Finding the West "in the East is not for us and we are not sorry to leave Pai travel to other destinations in the most pristine south-east. The days of the festival in Chiang Mai, Loy Kratong, when thousands of flying lanterns will challenge the 'darkness of the sky Thai, are catching up fast as the rest of our beloved city in the north.

The hills around Pai is a feast of panoramic coffee shops where the spoiled and pampered tourists come to drink their favorite drink at any hour of the day ... then it is sometimes paradoxically be more outgoing traffic from the city center that incoming! The power of a coffee ... amazing! Without much enthusiasm visit the canyon of the town met a nice Korean joins us in the walk. The day is warm and clear weather, the canyon is in no way comparable to the most well-known American throats but spend half an hour is still interesting. Pai is physically now just a dot behind us and already a distant memory in our minds, what is in front of us waiting and worrying: mountains, only mountains as far as the eye can see. The hope that there is a convenient tunnel to cross is the last to die, but our experience has taught us that here in the Kingdom of Thailand "passages" in the rock do not exist, only tears long and steep switchbacks. Sweat slides inexorably down the time by preventing a clear view of the asphalt continues to rise. Nearly thirteen miles and two hours later, over the pass just before a checkpoint and a restaurant, our last hope to regain energy. The military, eight or ten, stationed in this place unattractive, they are bored and spend their time locked in a room or mocking the poor dead tired cicloviaggiatori who unwittingly offend your bike by dropping it ... well, you might as well let us two Laugh along with them. The descent is to wait 5 or 6 miles in which you go up and down in equal measure. Finally, the view is free to range over the gray asphalt and dis tupirsi once again for the beauty of Thailand. We are losing share rapidly to nearly 900 meters above sea level in a small valley with three houses, a guesthouse and two restaurants is Ban Mae Sae, a mountain village site just ten miles from the geyser of Huay Nam Dang National Park. It seems to us an excellent opportunity to come into direct contact and get to know better small Thai community. Here live Muslims, Buddhists, atheists and animists by dividing the same places and respecting them. The geyser is located along a detour from the main road makes a nice circuit to plunge dramatically in the more intense the silence before he met the bosses of the place: these high hot springs flowing from the ground with violence by creating a pleasant natural phenomena. In this area the temperature rises a few degrees and it seems to move from one area to a shadow of the sun in the blink of an eye. The vegetation is different from the usual jungle, it is more similar to that found in deciduous forests of Europe, more orderly, less complicated. Two large dark eyes rest on a wrinkled face as we stare curious but wary. An old woman is watching us intently from his meal of pancakes: wear simple clothing, stained in several places from the oil squirted out of the pot, chapped skin and dark hiding the truth of the woman as a foil dish. Wearing a straw hat, also worn by time as her hands. Years earlier, certainly must have been very well maintained but now the hard work and age have completely destroyed the white. We smile, attracted by the seemingly fragile creature, she intimidates, turns then turns and responds to our mischievous smile, like a child, discovered with his fingers in the cookie jar. The road to Chiang Mai glides gently to the plains, almost afraid to come too quickly and we do lulled by the gentle roll of our bicycles: the feet still resting on the pedals and your hands relaxed on the handlebars. A large wooden board makes us awaken from our hypnotic spell of two miles of the park right Doi Suthep Pui ... only two kilometers which is the alternative we were looking to spend a night in the plain hot, and then camp in the National Park is undoubtedly the most exciting! We climb to the entrance of the nature reserve, climb to the typical Thai ... cicloviaggiatori other two have had our own misguided idea, the call of the wild camping does not spare anyone. The Mork Fa waterfall not far from our pitch, but it seems they are in a hidden, unspoiled paradise. The stars keep watch on our serene night before going to bed in their turn with the advent of the sun. The plains are getting closer and closer, the clouds of smog haunt us take your breath away and make us regret the last happy days on the mountains. The traffic is growing exponentially and the streets of the capital of Northern Thailand are crossed in front of our tired wheels, forming hundreds of streets and alleys where even a cartographer easily lose orientation! Chiang Mai, home to one of the biggest events and most felt across the nation: the Loy Kratong, the lantern festival, which will start your tomorrow with the arrival of the full moon.