The route to Pai is the main road and as such, surely it would be gorgeous tarmac. I got myself ready and headed to Pands coffee shop for breakfast. She wasn’t up, so I waited. In due course she came across from her house. As we waited for the coffee to warm Pand told me she wants to travel and asked how she can afford it. I was a bit lost, her shop is on the outskirts of the town, fairly hidden and competing with a few big names. I told her she has a wonderful country to explore and that the only way is for her to save up, every penny. It’s what I did, but for me it was so much easier with Western pension schemes and a few years in a well paid job. I felt sorry for her, she wants to see the world but it will take a huge upheaval to make that happen. We chatted until it was time for me to pay up for the two coffees, fruit and sticky banana rice. Pand would only accept payment for the coffee.
Let’s discuss snakes. I was expecting to see snakes. I’ve no reason to dislike them, but I’m not a fan. On my last visit to Vietnam, I had seen two, a dead hooded cobra and another smaller one in the death throws having been run over. So I had been on my guard. I had seen a lot of cane snakes which were just sticks of sugar cane, brown stick snakes which were just sticks, numerous fan belt snakes, which always made me jump and even a bootlace ‘snake’ in the road. This time though as I rounded a left onto an uphill straight, I saw it. The very obvious shape of an outstretched snake. I wanted a photo, so I slowed, but no sooner did I touch the brakes than it turned and shot into the undergrowth. I was still 25m away. How did it know? I think their eyesight is poor, so maybe sound, smell and vibration alerted it. Anyway it was gone and I’d missed my photo op.
The road was really good, smooth with flowing curves. I was still cautious of the tyres but was making good progress. Another long straight beckoned for more throttle, followed by harsh braking as the tarmac just stopped, no warning just a drop onto stones and gravel. Oh well they must be resurfacing, I thought to myself. Five kilometers later I wasn’t so sure, but the mapping said it was still the main road and the 4x4s coming towards me were not indicating that I was doing anything wrong.
Having made it to Pai, I rode through the town. I hadn’t booked anywhere to stay. Then at a junction in the centre I saw a cafe that advertised Sunday Roasts, was it Sunday? I went in. It was!
As I scoffed my roast, I looked for a place to stay and chose a reasonable one at a price I could afford. Booked, I clicked on the directions to it. Well what do you know, I could see it out the cafe window.
Earth, Wind and Tyres 