Chiang Mai, Pai and the Mae Hong Son Loop

Chiang Mai is the gateway to northern Thailand and also the second biggest city (I think?). Most people use the city as a base to do some trekking, visit hill tribes and ride elephants. People are like jumping out of their seats to get you on to these organized tours. I contemplated it and decided it just wasn't for me and headed to Pai intent on renting a motorbike and riding around the mountains for a while. Pai is a total hippy town. It's super chill, set in the mountains and seems to attract all sorts of different people. After the craziness of Bangkok and the tourist trap of Chiang Mai I found it quite refreshing. In Pai I got together some people I had met in Bangkok and Chiang Mai, rented some 125cc scooters for 3 dollars a day, bought a map and headed out.

ahhhh...I really intended to write about this whole 5 day trip, about how I got deathly ill for two days, rode my bike into a ditch, made it to the Burmese border, saw some great little villages with the nicest people and had a super awesome time but I've been on the internet for going on two hours and am hungry. I'm back in Pai, I didn't get hurt on my fall (though it was quite amusing to many a Thai) and my death sickness was terrible yet short lived. Maybe I'll write more about it later but probably not. I did, however, post a bunch of pictures to facebook. See the link below (you don't need to sign up). I've given up posting pics directly to this site, it's way too slow.

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=73785&l=fc80a&id=581927958