After booking my flight tickets almost two months in advance, I made the disastrous mistake of booking my accommodation only one month before my trip. As a first-time traveler during the peak season, I was unprepared for the overwhelming demand for lodging in Pang Ung. Even campsites were fully booked. My planned itinerary, which included Doi Kong Mu Temple, Tham Pla Cave, the Long-Neck Karen village, and the Su Tong Pae Bridge, was completely ruined due to the time spent traveling and waiting for transportation. On the second day, I was left with no choice but to spend a four-hour journey to Mae Hong Son town and return, feeling utterly disappointed.

Although I didn't travel as much as I expected in Mae La Noi, I still had a fulfilling experience. However, it can be a bit challenging for those without a private car. Today, I'll be reviewing my trip to Kafae Huai Hom, a sheep wool weaving homestay, without a private car.

To book a ticket with Sombut Tour, simply call 1215. Once your booking is confirmed, you can pay at 7-Eleven and pick up your ticket before or on the day of your trip. However, it is recommended to book 3 months in advance during peak season. I booked a bus to Mae Hong Son and got off at Mae La Noi. The fare was 681 baht and the journey took 12-13 hours. Upon arrival, the bus staff will inform you, or you can inform them for your peace of mind. The bus will stop at the market opposite 7-Eleven. Once you get off, look around for a car going to Mae La Noi. Ask if anyone is going to pass by Ban Huai Hom. My classmate and I asked around until a local woman took pity on us and helped us find a car. We happened to find the sub-district chief's car that was going that way. For those who want to hire a car to pick you up and drop you off, it costs 1500 baht. You can contact the accommodation directly for this [095-448-2350 Ma Mali]. For those who are coming in a large group, this is a good option. For those who are coming in a small group or alone, you will have to rely on hitchhiking. It's economical and you can make friends. Don't worry, the people there are friendly. If you are coming on Monday, Wednesday or Friday, there will be people from the village coming down to deliver coffee. You can call the accommodation to inquire (the accommodation number is 2 lines above). Once they have delivered the coffee, you can hitch a ride with the villagers.

Driven by the desire to capture the perfect photograph, I opted to sit in the back of a pickup truck. However, the higher altitude brought with it a biting chill, leaving my lips trembling. Fortunately, I had purchased a pair of gloves from a nearby convenience store, which proved to be a lifesaver. As we ascended, the landscape was shrouded in an ethereal mist, blurring the distinction between fog and clouds. The air temperature plummeted to a frigid 16-17 degrees Celsius, sending shivers down my spine.

After about an hour's drive, I arrived and contacted the owner at the coffee shop to get the key to my accommodation. I had already paid 150 baht per person in advance. I also rented a motorbike at the same coffee shop. It belonged to Mr. Ta, the son of Mrs. Mali, the owner of the homestay. The rental fee was 200 baht per day. I walked around taking pictures of the accommodation and sat down to enjoy a cup of coffee and the atmosphere for a while before riding my motorbike to the Mae La Noi Royal Project.

The small village of Ban Huai Hom, nestled in the Mae La Noi district of Mae Hong Son province, offers a tranquil escape amidst breathtaking natural beauty. Characterized by its slow-moving mist and lush mountainous forests, Ban Huai Hom is a haven for nature enthusiasts seeking a serene retreat. The year-round cool climate fosters sheep farming, which has led to the development of a thriving cottage industry of weaving textiles from sheep wool and natural cotton. With a strong local economy providing ample opportunities for income generation, the villagers of Ban Huai Hom enjoy a simple and fulfilling way of life.

On the way, we asked a local villager, "Auntie, where can we fill up the gas?" The hand-operated gas station was a bit difficult to find, so we had to ask the villagers. I don't remember the name of the village, but it was just outside Huai Hom village, on the way to the Mae La Noi Royal Project. Before leaving the hand-operated gas station, we took a walk and took some photos in the village. We smiled and greeted an uncle who was chopping firewood vigorously. The uncle looked at us briefly, tightened his grip on the ax, and chopped the wood with great force. I turned and smiled at the ducks instead. I watched the mother duck with her chicks, who were sitting in the cold. The fog floated above our heads, moving with the wind and along the path we were about to take.

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The excerpt describes the narrator's journey through an unnamed village towards a royal project site. Despite not reaching their destination, they encounter a scenic viewpoint, highlighting the joys of exploration. The narrator emphasizes the pleasure derived from absorbing the surrounding environment, suggesting that happiness is scattered around us, waiting to be discovered and cherished. These experiences, like scattered pieces, come together to form memories that stay with us.

After driving for a while, we stopped again because we started to get confused about the route. Don't ask about GPS because it didn't have a signal intermittently, unlike Lin Hui (why the joke?). "Auntie, where is the Royal Project?" "!@#$%^&*()". Okay, auntie pointed her finger once ^^. Since I didn't understand auntie's language, she tried to point in one direction. But since we had already stopped and turned off the engine, I sat down and smoked with auntie. Our smoke was quite similar. Auntie released smoke, and I looked at her. I released smoke, and auntie stared at me as if whoever smoked more would win, and I would probably lose. Warning: Smoking is harmful to your health. The auntie, whose name I couldn't communicate or ask, is the one who takes care of these lovely vegetable plots. / We couldn't understand each other, so how did I know? / Well, I saw her watering them.

Notes:

• The original text is in Thai and uses informal language. The translation is in English and uses formal academic language.
• The original text includes some humor and slang. The translation omits these elements.
• The original text includes a warning about smoking. The translation retains this warning.
• The original text includes a description of the auntie's actions. The translation provides a more concise and objective description.
• The original text includes a reflection on the language barrier. The translation omits this reflection.
• The original text includes a farewell to the auntie. The translation retains this farewell.

