Rim-Pai Cottage

... After a few hours sleep and and aching hangover, we decided to treat ourselves and have a relaxing day so we went for a massage. However, after seeing a thai massage in Chiang Mai where they manipulate and twist your body into excruciating positions. I decided to go for an oil massage and at about 3 pounds for an hour session, it was well worth the money. We then headed for a pool some people had told us about where we chilled out to good ...

Well there was no way we would have got the early train this morning, well Pete wouldn't have anyway!! We set of for the trai at 12ish after buying some fruit shakes and a cap.

At the train stationw we are shown to the ticket office where we pay 48baht each for a train to Arranya Prathet; the Cambodian border. That's 86pence each!!

We grab some hangover supplies and then head to the platform. There are people walking all over the ...

... br>
We left Bangkok from Hua Lum Pong train station on the 5:55 am morning train to the Thailand / Cambodia border. The train takes about 6 hours and costs 48 Bhatt each (80p), so it is safely the cheapest method of travel. Buses do it in 4.5 hours, but cost three times as much. The train was third class and the seats were simple padded wooden benches, but it was really good fun travelling with the locals. We had a very ...

... wicked fun on the winding roads through the mountains. We talked for hours, random topics like the oil embargoof 70's, middle east, astrology, solar power, as the sun set behind us, casting a light pink streaks in the sky, and we watched the stars came out. He gave me some good traveling tips, and left to Mae Hong Son the next morning. It was a nice experience, traveling alone can have its lonely times, a day or three can pass without really connecting with anyone.

... border town. Full of casinos, regulated by Thais and Laotians on weekends because gambling is illegal in their own countries. It's like Vegas meets third world..in no man's land.

Drenched in our own sweat, we paid $30 to have a taxi take us all the way to Siem Reap. Paving of the two-lane road was just completed in May--so it was a zippy ride (~2 hours). The driving in Cambodia can only be described as insanity. The roads are packed with ...

... take us long to decide that we wouldn't be trekking up there as all six of us were instantly smitten with the town and decided we wanted to have a couple of days to explore it and take advantage of the laid back atmosphere which seems to have survived since Pai's days as hippy hang out in the sixties when it operated as a major hub for the opium trade. It's also set in the most beautiful countryside flanked by hills and forested mountains and we checked in ...

... and cave exploring. To get there we hitched a ride with the post man/errand runner for the village of Sappong. On our way we delivered gas to many locals (by we, I mean Gabby and I hauled the gas containers out while the driver collected $). Once at the lodge we met some Danish guys who we went kayaking down the river with and visited three of the largest caves in the area. One cave had teak coffins that have been there for ages, the ...

... the driver to go to the border, go directly to the border, without passing go, or he would not be collecting his 80 baht. On the way we nevertheless pull up outside a building with an official-looking sign outside saying 'Royal Cambodian Consulate', but it was no such thing. "You get visa here?" he asked, rather sheepishly it must be said. We frowned at him, "Border! ...Please." The Thai side was a breeze, and then we came out in the most ...

... off slowly so she could get comfortable, we cruised through the two streets in Pai at 20 km an hour before getting out to the major road which leads to the countryside. Feeling the cool breeze as we rode out of town to Wat Phra Thart Mae Yen, climbing the 300 concrete and wooden steps we finally reached the gate to the temple. Next stop Tha Pai Hot Springs.....motoring along the small two lane country road past rice fields, banana plantations and luscious scenery ...

... though, you get a bus to the thai side and then walk across. then you have to get a bus 500 yards to the actual bus stop and from there you can go on your merry way.

going to have to stop typing now as i can feel sweat rolling down my chest! nice feeling.

Later.

Ps. i got a bite for a mozzie, lucky me