The following was written 7-11, homeless in Tha Ton, not so in Chiang Rai.

6:14AM The van dropped me off in Tha Ton at about 4AM. I walked around town a little – not a challenging feat in this place – but all was closed. So I found a small little park, perhaps 20ft x 20ft, right next to the Tourist Police station. It had a couple trees that looked like they could provide rain cover, and a bench to lay on. I was able to get a little sleep before the sun came up.

Now I’m sitting on a pile of dirt across the street from the guest house I want to try, ants crawling all over me. The gate to the guest house is still closed, despite the sun being up and the city being awake.

As I said, the “mini bus” was a van. Packed with rows of seats, we were able to squeeze in 11 people, with one sitting on the stick shift. (Remember when I said I was the 15th to sign up?) Thais love to overbook. And let’s not even start on how they attempted to fit all the luggage. I think that a normal bus to Chiang Mai and then back north would have been a better deal, and more comfortable.

The guest house isn’t showing signs of waking, and a rooster felt the urge to walk up to me and start making loud, annoying noises, so I think I’ll wander around and find breakfast.

8:18AM The idea of me coming here was to spend the night and then jump on the river boat to Chiang Rai tomorrow, where from I could bus back to Chiang Mai at some point. Now I’m of the mind just to leave on the boat today – there isn’t much to hold me here. I look forward to a 3 hour float down the river.

4:14PM I’ve arrived in Chiang Rai!

Whether or not there would be a boat today was questionable. Because of gas prices, they only leave if there are 6 people. I was the first, and until just 30 minutes before the scheduled departure, there were only 5.

I seem to be getting used to sleeping on park benches, which I did all morning. The locals weren’t able to get used to seeing a scruffy, long-haired, white guy taking a nap in their park, though. I might be starting to smell… Perhaps I should bite the bullet and pay to get real laundry done?

As I was lying on the bench, three hill tribe women came up, selling their wares. Though none of us spoke a common language, we carried out a conversation for a bit. It was fun.

Today turned out to be Buddhist Lent, which meant the banks are all closed. A Swiss and her Thai boyfriend were all out of Baht, and needed to get to Chiang Rai so that the Swiss could reach her flight home. They asked me to spot them the 600 Baht for two boat tickets, which I did, and promised to pay me back when we docked at Chiang Rai – they would have a friend waiting at the pier who could pay me. To be honest, I didn’t really care if they could pay me back or not. I happened to have the Baht on me, and they needed to get to Chiang Rai. And that’s it.

In a Buddhist country, it doesn’t matter whether you believe in Karma or not. It just is.

I enjoyed the ride in the long tail boat. They sit so low that it feels like you’re skimming on water. The views (of the parts I didn’t sleep through) were wonderful. Not a road in site. Just green, green hills.

When we got to Chiang Rai, the Thai-Swiss couple’s friend was there with the money. He was a fat old man, whom I was told was a “medicine man”. I named him Bullfrog.

The couple had previously offered to drive me to any guest house I wanted, which I took them up on – a good thing, as there were no taxis waiting at the boats. We jumped in Bullfrog’s little car and zipped through town, defying every traffic law one could. Not even the Buddhist Lent Parade stopped us – we pulled right in, weaving through the monks and nuns.

They were driving down to Nan tomorrow, and offered me a free ride, but I declined. I want a couple nights in Chiang Rai before I bus south to Chiang Mai.

Now I sit in the guest house. It’s nothing much to look at, but has two strong fans and screen doors on the opposite sides of the room for bug-free ventilation.

It’s been exceptionally hot today. I look forward to a cool night in a bed – certainly superior to a night stuck in the back corner of a van, swerving to miss bumps, but still hitting them, in a sit leaning forward from the pressure of the bags behind it.

5:46PM Uh oh. Found another ice cream shop. They have something called a “chocolate trio”. That’s like, chocolate 3 times. Must be good. We’ll see.

