My piece of Pai

I finally made it to this little town nestled in the mountains only about 100 miles from Chiang Mai, but it is about a 3 hour trip with all the winding turns, etc... It's funny, they really encourage you to take the "mini-bus" there which picks you up at your guest house, but really it is like this old mini-van that they have some packed 12 seats into, no shocks, and then AC doesn't really work. I get quite claustrophobic cramped in there. I think from now on, I'll stick to the public transportation which is actually cheaper and more comfortable: the little tricks that you learn once you have been traveling for a while.
Anyway, upon arriving, I ran into a girl from my meditation retreat, small world, and she showed me some bungalows on the river to stay at. You have to cross this bamboo bridge, and I was a little uneasy as to whether it would hold me with all of my stuff, but it did!! I am staying in a typical thai bungalow: It is raised about 10 feet above the ground, made completely out of bamboo, and with a good-sized, comfortable bed, and a big mosquito net around it. It also has electricity which is nice, and then we all share a bathroom and shower.
It is absolutely beautiful, situated right on the river, nestled between rice pasties, and grazing areas for cattle. The town is in a little valley, surrounded by mountains, very touristy with a good amount of farang who live here. The town is tiny though, with only 2 traffic lights, and I didn't realize just how hectic Chiang Mai is, and not until I left do I now realize how lovely the country is! I am not really a city girl! Lots of good food, I've explored some waterfalls and natural hot springs on the motorbike, and am just kind of hanging out, enjoying the heat, hiking, swimming, taking it all in...
It was rather a hard adjustment into "normal" life after the meditation retreat. At my bungalows, there was this large group of Israelis (they're everywhere) who were kind of dominating the common area, and for the first time while traveling, I was overwhelmed by this complete feeling of aloneness and shyness for a day or two. Anyway, emotions are impermanent. I ended up meeting this really cool auzzie girl who is only 19, and we seem to really click. She's from the sticks in Australia, and works these really intense seasonal, 90 hour a week jobs for 3 months, and then goes off traveling for 6-9 months. She seems very secure, and soulful for being 19. We have distant future plans to bartend together in one of these tiny towns in Australia, where they pay you and provide room and board, just for the experience. I also have learned reiki here, and that is so awesome!! I've been using it ever day on myself!