i’m a verb (pt. 2)

I was quickly falling in love with Chiang Mai, as I was sure I would. After the rest of our friends arrived the next morning, we all gathered in a caravan to head into the hills – Jovo and Ivana on their bike, Ja and I on ours, the rest of the gang in Golf’s pickup. One problem: I could have easily stopped at every bend in the road, but I didn’t know where we were going. There came a point where I had had enough. I couldn’t pass up another vista. I pulled over and told Ja I’d catch up. We’d been going straight for almost the entire journey, I figured it wouldn’t be a problem. I got a little ahead of myself and accelerated as I dismounted my bike, dragging myself to the edge of a cliff where a small log kept my bike and I from going over, but also caused my bike to fall on top of me. As Michael would say, I Megan’ed it. Unfortunately the shots I scored after I brushed off my bleeding leg and bruised ego are still on the roll inside my film camera.

Not five minutes on the road again, and I came to a fork. With no idea where Golf had intended to take us, I just picked a direction and kept driving. Betcha can guess if I chose correctly. No problem – my path went almost straight up, through a cloud and onto a mountaintop overlooking endless hills of farmland. You might have learned by this time that I revel in solitude. I had no problem with this instance of “getting lost.” I finally found my friends at the Royal Projects, literally in a cloud. The fog rolled in and out and it was more beautiful than any of my photos can convey.

Unfortunately, our trip home wasn’t quite as beautiful. Ja and I got separated from the group after my bike slipped on a muddy hill and fell on top of me (yes, again). Shortly after, it began to absolutely pour. We couldn’t even see, so we took shelter under a roadside strawberry stand (and bought their dried strawberries in thanks for their kindness).

We visited the city again that night to release more lanterns and krathongs (floats decorated with flowers, candles and incense) on the river. As I approached the river to send off my krathong, I slipped (mud!) and nearly fell in. Yep, Megan’ed it again.

Did I not release enough lanterns?

Jen

Uh, duh. Kissin doggies. Wait….

I got lost among this.

Waiting for the rain to pass. Took foreverrrrrr.

Tradition + technology.

Molly.

Michael.

Hippies. So many hippies.

Krathongs come in all sorts of styles, from simple to ornate, made from anything from banana leaves to styrofoam. We bought the ones made of baked bread…doubles as fish food!