Continuing Near the Border with Myanmar

Saturday, July 26, 2008--Mae Hong Son

I made a long loop walk into the countryside, but it wasn't as nice a walk as I have had in Mae Sariang. Here, it is difficult to get out to where the native villages are. I passed the airport (where I stopped to get a seat assignment for my flight to Delhi), some countryside tourist bungalows, and some open country. I was disappointed in what I was able to see.

Back in the room, I rested by watching the Australian Channel on TV. I watched a footy match between two Australian teams, one of which I had seen play when I was there. Later, I watched a Rugby Union match between Australia and New Zealand. It was nice to see both.

Between the two matches, I read. I finished The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner. It is a difficult book to read. The first chapter is the wandering thoughts of a 33-year-old with the mind of a 3-year-old. The second chapter is the wandering throughts of a man about to commit suicide. There are only 4 chapters, and those first two take up more than half of the book. I did not find it enjoyable to read, but I forced myself to finish it. I give the book 2 1/2 stars out of 4.

For dinner, I had roasted red pork with rice. It was delicious. I got it at a street stall operated by a local man. With it, I also good pork soup (with bits of crispy skin in it) and iced green tea.

Everywhere up here in the tribal areas, there is a problem with dogs. They growl and bark. It is discouraging when trying to walk and explore. Fortunately, they don't seem to bite, and they back down when confronted. I turn to them, put my arms out with my hands on my hip and stare at them. Then when they have stayed still for a while, I start walking. If they try to growl or follow, I turn and point to them and talk sternly. But it is a turnoff. The tourist authorities should encourage local people with growling dogs to keep them locked up.

Since I find Mae Hong Son to be a bit boring, I will leave tomorrow for Pai. I was lucky coming back to my room tonight. The guest house requires that shoes be removed. But they have a stretch between the front office building and the building with the rooms that is open air. It had been raining, so I knew it would be slippery, since they have smooth tile on the ground. Sure enough, there was a dark spot just as I was entering the back building, and there was a step down there that I couldn't see. My foot hit it too far back. My other foot hit the tile and slid. My knee of the foot that hit the step went to the ground. Fortunately, my knee did not hit hard. It is sore, but it could have resulted in a broken kneecap.

Sunday, July 27, 2008--Mae Hong Son to Pai

It is a fantastic trip between Mae Hong Son and Pai. There are very high mountains and deep valleys. There are many sharp switchbacks on the road. The bus had to travel in low gear much of the way. But what views we enjoyed on the trip!

Pai is a bit of a surprise. It was a hippie colony back in the late 60s and 70s. Today, it has blossomed into a popular resort. I thick it is best to say that it is the equivalent mountain resort in the north to the island resorts in the south. It is filled with westerners. My guidebook which is about 9 years old is completely out of date because of all the developments. Many of the restaurants no longer exist, but so many others do. And there are many, many guest houses here.

I've gone native with my guest house--Baan Pai Village. I am in a bungalow. It is built out of bamboo and has a roof made of a local leaf that is used for roofing material. The bed has a large mosquito net. The front porch is big and covered, and the room has rolled bamboo mats and triangular Thai reading pillows for placing there for resting. It's much like a native hut, except that it has an indoor bath with hot water and it is very clean. The bungalows are placed along winding baths among lush greenery--ficus plants, ferns, palms, orchids, etc. The reception area is very stylish and has modern-design koi pools, an open air restaurant and bar, etc.

It is HOT in Pai. The previous places I have been have been higher in the mountains and have been cool. Here it is cool only after it rains. But it does that 2-3 times per day. This afternoon, however, as I explored the town, I could feel the sun burning the calves of my legs.

It's also more expensive in Pai than where I have been. There seems to be collusion among all the business owners. The prices are exactly the same everywhere for certain services such as using the internet, getting a massage, eating the same dish, etc. The Internet is so expensive that I have decided not to use it while I am here. Why should I reward them for colluding against me? Most other towns, it is possible to go into the local areas and find cheaper Internet cafes that serve the local folks. Here, there is none. My guess is that they all quote the same high price and charge the tourists that, but that they charge the local kids a lower rate. Prices in the tourist restaurants can be about the same as those in similar places in the U.S.--burgers for $5-6, pastries for $1-2, etc.

I ran into two different couples I know from my travels. One is the British couple I met at the bus station in Chiang Mai. I was waiting for my bus to Mae Sariang, and they were all excited about getting to Pai because they had heard so many wonderful things about it. And they are enraptured. They say it is just a wonderful place and that they wish they had more than 6 days to spend here. The other couple is the Danish couple who has been in both the towns where I was before. They have had the same reaction that I am having. They think it is too touristy and that they will be happy to leave.

The British couple did point me toward a local restaurant with good food and more typical Thai prices. I went there had had a fantastic dinner: spicy stir-fired pork with curry paste. It was so tasty. And nice and spicy. It came with chicken soup, too.

On the way back to my room, I noticed a "fun" sign. "Dang" is a family name here in Thailand. And in the U.S., for those of you who don't know it, it is a slang term meaning "awfully" as in "dang good." Well, there is a laundry here owned by a Dang family, and its name is "Dang Quick Laundry"!

Monday, July 28, 2008--Pai

I tried walking into the countryside this morning while it was cool. It's just hopeless here. The development continues out all the roadways for long distances. And the roads are filled with tourists on motorcycles they have rented to explore the area. Therefore, I have decided to give up on Pai. I will stay through tonight, because I don't want to rush back to the room and try to get out by check out time which would then get me to Chiang Mai at the end of the day. Therefore, I will do all day what Pai is best known for among tourists. I will chill out.

I pulled my bamboo mat and my triangular pillow out onto the porch of my bungalow. I read, I napped, I reviewed my travel literature for India, etc. The day slowly passed.

In the late afternoon, I went out again. I stopped at a used bookstore and bought a book. I sat outside the supermarket and drank a beer and overheard the conversations of the local expatriate residents. I went back to my restaurant where I ate last night and had a new dish this time--spicy chicken with basil over rice and topped with a fried egg.

I worried that I wouldn't be able to sleep after napping so much during the daytime. And I had to insert my earplugs because the frogs were making so much noise, but I did sleep another 9 hours.

Tuesday, July 29, 2008--Pai to Chiang Mai

I was up early and caught the first bus to Chiang Mai. The British couple who was here showed up for the same bus along with about 3 other foreigners. It was another twisting trip through high mountains.

I almost had another disaster when I got here. I had already decided to get off the bus when it turned to get on the expressway that goes across the northern side of town. It would be closer to where I wanted to go than staying on the bus all the way to the station. I pushed the button, pointed out my suitcase to the attendant, exited the front of the bus and went to the back to get the suitcase. And just as it pulled away, I realized I had my shoulder bag but had left my backpack on it. I yelled at them and waved, but they didn't hear. I looked for a tuk tuk or taxi, but there was none, so I put out my finger. A car immediately stopped. It was two university students who are studying agriculture. They were right at the point that was their destination. But they took me to the bus station where we arrived just as the others were getting off. The British couple wanted to know how I got there! I retrived my bag, and the students, since they had to return to where they picked me up anyway, took me back to where I got off the bus.

I walked through town and found a place to stay on the south side inside the old moated city. It's nicer than the other places I have stayed, but I decided to splurge. I am in the deluxe (nicest) room with a balcony overlooking the old city. The bathroom is Thai style with the the sink in an open-air area (with walls to make it private). The place includes breakfast, cable tv, mini-fridge, Internet, etc. It's called the Bupatara House.