This slice of PAI is not so sweet

February 1 - 3

What is so special about Pai? From our estimation we really cannot figure it out. Many people rave above this place and love it. It is really just not our cup of tea. We came, we saw and we left. Now what is Pai you may ask. It is a small town in Northern Thailand on the Mae Hong Son loop that has been overrun by farang. Pai is a town known for being Pai. It is known for its high percentage of farang population that hang out with each other, stay for extended periods of time, enjoy Western food with imported Western ingredients and listen to Western music. Not to say that I don’t enjoy a good pizza every once and awhile or even some good blues that Pai has on offer. We even indulged in these things while we were here but two days was certainly enough for us. I will not judge people (well maybe I will judge a bit but it is up to people to travel and live their lives) but I just do not really understand why people come to a foreign land to be surrounded by solely foreigners and eat imported food and do farang things. Maybe we have just been away from Western society for too long to really long and desire the sole company of other Westerners. Maybe we are just the weird ones because sometimes it certainly seems like we are in the minority rather than the majority as far as what our idea of traveling is about.

Maybe it says something about Pai that I have no pictures of it. Maybe that does not say anything about it. Who knows? It is billed as a sleepy town beside a small river valley that has attracted the attention of so many long term farang guests in Thailand. It certainly has sucked them in like a black hole and for some people we met it seems like they just cannot get out. But many seem happy so that is good for them.

The area surrounding the town is pretty though and I am sure that during wet season it is beautiful, lush and green. When we went it was dry, dusty and brown (but that is what happens). We stayed a bit out of town and walked around town just trying to figure out what Pai is about. We could not figure it out and it still remains a huge mystery. We continually asked each other, “what is going on here?” or making comments like this place is just odd. So that it is our impression: take it or leave it.

Odd things about Pai include the fact that the name Pai is used continually on signs, postcards, advertisement, etc… to try to include it is witty sayings such as the title of this blog. What are other examples you may ask? "Pai in the Sky", "Easy as Pai" and "InsPAIrastional" are just a few. The funny thing is that the name of this town is not pronounced like ‘pie’ in the local dialect but instead is pronounced ‘bye.’ Those funny farang. Another observation includes the proliferation of restaurants of “thai food” meaning that they solely serve pad thai, which from the look of it seems to be the only ‘Thai dish’ that many farang try during their time here. This I do not really understand. Sure pad thai is great and I will order it occasionally and it is a safe bet, but for God sakes branch out a bit and try some of the other wonderful things that the Thai menu can offer! Just point to something and try it. I love the sign in Pai which said we serve Pad Thai and Thai Food. Pad Thai now has its whole own category in many of the farang overrun places (i.e. Khao San Rd and Pai).

What did we do in Pai? We walked around town and just watched how this town runs. Again we cannot figure it out. Like I said we did indulge in some pizza which was good and we even went to the blues bar one night (Pai is known for its music season) and that was also quite good. It is nice to do these things every once and awhile. It reminds you of home and the things you miss. For us it usually means once a month of every few months (although while Laura’s mother was here we did splurge a bit and had Western food quite a few times), but for many this is life in Pai. If people miss the Western comforts so much, maybe they should just go home. I know I am harsh in saying some of this stuff and please take it with a grain of salt. Maybe our life overseas has made us too cynical in some ways. It is fine with me for people to live their life and spend their time traveling this way. I have just discovered that I do not want much part of it. So I am sure that the slice of Pai will taste good for many years to come for many people but for us it was just a bit bland.