The Great Dopamine Rush of 2025

Today started off quite cold. As I now believe is customary here at Bannamhoo I met a few other travelers around the morning fire for a quick warm up. When I was sufficiently toasty I hopped on my bike, and headed off for the morning’s adventure.

There is something about hot springs here in Pai that I just love, I’m truly not sure if its because its so relaxing to just soak in natural warm water while your traveling or because of some magical mix of naturally occurring vitamins and minerals in the water here. Regardless, last year and this year I’ve gone to a hot spring here every day.

Before long 2 hours had past in the crystal clear pools, I was graced by some great conversation from a couple of fellow Canadians. By fluke coincidence they just so happened to live only a city over back in Canada. Conversation came easy and many topics were covered, hence the 2 hours in the pools. I was grateful for it as its not the most common thing to meet people of a relatable mindset here in Asia. It was really starting to be an amazing day.

When I got back to the bungalows it was near midday, and it was starting to get quite warm. I noticed a kind of a prickly sensation starting on my arms and face and neck and back. I thought maybe it was from not rinsing from the hot spring, so I had a hot shower. What a mistake that was, then I noticed I was covered in itchy, prickly red spots. Heat rash, or as they call it in Thailand prickly heat. I’ve never experienced heat rash, by golly gosh it truly fuckin sucks. My whole day was basically canceled at that point. Any time the sun touched my skin it felt like I was being burned with a laser.

I tried my best to enjoy the nicest parts of the day, Going for lunch at a very authentic Thai restaurant called Noppakao. I had some simple stirfried vegetables and a fried egg on rice. It was pretty damn good for $2 cad with a drink. After lunch I went to go check out the Saturday community market at a local park. Where I had one of my favorite beverages in Thai land, Thai tea. As it was the hottest part of the day and there was almost no shade at the park I realized I needed to cure what ailed me. From a short text conversation with a friend back in Canada and some google searches I figured out what I needed and set off to get it. Thankfully pharmacies here in Pai are well equipped and well versed in dealing with travelers, cooling powder and antihistamines apparently is the ticket for heat rash if you didn’t know.

I ended back at the bungalows waiting for the sun to go down as I was in a fair bit of discomfort, once it was low enough I ventured back out to get some dinner. After trying to use maps and going to 6 different restaurants that were either closed or out of business, I finally ended up at Khao Soi Pai. Which by the way is a definitely a contender for best khao Soi I’ve had here. It was great but the portion was small so I wandered off to find another local spot. I ended up in a restaurant I don’t know the name of which served me a very unique looking panang curry That was a little touristy but very good.

On my way back through town I found a nice scarf that will complete my Thai Cold weather scooter suit, I’ve been apparently buying. It was kind of a tough day, But traveling isn’t always easy and you wouldn’t learn to be an independent person of the world if everything was always smooth as the silk of my new scarf. The view of the night sky as the last light of the sun faded was absolutely stunning from where I parked my bike. I really hope the antihistamines do their job as it would be very inconvenient to not be able to enjoy the sun tomorrow.

“Everywhere and at all times, it is in your power to accept your present circumstances, be kind to those around you, and cultivate true and useful thoughts.” – Marcus Aurelius