762 Curves

Next stop was Mork-Fa Waterfall which was so much bigger and more impressive Monthathan. There were a few others swimming at the foot of the falls and though this is one of my dreams (to stand beneath a roaring waterfall,) diving beneath its forceful torrent didn't turn out as planned. The $1.98 pair of shorts that I purchased the day before were still in the trunk of the car. Earlier that morning, Monthathan Falls were not nearly large enough to allow for swimming so I didn't really know what to expect. I guess I could have gone skinny but the others may have been a bit disturbed. I decided to spare the women and children from such a horror. But I did get a chance to poke around at the opening of the impressive "Bat Cave." Lacking the courage to enter into the blackness alone, I enjoyed the view from afar.

I would have returned to the car to get my shorts if it hand't been for the desire to make it to my accommodations before dark. The windy roads up the side of the mountain made for an intense drive even in broad daylight. The crazy minibus drivers from Chiang Mai — who had no regard for the use of individual lanes — added another element of danger to the scenic, yet daunting commute. It's said that there are 762 curves on the way from Chiang Mai to Pai and I maneuvered every one of 'em with grace and finesse.
Driving under those conditions is one of my favorite activities. This trek made California's Route 1 seem like a walk in the park. It was truly Strawberry Fields Forever as I got lost among the winding streets. It was clear that some of these weren't even public roads because the strawberry farmers would interrupt their work to stare at me with a confused look as I continued forth with blind faith in Google Maps. Some of those "roads" are barely passable. At times, I was worried that a boulder would gouge out the rental car's engine from below. It was that bad. I'm tempted to forgo a flight to the islands in exchange for a 12-hour drive. We'll see what I decide in the end.