This post's title takes after a book that I am reading right now, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. I thought it to be quite fitting that I am reading this book at this time. In the book the author talks about how being on a motorcycle is so much more beautiful than riding in a car. You are out in the open air not behind a frame. He describes it like when you see something with you eye and you think to yourself "man, this would make the best picture ever!". Then you take the photo, go get your film developed (or nowadays just look at it on your little screen) and it looks so unimpressive. Nothing like what your eyes saw. This is what it IS like driving on a motorcycle in the middle of northern Thailand, surrounded by beautiful mountains and surreal imagery. It was like nothing I've ever experienced before. I was IN the scene not just observing it. I will try to post pictures of our adventures but I am sure they will not do it justice.
I did this little venture with four other from here in Pai. Cat, Jenny, Itamar and Nadav. Cat and Jenny and from England, we met in the park in Chiang Mai and ended up going to same way at the same time. We came up to Pai together and have since been traveling as a sudo unit. I quite like them! The other two guys are from Israel, they are pretty cool guys, it was their idea to get the bikes and head to a cave one hour out of Pai.
Me and Jenny split a bike, the total cost: 270B for the bike, insurance and gas there and back. We split this cost so it was quite worth the bill.
The cave... breathtaking. I have never been in anything like this before. We entered the cave via bamboo raft and then walked around within it. There were bats and stalagmites, stalactite, and pillars. It was pretty much awesome!
What wasn't awesome:
On the way back, Nadav was driving with Cat on the back of his bike, and they took quite the spill on the side of the road. The bikes mirror came off, and Cat flew down into the ditch (not a grass ditch but a concrete one...). She injured her arm quite badly, we thought it was broken but when we eventually got back to Pai and went to the hospital we found out it was a sprain. I was super worried for her, I felt so bad... and I'm sure Nadove didn't feel to great either. Ill post some pictures of the whole adventure (including the crash... I felt bad taking photos of it but it will make great memories down the road... she also had three others attending to her at the time so it was okay... I think)
Here they are, in no particular order.
5 comments:
Someone reccomended that book to me the other day, it sounds very good! Just need to get my hands on a copy!
Your pictures are beautiful!
Have a fantastic rest of your day/night!
*smiles*
You ARE a traveler!
Keep up the good times and keep on telling us about them.
matty, you're rockin! those thai fisherman's pants look great on you. i tried on an indian version in india, and i looked like i was wearing a big baggy diaper. but you pull it off with matty flair. miss and love you.
gotta love those funky orange pants, Matt1 I also loved your pictures and the story of your day!
Keep it comin"
love you,
Mom
Great work.
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