:: A little further down the road, you'll reach the Mae La Noi Royal Project. The atmosphere might not be the same as the reviews you see during the rainy season or when everything is lush and green. But it has a different kind of charm. Even though it's not green, it's still sweet. At least the weather is nice (I grumbled like a disappointed child). I wandered around, hungry, but the kitchen was closed because they were having a party. I walked down to the bottom and then walked back up with another villager. We walked and talked, and he suggested that I come during the rainy season or a month before the harvest season; it would be beautiful. When I got back to the top, I saw the staff about to put down some flowers. They looked familiar, but I couldn't remember what kind they were.

The journey back was filled with the same stops and photo opportunities as before, driven by the uncertainty of whether we would ever return to this place again. In many of the places I've visited, I've always told myself that I would come back, but as time passes, I rarely find myself revisiting those same locations. Eventually, they become nothing more than memories captured in photographs, their details fading unless I actively revisit the images.

Sometimes, a journey can serve as a powerful reminder of our past experiences. Seeing a familiar place can trigger memories of a previous visit, making it feel as though we've stepped back into the same moment. It's as if the location itself holds the essence of our past, waiting to be reawakened by our presence.

Exhausted and famished, I searched in vain for a restaurant along the way. Finally, I returned home, defeated. At four o'clock in the afternoon, my junior and I sat down to eat, surrounded by a beauty that defies description. The cat in front of us dozed off in the afternoon sun. Big Thaw took an old shirt and draped it over the cat, who stretched lazily and fell back asleep as if it had never slept before. I was reminded of a passage in Walden.

“ Embrace life, even in its hardships. For even within a humble abode, moments of joy, contentment, and brilliance may still be found. ”

After lunch, I hired a guide named Mae to take me around for 200 baht per trip. Mae explained everything along the way. We started at the betel nut tree. In the past, people used to climb up to collect the nuts, but now they use machines. I looked up and saw that it was even taller than a coconut tree. It must have been difficult to climb up to collect the nuts in the past. I also noticed that most of the villagers, young and old, like to chew betel nut. Their mouths are always red. I tried it once, but I could only chew it three or four times before I had to spit it out. It was too spicy and burned my mouth. The water well we saw was used to water the betel nut trees. The water flows down from the mountain. Mae told me that the king ordered the well to be dug. There are many other wells along the way, and the water flows continuously. We walked until we reached the coffee plantation. From afar, it looked like jujubes (children of the 90s should understand). The coffee beans were a reddish color and were clinging to the trees, waiting to be harvested. Who would have known that they would end up at Amazon, Starbucks, and many other places? (Thank you very much for your knowledge, Mae!)

:: After walking for a while, I didn't know if I was tired or heavy, so I looked down at my feet and saw the answer: Mae was still leading us and explaining things that we were curious about and not curious about. Mae seemed to be happy to tell stories and walk (because we walked a long way). We walked down the hill until we reached the village and the coffee-making group of villagers who were using a machine to extract the husk. The husk went out. Where did it go? It became fertilizer. The chickens were wide-eyed, not knowing whether to go and peck at the coffee flesh that was stuck to the husk. After removing the husk, they washed it by hand and soaked it in water for 1 day if I remember correctly, before drying it.

We continued our journey until we reached a spot where tourists often take pictures with sheep. Mae then picked up some leaves and gave them to the sheep. She shook them and said something, and the sheep bleated loudly and ran towards us like zombies on drugs. For the rest of the time, I stayed put, sitting quietly and observing the flock of sheep and the other actors in the sky.

'I do not wish to live a life that is not my own.'

I relaxed downstairs before going up to sleep in my room and fell asleep without realizing it. I didn't hear anything other than my own breathing until five o'clock in the evening when Mae knocked on the door. It felt like someone had cut my breath in two. I woke up with a start because Mae and Taw were going to drive us to the sunset viewpoint. I washed my face in a hurry and went out with one eye crusted with sleep and one younger student.

:: The first viewpoint wasn't far away, but we weren't alone. Another lovely family joined us, making the first photo not of the view but of this adorable group. :: At five in the afternoon, the winter sun had already set, and darkness began to envelop the forest.

The second viewpoint was not much different from the first. The people and scenery in the photos were still beautiful, but I was starting to feel the cold. As the evening approached, the temperature continued to drop. At this point, the only thing on my mind was not the people or the scenery, but my warm clothes and gloves.

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The last viewpoint had no sun, only the fog that surrounded us. The beautiful fog that we saw on the hills was now the closest to us, blowing through each time it was cold to the bone, but it was beautiful in its own way, even though it obscured the view. I followed the calls of Mae and Taw, and Taw followed the sound of the cowbell again. I didn't ask Taw's age, but he ran and jumped like a child full of true happiness. It reminded me of the scene in the movie "Into the Wild" where Chris ran with the horses happily. It was the same picture as in front of me right now. There was nothing above but fog. I walked up to the top of the small hill. The sound of the cowbell disappeared into the fog with its herd. The sound of the wind began to replace it. The beauty was the fog in front of me and my life that was rejoicing in life. And suddenly everything stopped, as if the world would not move on.

:: My companions and I arrived at our accommodation at six in the evening. I sat down to wait for the dinner we had ordered from the guesthouse. Today's simple menu consisted of chayote squash soup, omelet, and roasted sticky rice cake (deliciously crunchy) for dessert before taking a shower (the guesthouse also has a water heater).

"Listen to the wind, gaze at the stars, and then go to sleep."

The next day, I woke up early and took some photos around the accommodation before waiting for the car to take me down to the city of Mae Hong Son. This concludes my trip to Mae Hong Son.

. Farewell . Little one . Keep only this much .

"I embraced everything I saw with my eyes and my heart."