So for the first post of 2014 I want to write something awesome. Not sure how to though, so I will just start telling you about my time in Pai and how 2013 was brought to a close Thai-style. My last post was the morning after I got to Pai and had yet to do anything. Since then, I have eaten the most amazing food. Italian, American burgers, Mediterranean food, mushroom crepes and breakfast food from heaven. Pai is about half farang, at least during the high season (aka now), but although we are all tourists, it is not the same kind of tourists that you find in Chiang Mai. So many of the people here are really cool. Got love hippies from around the world and travelers attracted to the beauty that is Pai.
One day we traveled to a giant white Buddha on the hill. When you are driving through town and look up at one of the surrounding mountains all you see is a giant white Buddha surrounded by dark green trees. So we just headed towards it and when we finally arrived at the top, we simply sat there looking out into the valley. It was beautiful. Then, we went and soaked ourselves in the hot springs. This hot springs was like a hot river that has been dammed up into sections that get decreasing cooler as you follow the river down the mountain. So we headed towards the top. Of course, the hot springs were very relaxing.
The following day, we traveled to the waterfall. There are apparently a couple around here, which is cool. The fun part is that many of our friends that we did not even realize were coming to Pai for the New Year ended up at the waterfall when we did. We climbed rocks that on face do not look climbable (to me), and sat overlooking the jungle and freeing cold water. Some of my friends went down the waterfall slide and said it was the biggest rush ever, but the rest of us just took their word for it since it was cold and a stone slide just sounds like butt torture to me.
So those were some of our day time activities. In between there is a little bit of hiking, snacking and general foolery. At night we would always end up on walking street with all the shops and venders and then we would head towards good music. I have heard the most amazing music here and the musicians are always cool people. Anything and everything goes as far as music and you can start playing a song and people from all of these different countries, some farang, some not, some tourists, some farang that just live in Thailand, and on and on and everyone would raise their voices together. Most of our nights ended up with music and maybe a little bit of dancing. Late one night we were walking back from the music bar after it closed and heard great dancing music from an open restaurant and dropped our stuff and danced in the street (it was closed to all but foot traffic, no worries). When we would get back to our hostel, we could sit by the fire, listen to reggae and electronic music while watching fire juggling and seeing drunk people try to go across the low tight rope. Our hostel is pretty awesome. Great view and it is a circus school. Yeah, we are that cool.
My New Year's Eve was spent on a bamboo gazebo on a hill overlooking the Pai valley. I was cuddled up in blankets, drinking Swiss Miss hot cocoa with some of my friends. The view was amazing. We could see the stars brightly in the sky, then tens if not hundreds of lanterns throughout the night littered the sky, outshining the stars with their gentle caramel glow. The occasional small firework would be set off by anyone who bought them in town. Then, in the 30 minutes until midnight, real fireworks started. I saw 12 different shows from my warm bubble on the edge of the gazebo. It was beautiful. Differently colored fireworks everywhere and lanterns in between. It was so beautiful. We went to bed a while later in a very happy state.
Well very soon I have to pack up and shower. We need to head back soon in order to make it back to our respective cities today for teaching tomorrow. I am so very glad that I came here for the New Year and I am sure that I will be coming back in the future. I have been more relaxed and happy here than I have been in a while. Must be the chill hippy vibes. I have met some new friends that I hope to stay in contact with for months in the future. To everyone, I hope your New Year is wonderful. I know mine this year was unforgettable. And somehow the pictures never get it all across. Anyway, welcome 2014.
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