After a whole day of butt-numbing motorbike trip
around Pai, we retired on our bungalow’s open balcony. It was one hour past
sundown and light drizzle enfolded the area. With stashed Chang beers and
creepy-crawlies as our companies, we enjoyed that lull moment at House of Love at
Pai.
Me and my buddy survived the 762 curves on the road to
Pai from Chiang Mai (I dunno how they counted it). We booked beforehand and asked
to be collected at the van station located at the town center. There’s this
young lady who seemed to be lost and looking for someone, and then I realized
that it was Kiki, the owner. I
approached her and she immediately recognized us. She showed us around town
before we settled at the resort.
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| Open-air receiving area |
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| Chill |
It took us a minute of leisurely walk to reach our cute
little bungalow and the spacious and open balcony with cushioned local mats welcomed
us. I relaxed a bit while my buddy explored our room and unpacked our stuff. I
followed after a few and was surprised on the modernist bare design of our home.
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| Our base camp... |
It was enclosed in clean white walls with a strikingly
black graphic wall design at the bedhead. The bedstead was cemented for an
elevated look. There’s a TV with local channels, mini fridge, coffee and
tea-making facilities, electric fan, individually-controlled air conditioning
and a vanity mirror.
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| Basic yet functional |
The en suite toilet and bath had this unfinished look to it. The cement wall
surface was complemented with mosaic tiled floor. There’s a hot and cold
shower, bath towels and toiletries that were all provided for (except for
toothbrush).
I moved back to the balcony and lounged some more. The
view from here was very relaxing. There’s a gazebo on one corner and the
endless mountainous Pai way beyond. A coffee would be perfect at that moment so
I requested my buddy to prepare some for us.
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| Chill some more |
It was rustic, serene and lovely. A very different side Thailand compare to Bangkok. Good thing I didn’t
choose to settle at the town center for we would never experience this certain
tranquillity of Pai.
After the relaxing afternoon, we needed to go out and check
out our food options. We asked the help of Kiki and she suggested that we
should hire a motorbike so as to explore Pai. Luckily, there was an available
scooter from the resort and at 100 Baht per day (US$ 2.81), I quickly asked for
the keys and hopped on the bike. I filled it up with petrol for 60 Baht (US$
1.69) which lasted for three days. Such a cheap option when you’re in Pai.
We explored Pai Canyon and Walking Street and were
amazed on the chill vibe of the place. We grabbed some Chang beers and went back
to our home. We slept pretty well for we had grand plans on exploring more of
Pai for the next day.
My sleep was invigorating. We’re on the mid-part of
our two-month backpacking trip around Southeast Asia and I’ve already mastered
the art of deep slumber.
The soft light from the morning sun just rising on the
horizon were touching our face. We woke up early as planned and we needed to fuel
up for a very hectic day ahead. We walked towards the restaurant where the
complimentary plated breakfast was served.
The complimentary breakfast depends on the
availability. On our first morning, we were served with toasts, eggs and
bacons. Fruits were also provided. On our second day, Kiki offered to have an
authentic Pai dish which was a Thai and Burmese fusion. The cracked pork skin
was remarkable and the right amount of spiciness of the pork. It was tasty and
truly filling. Free flowing coffee was also served.
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| Typical Thai-Burmese dish |
We went back to our home feeling very tired. Again,
with our stashed Chang beers, we comfortably lounged at the balcony and
listened to the creepy-crawlies of the countryside until our tired and restless
bods effortlessly retired on the loungers.
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| Rustic |
We dedicated our last day on lazing some more. We were
asked by Kiki on a quick tour around the town center for some market errands
and food tripping on local eateries. We asked for her favorite noodle house in
town and gladly brought us there. We had fun exploring the town before we leave
for Chiang Mai.
Sadness filled inside me as I pulled the door shut.
Our bungalow had been our refuge for the fun three days and the parked scooter
on our lawn was too hard to say goodbye to. A tight hug from Kiki followed
after and a promise that we’ll be back the soonest, thoughts of extending our
stay occupied my mind. It was hard to leave a place that felt like home and the
people that felt like distant relatives. But we needed to move further, to the
next chapter of our adventure.
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| Scoopy. My lovely scooter in Pai 100 Baht per day - it's a steal right? |
House of Love will surely be our home in Pai. More
than the beauty of the resort, it was the warmest reception from everyone that
lingered on me till now. Oh, did I tell you that they have the cutest dogs
ever?
House of Love at Pai
(book online)
Thung Yao, Pai District,
Mae Hong Son, Thailand
Contact Numbers: (+66) 83.201.6886 | (+66) 83.153.6548
Email Address: sales@houseoflovepai.com
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