Pai Land

PAI LAND

a fairytale based on a true story

by Alan and Mika

Once upon a time, in a far away land, there lived a man by a river.  He was wise beyond his years and had come to this spot to live out his days.  He farmed the land for his food, he went to the river for his water and used the bamboo in the nearby jungle for his shelter.  He was a happy man and his home was called Pai Land.  Everyday travelers would stop by and see him and talk for a while about this and that but mainly how beautiful Pai Land was and how happy they were to be there. 

On a beautiful sunny day, two such travelers made their way from the nearby town toward a magnificent waterfall that lay just beyond Pai Land.  They started their journey in the late morning just as the sun had finished warming the air.  Along the way they met a fellow traveler who seemed lost and confused.  They could not help direct the traveler to where he wanted to go but welcomed him to follow them to the waterfall.  Easily swayed, the traveler accepted their offer and joined the couple.  He immediately seemed unlike anyone they had ever met, not displaying any of the euphoric qualities seen in all the other townspeople.  Instead, he had a dark cloud surrounding him.  He had traveled from a far distance but could not seem to remember his past life.  Not what he did, where he was going or even if he had any responsibilities from whence he came.  Hesitant but unwaviered, the couple continued on their way with their new traveler in tow.

Eventually, the valley gave way to the hills and the jungle began to take root.  Grass and bamboo huts faded into the landscape and the sounds of water and birds replaced the buzz of the town.  The couple admired the countryside and tried to strike up conversation with the young man.  This was becoming increasingly more difficult the further they traveled.  The young man was preoccupied.  He would laugh to himself and declare he “just thought of the funniest joke” but could not remember what it was.  They tried to discuss his previous occupation but instead learned about his new vegan diet and how much weight he had lost in the three days since he began.  He rambled on about his love of cigars but how he rarely smokes.  He spoke about his recent loss of memory and how past events were only now coming to light.  He was on a soul searching journey but clearly could not recall why.  The couple became more and more concerned.

As they entered the jungle on their way to the waterfall, the tension thickened.  There was only one way in and out and hardly anyone from town ever ventured this far.  They had a small supply of food and water and nothing more than what the jungle provided to protect them.  Dark thoughts of murderous slayings and bloody fights raced through their minds.  They traded only glances to know what each other were thinking.  If the powers of Darkness were to show themselves, they would be ready.

On and on they walked.  Through rivers and streams and bamboo forests and snake infested bush.  Hours went by and only the silence of the group could be heard.  At one point they came upon a local fisherman collecting his daily catch.  Looking for relief, the couple was disheartened when the man smiled and turned to continue on his way.  Eventually, the waterfall came into view.

It was the most beautiful waterfall in all the land.  The water came from the top and fell to the bottom and it was the most wondrous place for a picnic.  The couple bathed in its pools and had lunch beside its shores.  The lone fisherman again appeared as if from nowhere.  Just as he arrived, he cast his net for the biggest catch of the day.  He pounced on the fish and effortlessly grabbed it between his hands.  Without thought or the slightest bit of hesitation, he brought the fish to his mouth and bit into its head, killing it.  Blood and guts squirted down its still flailing dead body and the fisherman wiped the blood from his smiling face with his forearm.  He threw the fish into his bucket and, satisfied with his daily catch, sat to smoke what could only be assumed was a cigarette.

With the afternoon sun beginning to fall lower in the sky, the young couple began the long journey back.  They inquired about their companions intentions.  Being forever undecided and lost in a sea of thought, the dark traveler made reference to staying a bit longer.  The couple turned to leave and as soon as they were out of sight, they ran.  Through the rivers and streams and through the bamboo forests and snake infested bush, the couple ran until their lungs were about to burst.  After what seemed to be an eternity, they found themselves at the gate of a strange yet lovely farm. 

