Sawadee Ka Spontaneity!

Or "hello spontaneity!"

I just completed the last of 762 curves on my motorbike between Pai and Chiang Mai, and I'm finally "home." Yipeee! Damn, it's good to be back. I can't say that Pai is heaven on Earth, but the open road adventures surely made it all worth while. Looking back, that is... Now I'm writing from a cozy garden restaurant in my favorite place in Thailand, watching lanterns float above Chiang Mai city in preparation for the famous Loi Krathong festival. I can giggle and sigh as I daydream about my wild and crazy adventures from the refuge of what's familiar and safe... 

One week ago, I put a Buddhist flower garland around my motorbike handlebars and set off into the mountains. Wow... Open road, wind in my hair, sunshine... all things beautiful and free. This dream of "freedom to be" finally coming true! I must say, I felt so empowered, adventurous and prepared. I enjoyed leisurely exploring each and every waterfall and hot spring I came across, playing with new friends that I collected along the way. First stop was Mok Fa Waterfall; truly amazing and for sure one of those experiences that usually doesn't evolve into much more than just a dream. I hiked about 15 minutes through the jungle until I reached a massive opening with sheer rock walls, and of course, a GORGEOUS pounding waterfall, descending among lush green vines and colorful birds into a sandy celadon pool. Best part, I was the only one in sight... and of course I just had to skinny dip! I also sobbed with happiness as I stood under the pounding water thinking, "how did I get so lucky!" Absolute magic.

After the waterfall, about 2 minutes went by on the road before my wet clothes started to feel cooler than comfortable... Oh wait, is that a hot spring? Yep! Pong Duet Hot Springs just a few kilometers away, down a long gravel road. A geyser that continuously erupts like a collection of natural fountains in the jungle, sending steamy water into a series of riverside pools of varying temperatures. I got pretty comfortable in one of them and watched the sun go down and the stars come out... Three Thai women showed up with smiles for a little bathing session. A blissful evening, indeed. But then, the reality of time... "OH SHIT, ARE THOSE STARS? It's dark out! And I'm only half way there!"

Ahhh, the moment when spontaneity came back and bit me right in the ass! I guess it was only a matter of time. Certainly a moment I'll never forget and a reality I hoped would never prove itself. I mean, this has been my "mantra" for years and I've thoroughly enjoyed it! But even I know that driving a motorbike over an unfamiliar mountain pass after dark isn't smart... So, a kind Thai guy offered to drive me and my bike back to the main road, but then I was on my own... literally. Accept for the herds of cattle of course, which I had to dodge throughout the remaining two hours of my completely sketchy road trip. And the men with machine guns strangely standing at the divide check point! Freezing, low on petrol and hungry as hell I continued on. Even in my misery I couldn't help but laugh a little when I thought of the way I felt hours earlier. I indeed progressed through a full range of emotions during the course of the trip as my invincibility dissolved into feeling pitiful, frozen and afraid. I explored various levels of bliss, fear, excitement and anger during those two hours in the dark. I even did some howling at the moon... really! Under truly the brightest starry sky I've ever seen. And I highly recommend it! I think I unloaded a decade of built up frustration and threw it RIGHT over the ridge. Ahhh, if only I had a picture of me cruising down the road howling at the moon, I'd insert it <here>! :)

Luckily, when I finally DID arrive in Pai, I was in one very cool little adobe mountain bungalow. Which made me feel like I was in New Mexico, home country! There were recycled glass bottles in the mud walls along with an open air hot shower. Breakfast included in my $8/night rate and I could even hook up to FAST wifi, which is a real luxury in Southeast Asia. As an added bonus, they threw in a few geckos which would crawl around on the ceiling feasting upon any obnoxious moth that decided to drop by. This was the place!

And it's a good thing because I wasn't too crazy about Pai's Western culture... It's truly impossible to sit at a cafe without overhearing one husky voice or another talk about how "awesome their mushroom trip was last night... duuude." Or seeing a gang of dread lock hippies roaming the streets barefoot with jingling gypsy anklets. (Sorry for the incredible stereotype!) Nevertheless, Pai probably does have some really wonderful people. It's a backpacker's paradise and mecca for adventurous travelers. You can't avoid meeting people in this tiny place. Best of all, it's home for many of what I like to call "alternative Thai" peeps - tattoos, rebellious women and interracial families, all of which might be frowned upon in neighboring towns (and countries). Pai is a place where truly, "everything goes," and with a smile! Not to mention the gorgeous mountain scenery.

If nothing else, going to Pai JUST for the raw carrot cake at Om Garden Cafe makes the trip worth while. Seriously! This is one of the best restaurants I've ever been to. Organic breakfast, smoothies, green juice, the list goes on. Best of all, young owner Anon who's a very talented Thai chef made me feel like a regular on day two, which of course only kept me coming back for more! He would handle the floor, the kitchen AND the register, making periodic trips to the market when more fresh fruit was needed. Now THAT'S how you run a restaurant.

So during my relatively organized journey home, taking those 762 famously rugged curves in daylight I asked myself, "did you learn anything Emily?" Honestly, I don't know that I did. I mean, I'm not going to stop being spontaneous, and I probably won't stop driving my motorbike after dark either. Maybe the message is quite the opposite... Get out there, live!

After all, it's what we DON'T do that we regret.

Smart or stupid, I'll remember this trip for the rest of my life!