Day 11: Bike ride around Pai
Trip Start
Jan 02, 2010
1
11
85
Trip End
Mar 28, 2010
Pai, Thailand
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
We are taking things easy in Pai to relax after an action packed first week.
After breakfast, Megan arranged for those interested to go on a bike ride around Pai and the surrounding areas. Elena, Daniel and Rupert decided to relax and nurse some injuries, whilst the rest of us headed out.
-- Bike riding around Pai--
Meg chose a not too strenuous 20km route, with not too steep hills (Pai is just surrounded by them, sitting in a basin with the Pai River running by). The bikes were hired for just 50B for 24 hours (1 pound). The bikes weren't great though, with my bike unable to find the low gears, making the hills a real issue!
None the less, after a few false starts as some bikes broke down, we cycled out of the town and covered around 6km before we stopped at Joy's elephant camp.
--Joy's Elephant camp--
This was the first of many elephant riding huts you pass as you cycle out of Pai. The sole elephant looked out to us and seemed so playful and happy that we decided to stop and say hi.
The hut only had 1 elephant inside, a 36 year old female called Banwat. The hut is named Joy's after her late daughter who tragically died after an overdose of medicine administered by a vet.
The owner of the camp was so friendly and warm towards us. She explained she really believed in ethical use of Elephants in the tourist trade, not allowing them to ride too early of late in the day despite tourist demand. She said Banwat's happiness meant everything to her, and that was clear given how energetic & playful Banwat was (just see the photos). “Though she is overweight and is a fussy eater” the owner went on to explain. As far as I'm aware, Banwat doesn't do many rides, the owner wants to look after her as best as she possibly can.
This stop reinforced my opinion that up in north Thailand, people just seem much more sincere people are up here. In Bangkok, you just get the sense people are nice because they want something from you, but here people are just genuinely warm and friendly, not expecting anything in return. She didn't want a donation and she even insisted we had our bottled water on the house! ...though don't let me get carried away with the stereotype, there are wonderful people in the South also.
--Thai Hot Spring--
About 10km in, we stopped for a break. A dog (we named Ismay- long story) came and followed Matt for a while up to the WWII bridge. We then cycled off leaving the dog behind...
--Pai Canyon--
After a further 4km, we stopped and climbed up Pai Canyon. The views from up here are stunning, looking down into the basin with the local towns and the mountains in the backdrop. We spent about1/2 an hour up here, and just as we were ready to leave, Ismay comes charging up the canyon. She must have caught our scent and followed us all that way, what a clever dog!
We stopped one final time at a local cafe for a Pad Thai tea and headed back into Pai.
If you have the budget and feel lazy, you can hire motorbikes quite cheap out here (some you even get 6 free hours to start with), but cycling is a great way to see the natural beauty that surrounds Pai. Having said that, the bike's lack of working gears nearly killed me!
--Evening- Back to Don't Cry--
We headed back out to the Don't Cry bar and meet up with the travelers we got to know the night before and during the day during our bike ride. It's quite a small world out here and you do end up bumping into the same people, even when traveling to different towns- we're making good friends along the way!.
-- Quotes of the day--
“Rehydration salts are my crack. I snort at least one a day”- anon, regarding curing hangovers.
“I feel like Britney Spears in that video” - Henry expressing how it feels to be on the top on Pai Canyon.
