2:33 p.m. - 2003-12-13
I also had to renew my visa
My original visa expired yesterday, so I took the trip up to Mae Sai (on the Burmese border) on Tuesday to get another 30 days. I had to get up at 4am and take a 6 hour journey up through the mountains on trecherously winding roads. It was beautiful watching the sun rise over the misty mountains, but I was so tired I could barely keep my eyes open. We got to Mae Sai at 11am and spent literally 45 minutes in Myanmar, enough time to buy food and some cheap CDs. So now I have to decide whether to stay in Pai for christmas or go to Laos. I want to stay here, but I think James wants to go to Laos. I shouldn't have arranged to go with him. I need my space again. oh well, it's my time and my trip. He shouldn't come to Laos just because I'm going. I think that is what he is doing though, as he has been there before.
On Thursday we went to the Lod caves, about 50kms from Pai. James rode the motorbike and I was the passenger. I was a little nervous after my spill, but James is experienced. The caves were awesome, one of them was called coffin cave and had remains of coffins from god knows when. I also saw a cave painting that is reckoned to be 2000 years old. At dusk hundreds of swifts enter the caves and then soon after the bats exit. They were so noisy and the place stank of batshit.
It was cool coming back in the dark. A bit nippy though.
