Pai Away
The following was written 7-10, waiting for my 11PM bus in Pai.
6:26PM The bakery stand reappeared a bit ago, providing me with one donut coated with sugar, and another glazed with chocolate.
It started pouring again after I bought the donuts, but I’ve taken cover in front of a general store – there’s tables and a slightly-leaky awning.
I’ve only 30 pages remaining in my book, which I’m trying to save for later. 4 hours left. There’s a stand across the street selling BBQ Pork. I’ve been contemplating crossing the street for a couple of pieces the last 20 minutes or so. Keep hoping the rain will let up. If I do get soaked, I won’t have any guaranteed place to dry off in.
A dry restaurant is a tempting place to kill a little time, but I’m not hungry enough for a full meal.
It’s funny to see Muslim women decked out in their black robes and headdresses cruising down the street on their motorcycles.
I respect them for being able to wear all that in the heat.
There is a poncho in my daypack…
I’ve seen a couple minivans with “Aya Services” plastered on the side. That’s probably my ride for tonight.
Is taking off in the dark of night, on the windy, steep roads that are surely by now wet and muddy, the greatest idea?
A guy just got on his motorcycle dressed in a shiny silver rain suit – coat and pants. He looks like a space man.
An angry mother screeched her SUV to a halt and yelled at two kids across the street at the noodle stand.
I’m not having much luck waiting the rain out.
Waiting for the words to come. Writing passes the time.
Two Aussies sit down beside me. Beer and smokes.
They ask if I’ve seen Loose Change. And if people believe it in the States.
Poncho out of the daypack. That’s a start to moving, I suppose.
8:03PM I picked up a couple sticks of pork (they’re skewered) and ventured back to the guest house seating area.
In only a few minutes I finished reading Off the Map. It’s been, I think, 3 years since I first read it. Maybe 2. I don’t know. Anyway, it deserved a re-read. Especially while on the road.
They’ve some bad 70’s disco playing here. And a TV with a dubbed American-looking movie.
And so what to do? Still 3 hours to go till the bus leaves.
Just remembered to take a Malarone.
This movie looks really bad. They’ve been desperately leading up to a sex scene with a blond bimbo for the past 10 minutes.
Oh, and the music has now changed to elevator piano-jazz.
There’s not much to do in Pai at night, but drink.
And speaking of drinking, I need to pee before getting on the bus.
I’m tired, for it being only 8PM.
The mosquitoes are chewing me up. I’m tempted to grab my pack and find somewhere else to sit.
I wonder why they chose to have an 11PM bus? Why not push it back till tomorrow? Does the van not get here till 11PM? Who knows.
They just popped a DVD into the TV. It’s got a trailer for some action flick that looks pretty intense (“The Duelist”). All I can tell is that it comes out, or comes to DVD, December 2005. But I digress. At this rate I’ll be out of paper by Tha Ton.