Today I cheated death…I rode a motorbike and didn’t crash or have a horrific accident. It is only a work of God that I didn’t crash into anything… or anyone. Today was my first time and attempt at riding a motorbike (scooter). Being in Shanghai since January, one of the things that you notice is the massive number of people that drive motorcycles and motorbikes. It is efficient and really cool. I have always wondered what it would like to have my hair blowing in the wind and to be riding down a road in the open air. Well today was the day where that dream came true. My hair is quite long, if you haven’t seen pictures, it is almost touching my shoulders. Hair long enough to blow in the wind: check. I paid 100 Baht for 24 hours on a 100cc automatic motorbike and then paid 40 baht for the insurance (a necessity for me). I paid 140 baht to drive a motorbike for 24 hours. 140 baht = about $4. Holy moly, Thailand is awesome. Now keep in mind that I have never ridden one of these before and so the lady points to a bike outside and says that that one is mine. So I’m thinking to myself, “Ok self cool. There’s our baby, but I have no clue what to do.” Luckily, there was a staff person nearby who taught me how to turn it on and then asked if I have ever ridden one before. I tell him no and he just chuckles and smiles. Just like my first time in the car, it’s hard to gauge just how much power is a lot and how much is a little. My heart is racing and nervous because I am not the best person to be on two wheels. After a few jolts of throttle, I finally get the hang of it and I’m off. At a speedy 20mph! It’s funny to say that now, but for my first time, it felt fast; but more importantly safe and AWESOME! I had such a rush and it felt so good to drive around and to have my Japanese looking hair blowing in the wind. Pai is a pretty lazy place.After I moved out of my guesthouse I checked into a different one near the Pai River and saw a little place called Edible Jazz. Sweet name. I read that it is a hot spot for musicians to just jam out and is a nice place to just relax. I go there around 8 and talk with a few other travelers and then a guitarist grabs the mic and starts jamming. This guy is awesome. He has a raspy and scratchy singing voice, but it is “real”. It is one of soul and he sounds awesome. It has been some time since I’ve had live music and this was a great time. I stayed till about 11 listening to just the kind of relaxing music I like. Pai is a sweet place and I’m definitely getting my share of relaxation.
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