JB warned me to stay away from puns but, with a town name such as this, who can really blame me? Yes, we are still in Pai and have had some full and eventful days since we last caught you all up. Where to start…

After we last posted, we heade out to what was advertised as an “art lovers free party”. We didn’t really know what to expect from that description but it seemed to fit our budget so we went. When we arrived, we felt like we had travelled back in time forty years. It seems the Pai farang community has taken it upon themselves to make sure hippies don’t become a thing of the past. Despite feeling a little out of place (mainly because it seemed we were the only ones who had remembered to brush our hair and weren’t smelling of patchouli), we both could appreciate the vibe. There were artists displaying their work, campfires, good food and drinks, people playing music and singing; but it wasn’t kumbaya type stuff, it was good! (Mum, I think you’d have been quite at home).

The next day, I convinced JB to return the motorbike and trade it in for two bicycles. We decided would ride to another “nearby” waterfall about 17km away. Piece of cake, right? I’m not sure if it was my enthusiasm for mountainbiking, or my stubborness to make it to the waterfall -no-matter-what, or if I was distracted by the beautiful countryside we were riding through, but I really didn’t notice that the entire bike ride to the falls was uphill. I knew I was pedalling hard and that I didn’t seem to be going very fast but I had concluded there was a gear problem with my bike. JB, on the otherhand, realized full well that we were riding up one neverending hill and wasn’t too happy about it but he didn’t let on because he didn’t want a girl beating him to the top. However, when we passed a sign that said “waterfall–3km” and the next 3kms seemed to be almost vertical, I think that’s when I heard JB mutter “this is the hardest bike ride of my life” and ” you know I’m only doing this because I love you. right?”. Anyway, we did make it to the end and what a reward the waterfall was. The Ma Paeng waterfalls had seven tiers and was perfect for soothing our rather worn out, sweaty bodies.

We may not have seen eye to eye about the ride to the falls but we both agreed that ride back was spectacular. That which took us about 2 hours on the way there, took us 15 minutes on the way back; we barely had to pedal once. The trail winded through the countryside, in and out of tiny villages with views similar to the ones we’d seem while taking joyrides on the motorbike. The difference was there wasnt the rumbling of the engine to mute the sounds that went with the scenery and we didn’t feel so obtrusive.

Yesterday, we hopped back on the motorbike and took a long, scenic ride to a town called Soppong. (A little aside about the motorbike: Yes, when JB was first keen to rent a motorbike, my mind did wander back to some vague recollection of a family story involving JB and a moped. I think a key element from the story that stuck in my mind was the word “crash”. Believe me, I did have my reservations. However, knowing that I wasn’t thrilled about the idea of a motorbike, he has been very cautious (it’s only when he starts analogizing driving one to playing a simulated video game that I start to get a little worried). And to quell fears further, this is probably the only region we will be renting motorbikes as there is little to no traffic in the north.) As you can see, the drive there was gorgeous.

When we got to Soppong we ate lunch at a little local place by the road. JB thought his first plate of pork and rice was so good that he went and bought a second plateful (an important little detail for later).

The trip back from Soppong to Pai was not such easy riding. We got caught in a torrential downpour that soaked us to the skin.

And then we got caught again, but this time found shelter on the side of the road.

When the rain stopped we got back on the road, and headed back to Pai. Again we were rewarded with breathtaking views.

So the pork that JB had two platefuls of put a little dent in our plans today. Originally we had planned to leave Pai in the morning and head back to Soppong, but instead Jb spent the entire day in bed and on the toilet. After being nursed backed to health with water and fruit juices, Jb is now doing much better, and we plan on continuing on to Soppong tomorrow.