Eating PIE in PAI.

Thailand has become exceptionally "touristy" lately, with people flocking by the thousands to soak up some of the Asian sun. A few years ago, a trip to the "culturally rich" country was seen as exhilarating, but lately every Tom, Dick and Harry pop over to spend Dollars, buy SINGHA t'shirts and stroll around "Wat's", while trying their best to look adventurist. That is the exact image that I created in my mind, when 3 of my mates asked me to join them on a trip to the glorious Puket for 2 weeks. So along with my "ready-to-soak-up-some-sun" face on, we embarked on an adventure that would prove to be incredible. After spending a week on the beaches in Puket, paying a kabblion Baht to eat "American" food, I decided to embark on a solo mission. Along with my grandmothers "don't get taken" voice in the back of my mind, I hopped on the Thai version of the Grey Hound Bus and ended up in Bangkok. The minute I had finished strolling the streets of the buzzing city, planned the way forward. After a train ride to Chang Mai, my adventure started and I hopped on a scooter took a winded road north and left the smoke-choked streets behind me.
And then, I found paradise in the form of Pai.
At the end of 378 turns in the road, and after several stops to take a breather, I ended up in the picturesque town of Pai, just north of Chang Mai. Let me paint a picture for you: the image that you used see in the magazines; dense landscape, alive with rich greenery, coffee plantations, rice paddies and 100 year old Thai ladies in woven hats. This is Pai. I arrived at dusk, and I met a kind old lady who poured me a glass of her home made Thai tea, and the minute I revealed that I was from South Africa, she was enthralled. She nattered on in Thai, and the little bit that I could unveil, proved that she was very excited to have met me. This was the kind of Thailand that I started to love. As day became night, the entire town composed of one street turned into a night Market. People came out into the street to dance, the local police man took the mic and gave a unique rendition of what sounded like a Thai version of “rock around the clock”, and I sat back and absorbed the untouched beauty. The evening followed by 3 days in Pai filled with Elephant rides, broken conversations to people with stories that date back to long before I was born, and the feeling of forgetfulness. I had forgotten about the hustle and bustle of life. I had absorbed the spirit of Thailand