bye

Pai, actually pronounced bye is a nice chill town. After spending the first night of the trip in luxury, we have decided to extend it to three nights instead of 2. We visited both the local nightly farmers market which was serving up frog, crickets, and other not so common foods. We also spent a good amount of time up and down the more touristy, artsy night market. Saw some interesting art galleries and got to listen to some live music this evening.

One of the items on Jenn's 'must do' list was to ride an elephant. It was not something that I specifically wanted/needed to to but I told her I would accompany her. So she found a two hour ride for a little over 12 bucks, which included an hour in the forest (allegedly) and an hour in the water (allegedly). We knew it would be bareback since we were going though the water but she forgot to ask if we would have our own elephant. We did not, and the ride started with Jenn, the elephant trainer (an old thai guy, more to come on him), and I on the elephants back. After 15 or so minutes, the guy jumps off and I get on the elephants neck. Once these 15 minutes was over, Jenn had her fix and was ready to jump off. After 40 or so minutes through some grasslands, we approach the river, hand the guide our cameras and my shirt and he instructs the elephant to get into the water. He then proceeds to instruct the elephant to spray us with river water. Not sure how I feel being sprayed with river water coming from the elephants trunk.Next, the elephant is told to lay down and Jenn and I crash down into the river. We get back onto the elephant and he is told to lay down/throw us off into the river about 5 or so times. The old thai guy is busting up laughing and really enoying himself. It got old after about the second or third time, but it was nice to cool off in the river.


We got back to the elephant camp and then I noticed the sign below. Which caught my attention since the elephant trainer snorted a substance about 2 or 3 times throughout the trek. No questions asked from us, since we were basically in the middle of northern thailand with just him,us, and his elephant.



After the elephant ride, we got to lay in this round cement natural spring tubs. The sulfur smell always turns me off with these natural baths but it was relaxing.




After that we got back to The Quarter, we went and laid out at the pool for a bit. Ahh...the life of Pai, which I will miss!!