Pure laziness

Pai, Thursday 3-2

I convince myself that I will be writing my diary, I really need to catch up, but that hammock in the lush garden is probably not the best place to do it in. Instead of writing I drift off with the jazzy sounds of Norah Jones and Sting on my headphones.
At dinner time I drop inn at the Drop Inn, a wonderful restaurant with great food. There I run into two Dutch girls, an Australian and an English guy who I join for dinner. They tell me about the Ting Tong Bar and I decide to check it out. Actually it's not a bar but a lounge garden. They've put pillows, mats and low tables on the floor, they play reggae and hip-hop and the complete staff has the longest dreadlocks I've ever seen. The only thing that covers us is a blanket of stars. For a short while I share a table with a German girl, but when she joins a friend I decide to try and find that party that I was invited to the day before. Half way I join Gijs from Holland and Steve from Israel who are on their way there themselves. Together we find the "Hide Out" and with a bucket of booze we sit at the campfire and chat away till the small hours.

Pai, Friday 4-2

Not being able to shake of the laziness that hit me when I arrived in Pai, I sleep in and watch a film at the Movie House. While lying on the comfortable pillows on the floor, drinking my lime shake, eating my tortilla chips smothered in cheese and watching a film in this restaurant, annex bar, annex movie house, annex souvenir shop, I wonder if a thing like this could work in overworked and stressful Europe. I'd love to think it would and in my mind I picture a place in the centre of Rotterdam, attracting people from all over the world and creating a relaxed atmosphere: Ultimate Lounge. Anyone knows an investor who might be interested?

Pai, Saturday 5-2

I'll be leaving Pai tomorrow, but before I do I need to tell you a bit more about Pai. Pai used to be a small quiet little town up in the northern mountains. Surrounded by many different hill tribes, the streets were populated with all sorts of people: Karen dressed in their black leggings and tops, decorated with sewed patterns and wearing their characteristic hats with silver jewelry, Muslims in kaftans and burkas. All coming into Pai to trade their goods. This started to attract tourist. Not the bus type tourist, but travelers, most of them with artistic skills like writers and painters, who were attracted by the tranquility of the place and the beautiful setting at the river, surrounded by mountains, hot springs and waterfalls.
Nowadays backpackers are filling the streets (mostly in the evenings, in the daytime they're out exploring), organizing party after party and meeting new and interesting people. So the atmosphere is still one of peace and very laid back, but since the first seven/eleven opened a couple of months ago, I don't think that will last very long anymore. Let's just hope that McDonalds is too busy to notice this new potential market.
Anyway, today again I fail to stick to my plan to cycle to the hot spring. Instead I walk up to the pool, just outside town and work on my taint.
There is no partying for me that night for 2 reasons: 1. my bus is leaving tomorrow at 5 in the morning. 2. Its not allowed to serve alcohol tonight because of the general elections tomorrow. Maybe we should introduce such a rule in Holland, so people come up with more sound votes, being sober and all?

Pai - Thaton, Sunday 6-2

I really don't understand why my bus to Thaton has to leave so early: 5 o'clock in the morning. It's only a 4 hour ride. But when I get on the mini-bus I understand why. All the other passengers are going to Myranmar (Birma) for a visa run (cross the boarder, stay for 1,5 hour, get a new visa for Thailand and you can stay another 2 or 3 months), I'm the only one who's getting of in Thaton. This information plus the fact that this trip is only done every 4 days tells me that Thaton is going to be a quiet place, without many tourists. Nice!
When I arrive around 9 o'clock I see that I'm right; No farang in sight, no tuk tuk, no taxis. I start walking and try to find the guesthouse of my choice. I ask a friendly lady for directions. She does not know the place but she can show me Garden Home. It's fine by me and with my backpack I climb on the back of her moped. She's clearly not used to driving with such heavy cargo but we make it. I'm glad she has shown me this place because it's beautiful. Nice bungalows set in a beautiful garden, a restaurant at the river and even a small river beach. I wanted to leave the next day again on a boat trip to Chiang Rai, but there aren't enough people yet, I have to wait till Tuesday. I'm not really disappointed because it's a nice place to spend an extra day.

The meal I have that evening at the Thaton Chalet is wonderful. Even if you don't like Thai food, you surely must enjoy the looks of it. It's truly a feast for the eye. I order a red curry with yellow noodles. The curry with the red color of a beautiful sunset is served in a large bowl, topped with crispy bright sunflower yellow noodles. Only when you soak the noodles in the "soup" they will get nice and soft. According to Thai custom I eat my soup at the same time, a spicy mushroom soup. It's a clear soup filled with colorful red tomatoes, green herbs, purple garlic and large brown Thai mushrooms. It's nice and spicy so I decide to keep my curry mild and don't add any of the fresh garlic, chilies or charlottes provided.
Outside at the river terrace a lonely guitar player tries to attract customers but the chalet (which is also a hotel), and the whole of Thaton for that matter, seems almost deserted.

P.S. Not many pictures with this message. I'll place them together with my next message.