I have a few hours to kill before my bus arrives. I find a little shop selling bangles. Mo wanted one as a souvenir and forgot to get one. I head back to the Hotel des Artist for breakfast. An Australian lady is moaning at the busy waitress. She had ordered a coffee with no sugar but got given sweetened milk because thats what the restaurant uses. The lady is explaining how it should be served. I smile at the waitress and I say the pleasantries in Thai and am served first. She smiles broadly when I ask where the toilet is in Thai. I watch a German girl put her feet on a table as I walk out. The fuse has been lit.
I head up to the bus stop and I see a young Korean and a young American girl moaning and shouting at the Thai girl behind the counter. Their bus is 15 minutes late. The Thai girl doesnt know what is going on and is confused. I can't bite my tongue on this one and say "Welcome to Thailand. Sit down and shut up". Disgruntled they go back to their seat and their bus arrives 5 minutes later. I've noticed this in Thailand more than any other Backpacker location in South East Asia. People believe they are in some western holiday destination due to all the home comforts. I find it disheartening that Thai culture has bent over backwards to accommodate the west.

Stopped at a patrol, the armed guard poking his head in. On the last visit it was local buses with only a few westerners on board. Now its a minibus with no locals. I have enjoyed my time in Pai. I still wonder what it was like 10 years ago before the Thai coup or Chinese and Koreans tourists turning up. I paid an extra 50 bhat to be dropped off at the old gate near Johns in the old city. I change bus at the terminal and speak to the only other passenger, an English girl at the end of her trip. She had partied hard last night and looks a little worse for wear. I wish her a safe flight as the driver drops her off at the airport before I am let out at the old gate. Mo is at a Thai lesson so I get some food at Johns. I try the local noodle soup. Much thicker than Vietnamese and more like a bone broth, but tasty. Mo turns up and we go to Gecko Gardens for dinner. Just up the road is a bar area with ladyboys and a boxing ring at the back. We head to a bar called Icy Grant. The Thai owner is all smiles and sits chatting with us. Turns out she was married to a guy from Lossiemouth called Grant. The family cut her off when he died. A large Scotland flag hangs at the back. She gets some photo albums and shows us photos of the weddding, her house, family, her husbands funeral. She spent 15000 bhat on flowers. A small fortune. The boxing is on in the background. Not very good fighting with no one really trying. It's one of the patrons birthdays, an Aussie fellow and lollipops are handed out. I almost choke when I realise it's an egg on a stick. I accept the free birthday drink to wash away the taste. The owner mentions that there will be better matches on Sunday. If I'm here then it may be worth coming back. We see Alan at the Basic bar and meander to the Living Room bar. The army on one of their inspections are just closed it down for the night. He knows the owner and they let us inside. After awhile the lights are back on but kept low and the doors reopened. We play a few games of pool.