Mae Hong Son - Chiang Rai

  Chiang Rai, Thailand
Monday, October 1, 2007

Itinary : Mae Hong Son - Chiang Rai
Date : 1st October 2007
Mileage so far : 3842 km

Good day again today! Not as good as yesterday because I had a problem with my portable hard disk in which I store my pictures and lost 80 pictures from the "Ayutthaya - Chiang Mai" trip...So I started the day thinking about that...Nevertheless it was quickly forgotten when I hit the road at 8 AM so that I could be on time at 10 to meet Kevin in Pai which is 120 km away. Yes I was beeing reasonable and set an average of 60 km/hour...The road was pretty much the same or even better than the day before!

How can they put those 2 signboards together!?!

It was mountains roads up to Pai where I reached 1400m in altitude and the temperature was a cool 20 degrees celcius.

Reaching the peak of the mountain in the mist...

Just stunning views!

So I did a stop up there to admire the view and was attacked by this lady selling local hand made piece of textile...I'm a beeing mean, it was actually a wonderful 2-in-1 hat that could also become a bag...No comment just view the picture...Stupid purchase? yes but it made the lady happy...and me too.

My 2-in-1 "hat-bag" that I purchased!

From hat to bag!

Then the day got a bit bad when I decided to turn into a small gravel road when I saw a signboard indicating "come to our monastery and join the meditation session"...I thought it could help my hyperactivity...So I turned in and when I realized that it was miles in, I decided to turn around and head back to the main road...Anyway the monk would have probably told me that I am a lost cause...The path was narrow and as I reversed I slipped on the grass and gently let the bike down...Silly huh? Ok ok...That's the official story...Here's what really happened...The real story is I tried to U-turn in one go in this shitty narrow road and when I realized I wouldn't make it I amaturishly slammed the brakes which forced the bike to lean a little bit, then my weak bony frog leg couldn't hold the bike up and suddenly, as my face was turning purple by trying to lift the bike back up, I was trown 3 meters away into the grass and the bike crashed on the gravel...There now you know. Not funny...Had to wait 10 minutes for a monk in moped to pass by and help me lift up the bike...So I did see a monk finally...Not to meditate but to do some bike lifting exercices...He was surprised with the weigth of the bike...

Anyway, I quickly reached Pai only to discover that it was like Jamaica but in Thailand. A small backpacker hyppie town lost in the north of Thailand. I saw for the first time 2 Thai men with Rasta hair! My very first Thai rastamen! Can't imagine what would thai raggae music sound like...Funny town full of Hyppies riding mopeds and carrying their guitare on the back. Good I didn't stay there...I don't smoke weed, I don't sing, I dont play guitare and I have short hair (which I wash everyday...Well I try). The only hyppiness in me is maybe the length of my nipple hair...

So after picking up Kevin at Pai we decided to head for Chiang Rai. Kevin looked good today...Kevin if you're reading this, I'm joking! Kevin is loosening up a bit lately and starting to make fun of the french so I indirectly joke back trough this travelogue.

Saw some interesting things on the road today, the first one was this guy going from town to town with his moped to drop stuff and made me realize that waterproof side paniers was a thai invention...

Thailand actually invented the side paniers...

Further along the way, I couldnt help myself from taking a picture of a truck transporting pigs...After giving a donation to the elephant hospital I thought I could allow myself this cruel picture....The poor pigs where all cramped in this cage and as I was following to take the shot I kept hearing this sound and I couldn't figure out where it was coming from...The sound kept appearing only in the turns...My breaks pads? loose disk? Until I understood that it was the pigs squeeking in the turns! I guess it's belly pressure between them that made them squeek in the turns??? I have the same problem when pushed around in an overcrowded bar...I was tempted to free the pigs...

Poor pigs...Felt sorry and wanted to set them free

Finally as we were approaching Chiang Rai, we decided to take a shortcut and trust my GPS. Wrong decision that was...I should have done like with my banker, listen and do the opposite...Anyway, we were brought to ride this unmapped road for 10 km where we got a few shivers from on coming trucks...The road was just wide enough for one car or a GS with side paniers! When we reached the secondary road which was actually the shortcut we were looking for, we went trough this really remote area which allowed me to experience the remote rural parts of northern Thailand.
I was just amazed to cross this area where you could see only farmers. It was 5h30 pm and we kept seeing them making their way home from the fields on which they work. It was quite a walk that they were doing along the side of the road, carrying on their back the tools. No TV, no Phone, no internet...Basically they didn't have anything that needed electricity...Surprising how they can survive with almost nothing and still be happy...Wanted to take a picture with them but didnt dare...I think I'll get the chance tomorrow when I cross to Laos...

I think that, in regards of road excitment and quality, this will be the best of the trip...The morning ride to Pai was similar to riding mountain roads in Europe and the road reminded me a lot the alps...Except that the people are friendly here...I still managed to bump into a few compatriotes during the trip and into one this morning...

The only french compatriote in this area...

Can't wait to see how Laos looks like...If kevin doesn't sneak out tonight...