getting used to cos my helmet felt like it was going to blow off, the backpack was senget on my back (i wasn’t driving so i had to carry that) and i had all these bloody traumatising images of motorcycle accidents DikHaHaHau sent me before. Bugger. That so did not help my paranoid pessimism.
Pai is super cold!
Sitting here shivering cos i figured i was superwoman and didn’t expect the temperature to suddenly drop to 8 degrees after 10pm!
And i’m too lazy to walk back to the glamour hut (it’s damn nice!) to get my jacket so i’m just online for 30 mins then hurrying back to eat supper i bought + iced vodka (wee!).
There are so many tourists here, yet it’s quite empty, so it’s a weird feeling.
“Like you don’t know where you are right? It’s cold, yet you see so many different people,” said IceCalvin.
I asked how did Pai get so popular as a tourist destination all of a sudden.
He said after some fellow featured it on Lonely Planet, plus word of mouth around backpackers, the place tiba-tiba boomed to destination stardom.
Ok, fingers shivering. BYE!
