Old Friends

I've been back in Chiang Mai for the past week or so after my too short stay in Pai. I have two old friends from Hawaii who I've been spending time with here.
One, with whom I've been spending the most time with is Sumay, whom I first met in Hawaii, & have been cyber-pals all the years since she has been living in L.A. & I've been all over! Sumay is here getting inexpensive dental work done in CM & we have been eating out at Aum, May Kaidee's, the Juice Bar & other great veggie places. Also, we have been checking out the numerous Wat/Temples of CM(some over 600 yrs old!), the weekend & famous night market(she bought a nice pair of thai silk pants for about 6us!) & even walking to the two CM 'mall's' to check out electronic goods(Taiwan has better deals)
Another old friend from Hawaii here is my old buddy Donald. Donald is an interesting fellow who has had many shamanic experiences & is currently just on a 'juice' diet(no solid foods, brought his own spirulina & whey powder mix) Donald is here in Thailand for four months because he has had 'visions' of meeting certain Buddhist monks. He spent at least two weeks in Bangkok which was not very enjoyable & now he is up north(here) & considering checking out Pai to rejuvenate as per my suggestion. I'm sure I will be crossing paths with Donald many times over the next few weeks & always enjoy 'Little Wolf's' company.
Another old friend whom I met just briefly for a few days is Manna. Manna is a brother I met in Bangkok two years ago before the Rainbow gathering & we met by chance on the streets of Chiang Mai a few days ago. Where my path led me to 'ground' as a teacher in Taiwan for one & one-half years Manna just kept traveling. He spent 4 months in China(mostly in Yunnan) & 7 months in northern Thailand in Pai. He is now heading for the Cameron Highlands of Malaysia for a few months, then perhaps keep going south to Indoenesia & end up in his home country of New Zealand where he was pleased to learn the next World Rainbow Gathering will be in Jan/2010. Manna is an interesting character & perhaps we will meet again!