Through rows of corn and chili peppers, trees of papaya and passion fruit, they followed the path over a bamboo bridge into the farm and were greeted by two of the most extraordinary kittens.  The kittens led the exhausted and hungry travelers up the hill to a magical hut.  It was the most beautiful setting the two had seen and the welcoming that awaited would surely lift their spirits.  Teaming with free bananas and passionate fruit, the hut was adorned with two large bamboo hammocks overlooking the valley and town below.  A small man with long dreadlocks appeared in front of them, holding a warm, impish smile.  With a love only a family can give, the man welcomed his guests to sit and tell him about their adventures.  He smiled and laughed often, while offering fruits and inviting them to stay for dinner.  Gratefully accepting, the two dropped their bags, kicked off their shoes and took in the views that this magical kingdom offered.  The Rasta looked over at his new friends and said, “”Welcome to Pai Land!”

Pai Land, the Rasta went on to explain, was a place created to be one with nature and enjoy the bounty it provided.   Years ago, the man had lived in the town below but had realized that it’s “system was broken”.  He left to create a magical place where others could come to get away from these problems.  He went on to introduce his fair maiden – a dreadlock princess from a far away land that was madly in love with him.  As dinner was being prepared, the couple frolicked around the farm picking papayas and mushrooms for the feast.

Dinner was everything the travelers needed.  They filled their stomachs with the freshest of foods while exchanging stories and enjoying the setting sun.  After everyone had had their fill and could no longer eat another bite, the Rasta invited the couple into his simple home.  And so up a bamboo ladder they went to see how the farmer lived.  The home was simple yet comfortable.  There were decorative mats to sit on and the living room looked directly out onto the valley below.  The Rasta explained that this was his “TV” and it was always on and it had the most extraordinary picture quality!  As the group sat and discussed the wonders of the farmer’s life, the couple noticed two AK-47 assault rifles hanging from one of the living room walls.  Noticing his guests concern, the Rasta offered his explanation.  “Those are for bird watching!” he proclaimed.  Of course they are thought the guests.  “Everyone thinks of guns and they immediately think of killing” the Rasta continued.   “These guns have excellent scopes and they are the best for watching birds.”  Holding up a 6” knife, the Rasta explained that this knife could be used for killing but it could also be used for cutting and cooking. Why should these guns be used for only one thing?  An excellent point, the couple thought.  The farmer truly was a very resourceful man.

As darkness settled in, the couple thanked the Rasta for his hospitality and began their journey back to town.  The trail went down the hill, along a dark path lit only by the light of the moon.  The couple reflected on their day and all of the people they had met.  The Dark traveler had still not emerged from the jungle and they would never hear from him again.  Rumor has it that he now lives at the waterfall waiting for the next innocent trekker to come his way.  The couple would go on to spread the word of the Rasta farmer to all their friends who, in turn, would make their own journeys and have their own adventures in Pai Land.

The End

Chiang Mai

As an early Christmas and Hanukkah present to ourselves we booked a flight to Chiang Mai from Phuket. The highlight of our trip there was our Thai cooking class. We promise a Thai cooking night for our families when we get back! 

The rest of out time was spent exploring the city, a nearby local lake and the What (temple) on top of the nearby hill with a scooter-although I would not say that Thailand is the perfect place for us to learn how to ride one!

Sawadee Khrap Ronald MacDonald!

A short story worth mentioning....
We rented a scooter in Chaing Mai to get around and explore.  One night while visiting the local night market we parked the bike along side several others and spent a couple hours wandering the stalls.  When we came back we found that someone had wrapped a chain and lock around our rear tire.  There was no note, ticket or phone number.  Just a chain and lock.  Luckily a friendly Thai guy came by (funny that rhymes) and told us we had to take a tuk-tuk and go to the police station.  As seasoned travelers we concluded that that was completely wrong.  He then pointed 25 feet away at the parking attendant.  "Maybe he can help you".  Sure enough, the attendant was the man who owned the key to our bike lock.  We are not sure of the explanation but it could have been that we parked by a Pancake stand but did not eat pancakes, or simply that we did not park in his lot.  Anyway, the fine was 20 Baht (75 cents) so we gladly paid!  I think this is the second ticket we have gotten so far - we ran a toll booth in Milan, Italy because we did not have enough change.  We're not sure what has come of that one yet!

