Lazy days in a hammock are a favorite in Pai....

.."Lazy days in a hammock are a favorite in Pai, along with just staring at the mountains and rivers... "
pronounced as "bai" or "bye"

The sleepy hippy town of Pai is situated 135kms northwest of ChiangMai, halfway to MaeHongSon. As you enter Pai area, the mountain road makes a meandering decline into a large green valley of padi fields and fruit groves. Pai is a tiny place with 4 main roads but offers a rich bohemian atmosphere where you can collect your thoughts and commune with nature. Trendy cafes and boutique B&B, slow pace of life and lots of cyclists and motorcyclists..

A decade ago, Pai was virtually unknown and today it has developed into a thriving, multi cultural town. Fortunately it has retained its down-to-earth feel and prices are still reasonable, making it especially popular with backpackers and free-spirits...who sometimes stay for months. Recent consciousness of health and environment has largely reduced the open consumption of opium or marijuana and even normal cigarettes are a rare scene !

Pai can be reached by bus, 3 - 4 hrs from ChiangMai and less from MaeHongSon. We rented a little car (we would recomend a 4wheeldrive) and it takes less than 2 hrs fr ChiangMai ..very good roads on highway. However off highway, watch out for the thousands of pot holes. Contrary to the many write-ups in the Net regarding the weather & road conditions on this "MaeHongSon loop" , we assure you it is totally safe even in our normal city wheeler ! thanks to our Asian upbringing, we are much "toughened up" and can eat practically everything!

so Peterpatterpot takes to the road ... 1180km road trip, 1864 curves or even more..

DAY 1

19th of October 2010.
DAY 1
The bags that went with us on AirAsia .Had to plan real carefully because of bag charges.$$!!

 LCCT airport.It was a very small plane.We also got a big guy sitting next to us who I think was a first time flyer.He wouldnt move to another seat to get more comfortable.We tried to go toilet many times but all he did was stand up,sit down and buckle up every time.He could have moved to other vacant seats.

THE SMALL HOTEL
On arrival we got a local taxi to The Small Hotel which we had booked for one night in advance(the only hotel we booked).Get your taxi coupon first from a metered taxi counter.There are many other taxi companies with people in uniforms coming to sell you ticket as soon as you walk out of customs.Don't buy from them even if they push you really hard.They even speak mandarin!They charge a little higher then the coupons you buy at the counter.


Our room was not ready so we went for a walk and found this hotel down the street.It was a cool hotel but on the higher side $.Like the design.
Its all cement!

Our room at The Small Hotel was shockingly beautiful!!I would stay there again,love it!

After checking into our room,we walked around town and found this car rental place by the river called POP rent a car/bike.They have a lot of the same store all over Chiangmai city.Good, cheap and negiotable rates.
 The son of the boss of the car rental.We were lucky because he had authority to give us a decent discount for 1 week rent on our Toyota Yaris.

Had lunch at this cafe just outside the Thapae Gate.

Then we walk for a long time around Chiangmai until couldnt walk anymore.It started to rain.
We had a small umbrella so we walked even more.Dragged our feet until we made our way back to Hotel.

Helen's dream bike.

Walked to Riverside Restaurant for yummy dinner-coconut tomyum,red curry,papaya salad.Then it rained.We walked back in the rain because the taxis wanted to kill us.

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