762 turns. There are 762 turns on the road from Chiang Mai to Pai.
Some of these 762 turns are fairly wide, others could only be described as a hairpin bend, what you would class as a number 1 in rally driving! Then of course the road is going through the mountains, so you’re always either climbing or holding your fingers over the breaks ready to grab at any point.
Does that excite you, or terrify you? A motor-bikers dream, or could be nightmare, just depends how you choose to look at it. 762 ways to feel the thrill and to practice leaning into those bends, you could be 762 times better at driving those corners… Or it 762 opportunities for something to go wrong, 762 times you could fall or skid out. What do you see?
How many twists and turns do we go through in life, is it more or less than 762? How many 180 degree changes in direction? You might think that the straight road is safer, and maybe it is, but its pretty dull too, throw in a hairpin bend, see how you handle it, you never know, you might just enjoy it!
If you ever find yourself in the north of Thailand, I can not recommend enough to drive from Chiang Mai to Pai, its wonderful experience and you can go a slow or fast as you like, just you and your bike on the open road and think about it, how does 762 turns in a bus sound to you…?
Just before the road leads into the relaxing town of Pai, it passes by Thailand’s version of one of the 7 natural wonders of the world: Pai Canyon. Having not yet made it to the Grand Canyon, I can’t compare it, however, this spot in Pai presents a beautiful view and a daring walk… Especially if you’re scared of heights.
Life in Pai moves at a very different pace to the busier city of Chiang Mai, it’s the perfect place to get some R and R. But once you’ve had your fill of it’s quaint coffee shops, delicious night market, lazy afternoons in chilling in the hammock and endless guitar playing round the fire pit, its time for the 762 turns back to Chiang Mai would you be ready for it?
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