Visa Renewal

I wake this morning and have been invited to lunch by Ponlawat and to chill at the hostel he runs. Its about a 15 minute walk and even though its really hot i enjoy stretching the legs. It's really chilled at the hostel and I enjoy the time just being in a little seat taking in the amazing view, catching up with my blog . I speak with Ponlawat about how things have changed and he explains how hard its been over the past few years and that no matter how rowdy the tourists have been the Thai people are grateful for the trade. The problem is there are very young people travelling and after too many buckets and beers a few fights have broken up over the last few nights . The police prescence has definitely heightened and the bars in the outskirts of town have been closed although by midnight everyone has had more than a skinfull so probably not a bad thing. As i walk back down to the hostel i see a guy cutting down the tallest tree hes right at the top held on by a single rope, i can barely look. A little further aling the road there's ladies in a field harvesting garlic they have huge binbag wrapped square pillows strapped to there backsides so they can sit comfortably on the job as they handpick the Garlic from the fields. Its then collected on pickup trucks piled so high but so neatly . Im in a bit of a dilemma because I need to renew my Thai visa and you have to apply then in 15 days get it stamped in the same place, so it's whether I want to stay in Pai to do this or whether I want to head back down South and do it in Krabi. I make the decision to stay as I have only been to Pai and want to explore more of the North without the pressure to rush it.Weiterlesen