Phuket and Ko Phi Phi Don Thailand

Phuket 12.6-12.13.0

From the moment we stepped off the plane at Phuket International Airport we were greeted with Sally’s smiling face and happily surrendered to her motherliness. (Sally was the chef aboard the ketch I worked on in the Caribbean 3 ½ years ago and has been based in Thailand on another sailing yacht for the last year). We were treated to 5 days of no planning, a schedule was already in place, no hotel to find, no figuring out meals, maps were given, questions were easily answered and we were surrounded by a sense of normalcy, this was a luxury.

We put our bathing suits on and headed straight to the beach. The water was the temperature of bathwater, so clear and so salty that it stung the skin a little. Later Alan would find out that those stinging sensations we were feeling would cause him to have what I diagnosed as swimmers itch, also known as sea lice. Basically there are these little buggers in the water, so tiny that you cannot even see them and they try to lay their eggs under your skin but they are always unsuccessful because they cannot survive outside the water. Luckily they were not at every beach and not everyone has a reaction to them but Alan had a reaction all over his body. They loved him. He described it as similar to having poison ivy. On top of this he got lots of mosquito bites despite applying bug spray. He was a very itchy guy for a few days, he even tried to say that I was not being sensitive enough relating it to my getting food poisoning at 12,000 feet! I think that he was jealous because I did not have any itchy red bumps.

Phuket is a very touristy island and most people steer you away from traveling there, I mean it has an international airport for goodness sake! But I think that most people when they think of the island of Phuket think of Phatong, an unattractive built up concoction of neon lights, concrete, hotels, bars, cheap souvenir shops and packed beaches lined with pre-pay beach chairs filled with tattooed tourists drinking some Fu Fu drink out of coconuts at 9am. But this is not all of Phuket. We stayed about 30 minutes north of Phatong in a much less populated beachfront community called Nai Yang.

We rented a motorbike and spent 6 days discovering little coves and beaches. We even spent an evening down south where we enjoyed cocktails on the balcony of our hill top bungalow, overlooking the ocean as magical rice paper lanterns drifted slowly up to sky. Alan and I were also lucky enough to send one up into the heavens ourselves. The lanterns are large rice paper cylinders with a wax ring in the center. You light the ring and it burns just high enough to create heat but not burn the paper. They are lit for luck and if they fly straight up to the sky you are very lucky, needless to say Alan and I are very lucky! (But I have a strange feeling most people are! )

After being very cautious with eating any kind of meat for the last couple months we have finally been able to enjoy a smorgasbord of fresh sea food and have had our fill of prawn Pad Tai from small beach front stands. The food is delicious and everything is amazingly fresh.

Just in case we had avoided all the tourists too much, we decided to head over to the gem of the Andaman Sea – Ko Phi Phi Don.

Apart from a few abandoned hotels and new haunting tsunami evacuation signs pointing you towards an escape route, you would never know that this area had been devastated by the tsunami in 2004. The vegetation grows so quickly and everything has been completely rebuilt.

Ko Phi Phi Don 12.13-12.15.09

Sheer limestone cliffs meet clear aqua marine waters that are surrounded by inlets of pristine soft white beaches. Known as one of the most beautiful beaches in the world and recommended by everyone who has been there and even those who have not (Also made famous by the movie “the Beach” with Leonardo Dicaprio.) We decided to see what all the hype was about and braced ourselves for the crowds, taking a boat over to Ko Phi Phi Don. The island and surrounding geographical features were stunning and unique to anything we had ever seen before. We had two relaxing days filled with swimming in warm water and snorkeling along some of the best reefs I have ever seen while being surrounded by psychedelic colored fish and coral. But after two days, we were ready to leave. It was too touristy for our taste. We were also surrounded by Christmas lights, which at 90 degrees and humid is something I do not think I could ever get used to.

We both realized that no matter how beautiful a place is, it can become contaminated when overexposed. There is something spectacular about discovering the undiscovered and that reminded us of why we desire to see the roads less traveled, it is to become immersed in something foreign and unknown and get away from the familiar. The beach was a nice break, a vacation from the often hectic life of travel, always planning and on the go. Chiang Mai in the north of Thailand is our next destination and then we plan to amble over to Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam or just see where the land takes us.

