Let’s see. What did Michael, Joanie, and I do in Pai?

• Eat
• Sleep
• Read
• Eat
• Sleep
• Hike
• Eat some more

Yep, that pretty much sums it up.

As soon as we arrived Joanie and I couldn’t stop gushing, “It’s so cute!” Seriously, Pai is just one of those sweet little towns you can get sucked into – most likely while swinging in a hammock. Sitting on cushions on the floor of bars is a norm, reggae music and bossanova versions of Western Pop hits fill the streets and restaurants, and the smell of amazing Thai food follows you almost everywhere. The best part, however, is the people themselves. Their smiles are always without judgement and carry a warmth that will make anyone just want to relax and enjoy. Highly recommended. But a warning: if you are prone to motion sickness, knock yourself out because its a long, windy (and ultimately rewarding) road up the mountain to Pai.

Peace, love, and Pai, dude!

So I got a few days off work and my lovely friends, Michael and Joanie, and I will be heading out of town for the last few days of Joanie’s visit. (If you havent yet been introduced to Joanie click here.)

Here’s a taste of a few things we could possibly be getting into:

• Hot springs
• Waterfalls
• Awesome reggae scene
• Caves
• Whitewater rafting
• Hilltribe villages
• Forrest cabins

I’ll report back shortly. Over and out.

So my friend Hannah here in Chiang Mai really knows how to rally a group! She orchestrated 15 of us to go to this lake at Mae Ngad Dam in Srilanna National Park. Just an hour-and-a-half motorbike ride away from the city we were passing through rice fields, food and beverage in our bags, and leisure on our minds. Needless to say with 15 people on the superhighway our motorbike crew was rollin’ deep!

The longer I’m here the more I feel like I’m creating a community of friends that I can just be myself with. At the same time, I’m learning that “myself” is transient, just like this life of travel. I keep changing, I keep evolving, but the one thing that is constant is my simple love for the natural elements. So what the fuck is a floating lakehouse? Don’t think about it. Just float.

I quit my job. It felt SO good. I’ve worked as an English teacher for two full months now and I’m glad to say that it’s done. I was teaching more classes than any teacher should reasonably teach in a week, which was punishing at times but resulted in me saving a good chunk of money. Now I’ve started to look at the map of Vietnam and I am dying to see what the rest of the country holds.

So Jen and I are headed north. We plan to hit beaches, temples, cities, and everything in between. Over the next four weeks you will be seeing updates from us from various locations around Vietnam. It’s time to get out of the city!

Rich by Vietnamese standards, but it's really not all that much.