The ice cream was bad. My stomach regrets it. They call themselves America’s Favorite Ice Cream Parlor, too. I’ve never even heard of the guys before today…

I’m in a funky little internet cafe across the street now. They have tasty looking smoothies – I should have come here before the ice cream place and gotten one of those instead.

Somebody is taking a bunch of pictures of the place. Maybe I’ll end up in an ad somewhere.

Speakeasy says 612k down, 515k up.

I was exploring Chiang Rai earlier. Found the night market, but they were just setting up, so I wandered down here to kill a little time.

I’ve been online a lot lately. Updating daily, it seems.

The following was written 7-12, in Chiang Rai.

12:01PM There are ads for the Camel Trophy all over town. A strange spot on the globe for them.

I found a used book shop earlier. Some ex-pat’s attic, with stacks and stacks of old, dusty books. Cobwebs covering the Tao section. All it needed was a large, old leather chair, and it could be home.

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.

The following was written 7-10, in the reception area at the guest house in Pai

12:10PM Whatever knocked out the power last night must have snapped a few other wires, too.

I checked out of the guest house this morning at 11:30AM, leaving my pack in the back room. The first internet cafe I stopped at said the connection was down. So I took the long way around town and had my usual lunch at the burger joint. Alaska’s cell phone wasn’t working – “no network,” it said. Across the street at the used bookstore, I browsed every English title they had. Nothing jumped out at me for a purchase, so I was gone in about 30 minutes.

Then it was back out into the heat, walking back down the street to the internet cafe I stopped at yesterday. (Or was it the day before? Yesterday, I think.) The high speed connection there was out, but they still had working, if slow, dial-up. A few minutes of that – before I had a chance to save any of the posts I was typing – the dial-up went down.

For the past hour or so I’ve been sitting here in the open but shaded reception area at the guest house, reading and sucking on pineapple juice. It catches a nice breeze.

I keep forgetting to buy more pens. Running low on paper, too. I saw a nice hand-made journal at a gift shop across from the coffee place earlier. Perhaps I’ll wander down there and buy it.

It’s still too hot to attempt a walk to the Wat outside of town – or anywhere not within a few blocks of here, without a destination promising air-con or a fan.

Think I’ll go back to reading now. Maybe the internet will be back in another hour, maybe not.

Obviously the internet is back up. I’m at an internet cafe/bar, sitting at an eMac. The keyboard is a bit stiff, making my typing funky, but at least it works. Speakeasy says 203k down and 187k up.

I walked back down to where the gift shop with the journal was, but it seemed to have vanished. I can’t find it anywhere. Was I dreaming this morning? I can still remember the feel of the paper on my fingers – it must have been real. I must make another attempt later.

I did finally go to 7-11 and buy more pens. I found some soap with Tea Tree Oil, too.

You know what else vanished? The Muslim bakery with the donuts. I wanted another donut, but no…

The clouds and the mist have crawled back over the hills, cooling down the valley. A strong wind was blowing earlier as I walked around. Could rain, but I hope not. I don’t want my already questionable bus ride to become more questionable.

Speaking of which, I wonder when we’ll arrive? I don’t think Tha Ton is more than 3 or 4 hours away. Arriving at 3AM in Bangkok is one thing, but a small town in the middle of nowhere – getting into a guest house could be a trick.

The following was written 7-9, hiding from the rain in Pai

5:48PM It’s amazing. The roof really isn’t anymore than dried leaves and it’s pouring outside, yet I’m dry in here. Or, rather, I would be dry had I not been on the other side of town when it started. Point of the matter is that those leaves really work.

On the way back across town, I stopped and bought some pineapple and, across the street, a decent donut at a Muslim bakery. I’m enjoying those now, with a Malarone. I think I’ll call this dinner – I’m not very hungry, anyway.

The following was written 7-9 in Pai, by a glowing green light

9:00PM Power out. One more reason to never be without a flashlight, kids.

Power on.