-Mika

Alan’s creativity never ceases to amaze me. We had a very leaky air conditioner unit in our room in Ko Phi Phi that dripped straight onto the bed so Alan goes to tell the staff. He comes back into the bungalow with a plastic tube, tape and a water bottle and proceeded to make a drain so the water could run outside. Why didn’t I think of that?

Bangkok - Oriental City 12-4-09 to 12-6-09

Leaving India and arriving in Bangkok you would have thought you had passed through a time warp and landed in the future.  Air conditioning, garbage cans, cleanliness and Order.  To anyone who thinks that Bangkok is a crazy, smelly dirty place – go to India first.  It will put everything into perspective very quickly.  We probably looked silly, smiling and laughing as we claimed our baggage and went through customs but we could not contain ourselves – we were so happy.

However, traveling the way we are, the world has a way of slapping you back to reality very fast.  And this day would be no different.

As we exited the airport we stopped at a couple ATM’s to get some cash.  Our bank cards were not working and we had no way to figure out why.  We had about 450 Thai Baht (a little less than $15 USD) which we were told by the smiling woman at the taxi counter would be enough to get us to our hotel.   So off we went – into our metered, air conditioned, natural gas fueled car plastered with advertisements, onto one of the brand-spanking-new 6 lane super highways at a speed of more than 60km!  Again, we were so happy.  And then the modern world slapped again, this time with nothing short of 6 lanes of grid locked traffic.  Turns out it was King’s Day.  Of course it was.  The actual holiday was the following day but like all good holidays, everyone starts early.  The smiling lady at the taxi counter did not mention if 450 Baht included the traffic.  It took us almost two hours to reach the hotel – a drive that should have taken about 45 minutes.  The meter stood at 760 Baht.  Our driver stopped at no short of a dozen ATM’s on the way to the hotel and none of them worked.  We could see he was getting nervous about being paid his fare but there was literally nothing we could do except promise to pay him “later”.  Reality hit one final time when we arrived at the hotel.  This was straight out of an old Seinfeld episode….”No sir, we do not have a reservation for Mr. Alan.  Did you make a reservation with us?”  “Yes, I spoke with a woman on the phone yesterday.  She took the reservation and assured me that the room would be available.  She even asked what time we would be arriving.  Is she here?” “Sorry sir, she only works during the day.”   “So you can Take the reservation but you cannot Hold the reservation?” (This was funny to me but I can see by their faces that they are not Seinfeld fans.)  They then offered another room at double the rate which was my cue to exit. 

Our driver, whose motives we had questioned because he seemed to take us down every gridlocked street in Bangkok, quickly redeemed himself and proved that Thai people are as friendly and helpful as everyone claims.  He stopped the meter and drove us to 3 other hotels in hopes of “making us happy” – which he said was his only goal.  We finally found an ATM that would cough up enough cash to cover the fare and 3 hours after we hopped in his taxi, we said goodnight to our new friend.  Funny enough, while eating dinner on the street at midnight, we ran into a guy we met on our flight who took the bus from the airport.  For a fraction of what we paid he somehow avoided all the traffic, settled into his room, eaten dinner and was now taking a late night stroll!  How boring.

(For those that are curious – we later found out that our bank would not allow us to withdraw more than $65 in Thailand at a time.  Not exactly the news you want to hear when you get to a new place!) 

With our bellies and wallets full, we were happy again.  A little beaten but that’s part of the fun I guess.  We spent an hour or so after dinner walking around Khao San Road admiring the drunk twenty something’s hit on Landboys (unknowingly or knowingly?) and absorbing the newest land in our journey.

The following day we did what we do best.  We wandered.  Taking a Long Boat down the river to Chinatown we began to explore the city, its people and its food.  Most of the food in Thailand is best when eaten from the street vendors.  It’s all fresh, clean and the rule is if the locals are eating it, then it’s fine.  They eat lots of soups – even when it’s sweltering hot.  Somehow it’s not as bad as it sounds.  We cruised the markets and eventually ended up at the King’s Palace.  Being King’s Day, the rest of the city was there as well – all wearing Pink!  We spent the next 4-5 hours people watching, napping in the shade, sampling more street fare and waiting for the festivities to start.  It became apparent there was going to be a parade so we made our way toward the street to wait.  We were waiting for the King!

