Yesterday was a very expensive day. I paid 150B for the minibus to Chang Mai, then I paid 2010B for mountian biking today. I have to pay a further 1700B for the slow boat tomorrow and 1500B for my visa to Laos, on top of all my food and drinks. I havn't bothered to work out how much it was because it still hurts haha!
So yesterday I met so many people. First I saw Jacob and his friend from Koh Pa Ngan and arranged to meet them at a reggie bar at 7.30. Then I saw Chris from Pai in the street and had a few beers with him. We left a little late to go to the bar and got there at 8. The other guys were nowhere to be seen so we had a few drinks. Then Lisa, Katie and thier friend who I also met on Koh Pa Ngan also turned up! It was kind of awkward [i have been trying to spell it for 5 minutes giving up now] because they obviously were not my biggest fans on Ko Pa Ngan. When me, Dan and Fergus gave them our emails for facebook invites I was the only person not to recieve one. I think we will all be tubing at the same time anyway, they left for Laos today.
I spoke to Ollie Wilmot on facebook yesterday and I am now going straight to the tubing place to meet up with him for his last few days in Laos.
So mountian biking was today and it was great! I got picked up around 9.50 and got taken to the biking centre where we got helmets and bikes. It was me and one other on teh downhill track #4, the others were doing XC rides.
The other guy had all his own gear and was on his way to Whistler for the season. I was definatly the worst of the group but I forgave myself because I havn't riden in 18 months and never properly on a full susser. Our guide was called Jay and he was a very good rider and bike mechanic. I was really sketchy to begin with and fell off a few times, nothing bad just slow-speed loosing balance or locking the front wheel. My second crash [about 15 minutes into the ride] I managed to destroy the brake lever so Jay took his front brake off and gave it to me, just riding without a front brake.
The track was really cool but quite challenging for me, as I got into it it became easier and more fun though. There were 3 sections that really stood out, the first was just because I hd gotten into the flow, the track was not too steep or slippery and there was a cool drop to do as well. The second was about half way through the ride just before I got too tired where it was not too steep but fast with cool, quick turns through the trees and super fast berms. The last really great section was because it was just like bissoe back at home, really red dusty terrain that was smooth to ride and had some naturally formed jumps.
The only bad thing was thier safety equipment was quite poor and everytime I fell off the knee pads just slipped off and I got grazed anyway! Nothing major just a few scratches which was expected.
So now [as after every ride] I really want to to more biking because it is so awesome, even if I am so unfit on the bike and my forearms were burning after just a few minutes today. I will get used to it again quickly. I want to look into possibly going to Les Gets in France and working in a bike shop or something for a few months after Asia. The other guy [Drew] in our group today works in Whistler in a bike shop, gets loads of cheap gear and can afford to ride all summer because of it. A flight to Whistler would be too much and accomodation is very hard to get but France is really close and quieter I would imagine.
Anyway it is something to think about. I am heading to Laos tomorrow which should be cool. Tonight I will go to the night bazar, Drew said it is worth a visit. Then to the Chang Mai Saloon which was recommended by Rhys, you can write stuff on the walls and it is full of peoples travel stories etc.
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