"Do you really think that's a good idea?" I asked, eyebrow raised as My Man announced a plan to go camping just days before our final pack-out. I made a mental checklist of things we still needed to do before our move. Adding in the prep and then cleanup of a campout seemed crazy. But then again . . . I really love camping up at Doi Pui. I grinned, "OK, let's do it!"
We invited friends, prepped food, gathered the last of our s'mores ingredients and hit the road. One of the best parts about Doi Pui is that it is less than mile an hour from our house. The road is steep and windy but boasts sweeping vistas and Buddhist temples and (in December) bright red poinsettias in bloom. The last mile or so is a twisting one-lane road that requires some creative driving, but the end result is worth it: a beautiful terraced campsite with stunning views of Chiang Mai.
Just five minutes in camp was enough to assure me that we'd made the right choice choosing camping over packout prep this weekend.
We set up tents (Young Man preferring to set up his camping hammock), built a fire, then got busy relaxing while we waited for the rest of our friends to show up. I spent more than an hour in a hammock reading, uninterrupted! Young Man searched for (and found) several scorpions. Darling Daughter and Funny Guy kept the fire well-stocked, and My Man seronaded us all on his guitar.
And then friends began to arrive and the fun really began. We enjoyed a potluck dinner, music, a puppy, games, and s'mores. We laughed, we talked, I may have gotten a little nostalgic thinking of leaving and shed a few discreet tears. Mostly I just tried to soak it all in, loving every moment.
The next morning, we watched a beautiful sunrise, enjoyed a fantastic breakfast, then soaked in the soul-freeing beauty of the mountain until it was finally time to pack up and head back to a few more days of real life before packing up to leave all of this behind.
Camping is great. Camping with friends is unbeatable. In fact, we had so much fun that we seriously contemplated coming back the next weekend (our last weekend in Thailand!) but at last decided that there was no way to improve upon this trip and to try would risk disappointment. Besides, at some point we really would need to pack. . . just not today.
You have to write a book! I love your language and your style. And I Loved this post. I also remebered the one you wrote a month or so into your Tai life. Of ants everywhere, the smog, etc. What a contrast :) You really did grow to love your Tailand shoes, uh?
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