There are so many words to describe this quaint little Thai town, yet none will really do it justice. We've absolutely loved this northern delight, and have spent 4 nights in it, the longest we've spent in any town during a single stay.

Pai is a very touristy town, filled with hippies and rastas, bars and restaurants, waterfalls and hikes, forests and river banks, and odd little shops in-between. It is very popular among tourists (young and old) for a good reason.

As one follows the incredibly curved roads that lead to the the little town, you start to see a complete mixture of Thai and western novelties and ideas. There's the grand coffee houses just outside of town, with there brightly painted buildings, cute little photo props, and gorgeous views of the surrounding mountains and forests. In town, there are many Westernized little bars, burger joints, and shops. Yet not for a second does it feel as if one is not in Thailand.

Or first two nights was spent at a little lodge, where we were able to afford a shared bungalow in between some greenery, and right beside the lodges pool. The first evening we spent exploring the little streets of the town, before unexpectedly stopping at a little Thai man's sports bar to watch the Australia vs SA rugby match. We couldn't believe our eyes, nor the fact that such a mix of nationalities could so quickly become amiable and chatty towards one another. After we suffered through the loss of SA, we headed out to have supper at some local joints.

Sunday morning we did a brief but superbly beautiful run. Imagine forests, colourful resorts, and rice paddies along a winding road that lead ever deeper into the forests and farmlands. It was breath-taking. Although we had dedicated the day to rest and a small online church service, we found ourselves constantly in and out of the lodge. Whether it was the hunger, the restlessness, or the need to go on an errand, we were exhausted by the end of the day!

Monday morning we rose early, had an 'American breakfast' at a sweet lady's restaurant, and then rented a scooter. We first headed out on our jogging path of the morning before, to as to offload our bags at our new accommodation. It's lovely, with brown huts situated between forestry and lush vegetation.

Today would be our explorer day: william had got hold of a map from a tour company, and we did the route and sight-seeing on our own time and budget. We first visited the giant Buddha, which is quite appropriately named; for one can actually see the giant white man-like imagine up on the mountain side very clearly from Pai. Up close it was even more impressive.

From there onwards, we stopped at different points of interest. One in particular was the Pai Canyon, which had many narrow walkways amongst the very deep and vast crevices in the yellow rocky ground. It is very fascinating to edge your way along these "paths" and see the stretches of canyon all about.

That evening we recooperated in our nice hut, before heading out to hunt for some supper in the Walking Street, something Pai is famous for. This street is lined with nice shops and restaurants during the day; and at night, many street-food vendors display their goods for the hungry tourists. It's rather interesting to explore. We bought a few items of food for our 'picnic', headed to the local sore for some beers, and then went home to enjoy it all few a few card games.

The next morning, we lazily put on our clothes, headed to Pai for breakfast (we are now staying a kilometer or so from the town centre, and so drive in with our little scooter), and then made the trip to Pambok waterfall. It was not disappointing. We had a nice dip in the icy waters, and then left when the throngs of Thai tourists arrived.

There is a great land split on one of the farms nearby which is a must-see, and so we popped in there for a while. It was rather impressive! Apparently the land split suddenly occurred, baffling geologists and scientists alike. We enjoyed some roselle juice on the farm (which is really delicious), before heading home for a nap and some documentaries.

William treated us to a Thai massage that afternoon; and we have reached the conclusion that it is probably the most painful yet relieving massage to be had. It probably didn't help that we were stiff from our many weeks of hiking, walking, odd runs and travelling. After the massage we bought two delicious fruit shakes from a little restaurant , and enjoyed an afternoon stroll in town. A quick purchase of beers and water saw us heading home to enjoy the afternoon sun on our balcony, cards and beer at hand.