Then the Rains Came

I think that the saying actually goes, then the war came, but for whatever reason I think of that phrase when it starts to pour.  I think it is because it is so epic, that the rains have a complete life of their own.  They invoke a dance that is unlike anything I have ever seen; the rains have the ability to change things, to crank things up a notch, then slow them down to a complete halt.    I had this feeling tonight when the evening rains blew in- I thought to myself that if I was a writer, I could write a whole book about rain and the dance that it inspires.  Since I am not, I will try my best to explain just how the South East Asian rain makes me feel but like I said previously, I could write for days, so what I will do is pick 2 instances that stood out in my mind.
I will begin with our adventure, just the other day.  Dan and I along with a few others, were in the back of a pickup truck on our way to a Jungle Villa, here in Northern Thailand.  We had loaded our packs into the back of the truck, hopped up and took our places alongside the cases of Chang beer, bags of cabbage and the packs that belonged to the other travellers in our party.  What we thought would be a 20 minute drive tops, ended up being a lushly scenic and awesomely bumpy ride.  We stood holding the roll bars, ducking tree branches that threatened to impale us as we took in the cool breeze and gorgeous scenery.  We drove and drove, closer and closer and higher and higher to what looked like quite the menacing rain cloud in the distance.  I was beginning to get nervous- our bags were out in the elements, uncovered and up until then the rain was something to fear and be avoided at all costs.  It often meant adjusting travel times so as to avoid the morning, afternoon or evening rain- no easy feat (have I mentioned that we are here during Rainy Season?).   Thankfully, our driver yelled out that we were only one kilometre to our destination- we would beat the rain- ha ha.  Wrong.  We each felt a rain drop, looked at each other, laughed and exchanged our chosen curse word  ‘cause at that point what else could a person do.  You see, over here when you feel a raindrop you take cover because a few short seconds later, what was a drizzle will have turned into a torrential downpour.  Sheets of rain turn light to dark and if you are out in the open, you are drenched.  Sure-as-shit.  When it came, it was unlike anything I have ever experienced.  Maybe it had to do with our elevation or that we were speeding through a rainstorm in the back of a pickup- I guess it was a combination of the two.  We tried to laugh but that would mean opening your mouths, which would quickly fill with water, alone refreshing but combined with the water making its way up our noses, it added up to a choking hazard.  I soon forgot about my pack- and my passport, which were surely soaked through and just gave in to mother nature- like I had a choice :)  It ended up being a highlight of my trip- a strange feeling of swimming while out of water and a free amusement park ride- YEAH- so fun :)   Racing through dark green jungle, speeding through mud puddles, fresh clean air with sheer astonishment at just how soaked a person could get- good times!!!!!

I took these pictures while we walked to a villiage, 45 minutes down the mountain from our guesthouse.

The main crop grown in this region of Northern Thailand is tea.

Dan at the shop we stopped at for fried noodles.  I just love these shops, they are always full of random foods and other treasures.

Dan and our Australian friend Dave on our stroll back up the mountain.

The next story is more of an observation than an experience.  Dan and I decided to head out for a early dinner at the Saturday market, here in Chiang Rai.  The market only takes place on this scale once a week, vendors start setting up in the early afternoon and go until the early morning hours.  It is an eclectic mixture of handicrafts, clothing, street food, jewellery, etc.  After making our rounds, we picked out our meals, found some covered stairs to sit, eat and enjoy some people watching.  I have to mention that this meal was one of my favourite street dinners to date.  I scored some vegetarian glass noodle soup,  a massive bag of edamame, and a coke.  Dan had a cup of buttered corn kernels, pad thai, mini doughnuts for dessert, and a fanta- all of which came to under $2.50, a sweet and tasty bargain.  So there we sat, experiencing a moment of travel euphoria, a moment when I was perfectly happy enjoying the absolute moment.  Street markets are a brilliant way to experience life out here, the movements, sounds, smells and colours are enticing and pleasurable in themselves.  Listening and observing I noticed the time in which the music moved people along, I found it comforting and I was enjoying myself.  Then I noticed the vendors directly beside me looking to my left, up at the sky.  We made eye contact and they motioned to the impossibly dark, menacing cloud in the distance.  You could tell that this particular couple had been in this line of work for a long time- their pace rapidly picked up as they packed up the leather shoes they were selling into tupperware containers and began to hang their tarp, which would eventually surround their tent, keeping them safe and dry inside.  One moment I was wondering if they had started a premature panic, the next moment the wind picked up – an obvious  sign of the impending heavy rain shower- man they’re good!  Once the wind came, the pace picked up one notch.  Everyone continued to shop, eat and buy but there was a hurriedness in the air that wasn’t there before.  Then the drops started to fall and the pace turned from mellow, to Western- that’s all it takes.  I then got to enjoy the chaotic jig that ensued- when everyone knows  the sheets of rain are only moments away.  The stall owners began to pack, put up umbrellas and tarps, and the die hard shoppers began to pick up their pace.  Haggling was more intense, food was being ordered and eaten at a speed I have yet to see here in Asia.  I am having a hard time describing the change- it was beautiful.  When the rain began to fall harder, the establishments with awnings filled up with the people that had forgotten their umbrellas or ponchos, the sea of movement in the streets came to an abrupt halt.  That is the beauty of mother nature, one moment we think we are in control, the next we are ducking for cover.  She is in control, no matter how much we try to pretend otherwise.