Good times

Following a cycle into the countryside on Thursday, we stopped for 'one' drink in the Buffalo Bar on the way home. This pub is a little gem and as happens occasionally, 'one' drink can turn into quite a few. These random, unplanned parties are usually the ones worth remembering; we definitely got our monies worth on this particular night.

Sitting at a rather large table, there was people coming and going all night. Everyone was welcome and each person was just as much a stranger to each other, as the one previous. There was an open mic on, so some were singing in that and a few people had the chance to play their instruments by playing with the back up band. There is something about live music that really lifts people's energy. At one point in the night, the table was so culturally diverse that there was ten countries represented - not bad for a town that is a fraction of the size of my hometown, Dungarvan!

It is time to go discover fresher pastures. Heading East of Pai, later today (Saturday, 22nd March) we are going towards Chiang Khong, for an overnight stay in the riverside town. We will then cross the Mekong River border, into Laos and the next leg of the adventure will begin. I haven't done a whole lot of research on this country, so getting lost, in the hope of stumbling upon a hidden mecca is the aim of this step of the journey.

As I write, I am swinging on a hammock overlooking the river Pai. We have been delayed by a day, so another night in Pai is on the cards. I for one, am definitely not complaining. There is a few things that I never got around to doing, so maybe it is fate that I'm here for another night. To get to where I am staying tonight, you have to walk across a bridge, made from bamboo. It is actually falling apart, bit by bit.There are boards missing here & there, and it felt like such a novelty to cross it, knowing that in most other countries, a bridge in this condition would be under the scrutiny of the health and safety authorities. Not here; anything goes, as I've said before!

What did I say about fate? Staying in Pai for an extra night, meant I got the opportunity to bump into some people that were on the jungle trek with me, in Chiang Mai. Having many unfinished conversations from before, we got to further cement our friendship by concluding prior conversations and giving ourselves excuses to meet further on in life, so we can end the chats that started tonight. There are numerous ways of being wealthy and I feel like I am a wealthier person, as a result of the friends I have made throughout this journey.

I've never made a secret of the fact that I suffer from depression. It has shaped who I am today. I've no way of explaining why, but one of the things that got me particularly down over the years, was the passage of time. I used to dwell on what time actually is and the fact that we have a finite time here on Earth. A morbid fear of death might be a more accurate description for these feelings. Not knowing when it would all end, for me, was a very prominent fear. It is ironic that this fear actually prevented me from living, as I was so consumed by why time existed, that it actually put many constraints on my ability to function as a person.

Over the last few years, I have come to believe that your time is up when it is supposed to be. This mindset has really freed my mind of the restrictions previously put on it by my depressive state. It is human nature to put such restrictions on ourselves. If we believe we can't do something, then we can't. On the contrary, if we know we can do something, the possibilities are endless.

To put some context on what I've just said in the last couple of paragraphs, renting a scooter, in Pai, was one of the best things I have ever done. Leaving all fears aside, I decided to bite the bullet and just go for it. Driving to various waterfalls and a hot spring were amazing. I could easily see why motorcycle is the preferred method of transport in this part of the World. Driving along, with the breeze in my face, was one of the most exhilarating experiences I have ever had. True freedom and just accepting that, what will be, will be. More of the same please!