We waited for about an hour.  At one point we had to sit down (which was like human dominoes because everyone was so packed together) but I’m not sure why – maybe so the people in the back could see?  It was at this point that I realized that Thai people are forever happy.  They laugh and smile all the time – even when packed together like sardines and sitting on each other.  Anyway, just when we were about to give up and attempt to leave, a caravan of cars with one clearly being “someone special” drove by.  The reason I say “someone special” is because it flew by.  At maybe 40 miles an hour.  We saw nothing more than a profile but everyone waved their flags really hard (they did not cheer at all) so it must have been the King, although we learned that the King was sick and it was a stand in, so who knows.

We headed home, which took a while being that EVERYONE in Bangkok was on the streets (again – all dressed in pink shirts!).  We noticed along the way that Thailand is covered in 7-11’s.  They are everywhere.  It’s comforting to know that a Slurpy is never more than 2 blocks away.

We left for Phuket the next day.  It was time to hit the beach and relax – a vacation from a vacation!  Of course we left for the airport 3 hours early because everyone warned us of traffic.  It took us 30 minutes to get there, we could not even check in and go to the gate we were so early!  But what are you going to do…This is Thailand!

-Alan

It's hard to tell how big this guy is - but this coin is about the size of a quarter.  This guy was HUGE and in our bed!  Our bug policy is that Mika kills the bugs and I kill the spiders.  It's a joint assault!  

Varanasi India 11/11-13

Leaving Chitwan, and hence Nepal, on our way to India was both sad and exciting.  Sad to leave a country that we had so many experiences and had finally begun to understand the ins and outs.  (We have realized that this is a reoccurring problem – as soon as we get the hang of a country, we leave!)  Excited to be on to our next adventure and to be honest, a new cuisine!  A quick aside: I now have a new appreciation for the States, more specifically NYC, and the availability of so many cuisines all the time.  Every time we leave a country we get excited about the palate.

The ride over the border was mostly uneventful.  A couple bus rides brought us to the India border town of Sounali.  Possibly one of the most chaotic places we have seen yet (This little border town will play a small role in our passport fiasco a couple weeks later).  The actual border is little more than an arch that you pass through but it is a pure free for all.  We got our passports stamped and boarded an Indian bus in a somewhat calm procession.

Along the way we hitched onto an American and an Australian girl heading in the same direction.  The American, Brooke, lived in India so she was the natural tour guide - a blessing considering the chaos we were entering.  Brooke gave us a few pointers, actually put us on the train to Varanasi and bid farewell.  She was due on a 40 hour train to Mumbia. 

We pulled into Varanasi early, around 5am, found a place to stay, dropped our bags and headed to the Ghats.  Varanasi is one of the holiest towns in India.  It sits on the banks of the Ganga River which is naturally the holiest river in India.  Cleansing yourself in the Gangas is a way to wash away a lifetime of sins and cleanse your conscious.  Ironically, there are hundreds of people doing this every day, all day – makes you think.  The touristy thing to do is board an early morning boat and ride up and down the river to watch these personal ceremonies.  So off we went. 

The Ganga River needs some explaining.  To be blunt, the river can scientifically be classified as a septic system, meaning the oxygen levels are so low and the toxins so high.  There apparently is a significant effort to clean up the river but, like so many religious places, the considerable red tape has slowed the process down.   The Ganga’s is the life line of Varanasi.  Aside from the daily cleansing ritual (which includes cleansing the mouth), the river accepts the towns septic and storm water, it is used by all the animals for bathing and drinking, it’s the laundry-mat, and of course a way of transporting goods.  Last but not least, the Ganga is the receptor of many of the souls who come to be deposited.  Mostly this is by cremation but in some cases it is simply sinking the corpse (which may or may not stay sunk).

Needless to say, the Gangas is a special place.  Once you digest the fact that the river is what it is (and that you yourself will not be stepping into it) you begin to see the magic behind it.  The entire town is connected to the river and the people have so much spirituality it becomes tangible.  For me it was difficult to be anything more than a spectator but for the moment that was enough.

-Alan