In love with PAI-land

Back at the hostel in Chiang Mai, Merle suddenly felt very sick. She was constantly vomiting and completely weak.
However, the trip to Pai was booked and paid for, so we went on it anyway. It was a huge torture for Merle and the worst ride, she says, she has ever experienced.
Since we had been looking forward to the Zirkus Hostel in Pai for days and had already booked it, we went straight there. After a few hours, during which Merle had only seen the hostel's toilet and bed, we left again.
We went to the hotel which Felix and Lynda (Merle's brother and wife) kindly booked for us so that Merle could fully recover for three days. It was so sweet and in that moment, it was what the little pile of misery needed the most:
A comfortable bed, a private and clean toilet, and lots of rest.
The first few days in Pai were very peaceful. Merle and I watched many episodes of Grey's Anatomy, enjoyed the clean, modern shower, and kept ourselves busy with things (such as organizing our backpack), which we normally don't have time for. In the evenings, I walked around the cute, small night market, ate a lot, and sat in a bar, where I promptly met the Italians and people from the Zirkus Hostel.
After three days, when Merle was thankfully feeling better, we finally returned to the Zirkus Hostel.
The following five days in Pai were even more beautiful!
We loved the place from the first moment we walked through the cute, little streets and strolled through the food and crafts market. Everyone was so friendly, the food incredibly good, and here and there you could hear live music coming from the bars.

The Zirkus Hostel was also a dream come true for every backpacker. You constantly met people, there was a huge pool with a view of the mountains, and a cool bar with a pool table.
Some people hung out in the hammocks, some got drunk, others juggled or meditated in the garden.
One day, we went tubing with the whole hostel. We floated along a river with huge inner tubes and beer in our laps. We stopped at a bar in between and took a break until the fun continued. Afterwards, there was a huge Thai all-you-can-eat buffet and a crazy, wild pool party.

Other things worth mentioning about our days in Pai include:
- great scooter rides that took us to waterfalls, a huge cave 50 km outside the city, and amazing viewpoints
- full bellies with delicious wraps, falafels, or cake
- lots of relaxation and good coffee in cute cafes
- countless cool second-hand shops
- and among many other beautiful bars, the Paradise Bar. Actually, it was much more than a bar. It can be described as a huge area in the middle of nature, where there were countless chill areas, fire pits, and many lovely people to meet. We spent a lot of time here, enjoyed legendary jam sessions, and admired the fire artists who put on a huge show several times a week.

Oh Pai, I can't stop raving about you.