After Breakfast and the usual answer to the call of nature, we took 107 until the intersection about 50km south. Then west on 1095. We made a stop at a very peculiar place called The Witch’s House. It is a café decorated like ‘The Burrow’ in Harry Potter’s movies. Both are stand-alone structures, in a secluded area.
There are colourful wizards and dark dementors. Dragon toad, spiders, leprechaun, globin, wingeg-horse, elfs, lurking among the plants and foliage that surrounded the café. The result is a surreal and playful setting. Nice & colourful. And the coffee is great, too.
Our next POI is the Bamboo Bridge, about 50km NW of where we are. Didn’t take very long to get there. We have entered Mae Hong Son. Kho Ku So Bamboo Bridge is connected to the base of the nearby mountains about 100m away. A monastery is located in this mountain and the bridge is to facilitate the monks’ movements, who would otherwise have to wade through muddy fields. As the name implies it is entirely made of bamboo and other organic material. Some of the earlier dwellings around here, however, was built with bricks & mortar. Cool place to wander around. The bridge will not withstand jumping (or riding), as it was built for barefooted monks.
And onward to Pai. We are at the start of our loop around Maehonson, The Mecca of Asian Bikers. This time, we will ride the loop counter-clockwise. My previous approach was from the south. Now, we are approaching from the east, and riding north before looping south towards Mae Sot. While making our way to Pai, I was amazed at the changes to the road. The asphalt look fresh and clean and the road is widen. It isn’t claustrophobic like it was before, when the foliage came right up against the road edges. The corners are nowhere as terrifying, because with the widening, you can see your apex and exit much sooner. And this give us a chance to use the higher gears, therefore faster straights, faster corners. Wonderful!
Pai is a nice town. It is a little bit like HDY, but just a little bit, because of availability of amenities here. It is a little touristy, just a little. Think most visitors here are the value-for-money kind. Don’t see much soliciting on the street. Hopefully, it remains like this forever and ever. We head to the Walking Street after checking-in. The Walking Street is the ‘go to’ place for anywhere we are unfamiliar with. Any hotel reception will direct you. Sure to find food and beer.
Lately, Cookie Monster was not feeling his best because he accidentally consumed cookies made in space. So did Insane Rider, although he wasn’t affected as badly. After food and some beer, I, too, started feeling woozy. Maybe it’s the smoke from the burning grass or something we inhaled. As we walked, I step behind KM7, with a hand on his shoulder to steady myself. And bloody Bongee Wongee was also dizzeee. And he placed a hand on my shoulder, and fell in-step behind me. Can you imagine how we might look? ‘3 Blind Mice’ staggering along Pai’s Walking Street. A midget in between two ogres. If anyone took a short clip and post in Tok Tok, he would surely garner a million ‘likes’. Fucking comical.
Only Orh Cheow and Lady P. Lien were unaffected. They found their dinner elsewhere and even got their laundry done at the laundromat. And they help with ours too. Thanks to them. Much appreciated.
Anyway, we made it back to the hotel. Tomorrow is another day.
woozywalker Jan. 2023
2 wheels and an engine 