Reunion

After leaving Pai, I decided to spend a couple of days with Anna and Snedz in Chiang Mai who I befriended in Thong Nai Pan. They were on their way to Pai for a big reggae festival and I am on my way to Laos. I also wanted to spend a day or two in Chiang Mai to check it out. It was raining so bad in Pai, I made a last minute decision to just hop on a bus and see if I could find them.

After a rough time finding a guesthouse, I went exploring around town to look for restaurants, night spots, and my friends. It became clear that this is a pretty big town. Not just a given that I would bump into them, especially since they didn't know I was there and wouldn't be looking for me.

While wandering, I liked what I saw. Chaing Mai is quite urban and has street after street, alley after alley of charming bars and restaurants. I also, quite by accident, stumbled on the red light district (I think). I noticed a large area filled with little bars, some with pool tables. All of them had only Thai women in them, and a sprinkling of western men socializing with them. No western women. I walked along the outside and noticed a Muay Thai (boxing) match going on in the center of the bars. I walked just inside the boundry of the area to get a closer look at the boxing and I was immediately snatched by the arm by a pretty Thai woman who insisted that I sit down and have a beer with her. I objected and told her I was looking for my friends and wouldn't be staying. She wouldn't let go. She was very insistent. I really had to pull hard to get out of there. Now I could see that the boxing was merely bait... something that would draw guys in. Sheesh.

I started walking back toward some live music I had seen before, and poof, there were Anna and Snedz, eating at a sidewalk table. I said "Who's buying me a drink!" We had a fun night and ended up at an afterhours party and lost track of time.

The next day I made arrangements to travel to Pakse, Laos. This will be my first adventure off the tourist circuit since most folks go a different direction from Chaing Mai.