It's Saturday morning here in Pai. Yesterday I participated in the famous jungle tubing here. There were over 500 people where you each get a tube, hop in the river and go to three different bars. It was a lot of fun and a good way to meet some cool people. Another crazy occurrence happened. Before I got in the river I noticed a familiar face who was working the event. I was not completely sure if it was who I was thinking because it was so outlandish but it was worth a shot. It turns out it was who I thought it was, a guy named Charlie from the UK who I met trekking in Manang on the Annapurna Circuit in Nepal! A month ago we were in the middle of the Himalayas, some of the only people there, and now he was volunteering for the jungle tubing in Pai. It is so crazy how this world works! He recognized me and we shared some laughs. The jungle tubing took all day, from 11:30 in the morning until 6:30 at night. When I returned I changed and rushed to Chabad for Shabbat. I made it just in time and met a girl from London who made aliyah a couple years ago who was pretty cool. After Chabad I went out on the town with a friend I met at the jungle tubing. I have been meeting a lot of cool people in the week and a half time I've been solo traveling. I still feel like there is a lot of room to grow and be more outgoing though. I need to actively interact with people who I typically would not to get outside of my comfort zone and learn more. In the afternoon of Saturday I rented a scooter and drove to a waterfall with some friends I have met around town. We chilled in the nature and went in the cold water of the falls. After the waterfall we went to a beautiful sunset spot called "Two Huts" to watch the sunset. There was incredible live music and good drinks. I bought a small canvas and painting kit and painted the amazing scenery around me. It was abstract art since I am not the best drawer. Someone told me before I got to Pai is that Pai is a very easy place to exist freely and that is why people fall in love with the place and stay so long. It is true, you can wake up and be in incredible nature, be surrounded by laid back people and explore the little town. If you stay long you really can integrate into the community here. The people I have been hanging out here in Pai have been younger Europeans, either in uni or just about to start. They are a lot more mature than most Americans who are between the ages of 18 and 22. They still possess that childlike energy and free spirit nature. They reminded me when I was 19 and studying abroad in Lyon. I was fiery and energetic attacking every new experience with eagerness and novelty. Now being older, more travelled and more mature, that has faded. There are pros and cons to that energy. It is imperative as a leader of men to hold myself at a different standard as I have said before while still never losing that playful energy to bring light and love into the world. It is a hard to balance these two powers but I think with more focus and work I can do it.
