Chiang Mai to Pai - 762 curves

Our next stop was Pai, a small, laidback little hippy town north of Chiang Mai. We had decided to go there for some trekking to try and escape the mass of tourists and avoid glazed-eyed hilltribes used to being snapped away at by tourists pouring through their villages.

I finally gave in and took a nausea tablet, thinking it would help me sleep on the 3-4 hour journey. It did knock me out, but no-one really tells you just how dreadful the road is getting there. Being knocked out and jolted awake every 5 seconds is not my idea of fun.

"Winding road!" I scoffed,  Pah, I am South African - we have winding roads galore!!!
Oh no - not this bugger..... 762 curves there are ... and no, not well spaced out but to the right 2,3, 4 to the left 2,3,4 to the right, 2, 3, 4, to the left. And so on and so forth for the entire duration of the drive!

Someone needs to write a stern letter to these road engineers!

But anyway, we eventually arrive in Pai. Pai sweet Pai, such a lovely place to get lost in for a bit. Pai... which in English means "Mosquito", which is the shortened version of "Giant mosquito bite you on face and bum until you look like misshapen idiot"

Ok that isn't true!

But, being north and close to Laos one does have to cover up well. It is also the place we (and others headed to Laos) begin to take our malaria medication. I find this rather amusing. I am generally very healthy, hate pills and never go to the doctor. In the space of two weeks I have been to the pharmacy for a bladder infection, nausea and dreadful acid reflux. Then I take a malaria tablet which has all the above as side effects, and promises photosensitivity. I can't figure out if this means I will get a great tan or skin cancer... watch this space!!

So we hired a scooter to go and find accommodation and booked a special trek starting the next day at Backtrax - two days hiking and one day white-water rafting for just us four girls!! We have all been so excited to get out into nature a bit!