Magical weekend

Pai was fabulous :) so much fun! And the whole trip cost me less than $30!! Woke up on Saturday and had bananas and toast with strawberry jelly provided by the hostel. Then most of us walked into town while a few others rented bicycles and biked to a waterfall and a farm. The rest of the group took a taxi to the hot springs. I rented a bicycle and biked there. It was so beautiful and so great to bike again! It wasn't that hard biking on the opposite side if the road. I guess I'm kinda use to it now. Hot spring was so amazing!! It only cost 100 B because we are students. It was like a natural hot tub. I went up to where the spring originated and the water was boiling. You could boil eggs :) I made ramen in a water bottle with the water. It was really good. The water felt so good to rest it. It was very relaxing and rejuvenating. Sitting in a hot stream in the jungle :) then I biked back, watching as the rice paddies and steep mountains rolled by. Then I visited the unfinished White Buddha on the mountain we could see from the hostel. My bike peddle broke on the way up the mountain but I was able to return it and get my 500 B deposit back the next day with no problem. Walked up the crazy long/steep stairs and got a sweet view of the valley of Pai and the surrounding mountains. Went up to the Buddha further up the mountain and was able to climb up onto the statue :) it was really cool. Then went into town and buy so e bananas for 10 B for dinner. Ate them and finished my book. Then we got ready and went out to the town. Went to a bar which was fun. Left at 12 and went to bed at 1. 

If you haven't woken up to the sun shining over the mountains onto the rice paddies you are resting over, you should try it, it's great :) had a slow morning and then checked out of the hostel but left most of our stuff there. Some went to a farm and the rest of us went to the Buddha again and got some great views of rain on the other side of the valley. Then the others went back down while I grabbed a hardened bamboo stick, fastened my knife to the end with string and then headed up the rest of the mountain. There was an unmaintained trail that lead up and around the mountain. I walked along and then judged when I was near the summit and started climbing with my hands and feet up the steep slope. Reached the summit at 3000 feet and had nice views of the surrounding mountains. Ate bananas and drank water. Then the wind whipped up and it started to drizzle. I ran around getting cool views and then headed down a different way but intending to hit the path I had left. Well, I missed. I went down a different ridge all together and could see the Buddha and the temple on another mountain lol so I headed down the the river to then hike back up to the temple. Only problem was the maintains here are super steep which is harder going down then up at times. I made it down by running into trees, stepping sideways carefully, and sliding. Made it to the river with a few scratches on my legs and then headed down the river until it seemed live the right time to head up. Started climbing and hit the temple head on :) good adventuring. Headed to the hostel to pick up my stuff with dirt and blood and sticks. Felt like a real trekker :) then headed to town and got on the bus where I listened to the Grapes of Wrath. Good stuff. Got a little car sick. Got home and unpacked and showered and slept. Great weekend :)