The whole country had the day off on Monday in honor of the King’s birthday. I celebrated by meeting some friends in Chiang Rai, the northern most province in Thailand, for a three day weekend of adventures. While our friends in the greater Bangkok area endured a 14 hour overnight bus, Josh and I enjoyed a four and half hour motorbike ride over the mountains. It was simply one the most beautiful rides I’ve seen. The majority of the time was spent going back and forth on curvy roads with majestic mountains distracting us on either side, compelling us to stop and smell the roses along the way.
We soon discovered that Chiang Rai is a pretty hip place. The manageable city offers the best of both worlds with a handful of fun downtown bars and the scenery of rice patties, mountains, and forests surrounding the outskirts. On Saturday we visited Wat Rong Khun, an aesthetically pleasing white temple, which was constructed to resemble hell (it sounds counterintuitive until you see the architectural details). That night we walked around the bustling Chiang Rai night market and eventually ended the long day at the reggae playing Peace Bar- just what the doctor ordered (especially the alternative California doctor). The next day we went to Phu Chi Fa Forest Park, which entailed another unforgettable motor
bike ride. The journey to Chiang Rai from Nan was smooth sailing, but this ride presented some challenges, to say the least. Before I rant about the details, I’ll first ease any worries by saying that we were thankfully safe the entire time. Jill rode on the back of my motorbike and the two of us enjoyed the scenery until it began to get dark, which was around the same time that we turned right on an unmarked fork in the road. The lack of signs at a crucial intersection was quite typical of Thailand, although the more illogical part was that most of the trip was actually well marked! Needless to say, turning right was wrong, which we concluded after the next sign indicated 50 more kilometers or so than the previous one. As the mountain road steadily inclined, the temperature quickly declined (an unfamiliar feeling for us in Thailand) and the unlit roads became more difficult to navigate. Suddenly, the motor bike stalled and stopped. I tried kick starting it but to no avail, for the motorbike had run out of gas. At that moment, when we were mentally and physically drained from the tiring ride (your ass starts to really feel it after a few hours… that’s what she said), and stranded on the side of a dark, cold mountain, Jill started laughing hysterically. We had been driving the past few hours with no signs of civilization (besides the paved road), but our motorbike had broken down only a few dozen meters away from a small gas pump. I’d like to add that it was only after we responded with levity when the bike died that we found the gas pump, which made me think that perhaps our ability to stay calm and carry on somehow contributed to the borderline miraculous aftermath. Or it was merely fortuitous. Either way, we were thankful to finally find a cozy bungalow and meet up with the rest of our friends. The night ended on a fun, spontaneous note as Jill and I were walking past the campgrounds when a group of Thai guys invited us over for drinks and food. It was a real testament to the friendliness of Thai people. They offered us everything they had to eat and drink, serenated us on the guitar, took numerous photos with us, and repeatedly thanked us for stopping by. We kept responding, “no, thank you, thank you!”
The next morning we climbed Phu Chi Fa and waited under the stars in the whipping cold for the sunrise. The subsequent scenery was beautifully indescribable, so I’ll let the pictures and video give it a shot. I just kept saying “wow, wow, wow, wow, wow!” whenever I turned and faced the sun, mountains, and clouds.
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