Motorcycle diaries

A day at the caves was what we had prescribed ourselves to get over the sore bodies we had from tubing the day before. This entailed us hiring motorbikes and getting some stupidly hand drawn map and trying to find our way to some distant caves.
At the first cave we got to, not only did we have to pay to cross some mans land, we also had to pay to get in to the cave. The down side to all this (apart from having to depart with money) was that the actual cave was "Closed". That's it. Closed. Here they close the cave at lunch time and it reopens when the guy collecting the entry fee is "rested". Yep that's it. Close a natural area of land.
Hot and a little cranky we headed out, in the opposite direction, deciding to go to the furtherest caves and work our way back to original, closed cave.
This was a great idea until over 9 klms from any-bloody-where my motorbike decided to chug a few times then die. I knew it was a blocked fuel line but how do you explain that to some one who doesn't speak the same language as you? Or find someone to help.
After assuring Chris and Lisa I'd be fine and for them to head to the cave. I proceeded to push my little machine up a very steep hill, in hope that I would find some aid. Previous experience told me that If you are alone than someone is more likely to stop. Hang around in a group of Farang and it's a bit too intimidating. After bashing my calve on the peg several times, swearing and huffing and puffing my way up a hill, I came to a round face kind man. I explained that my bike was broken and I needed help. Ha ha. He was a mechanic! Doing some ridiculous chug chug motion and making a noise like. Bllananfgdfdg! Signaling that it stopped like it ran out of petrol, my man got it and set to fixing my bit of junk. He also kindly filled it with petrol and fixed my carry basket as well. (After much motioning of me running it over and going head first over the handle bars) (Ahh. I see.) I was a little concerned as to what this gesture of kindness was going to cost me. Timidly I pointed to my purse and he shook his head and motioned for me to be on my way. I handed over 3 dollars and was happy to be back on the road again. Transaction complete, I set off down the hill with a happy, round faced family, waving frantically at my back.
Ah, the joys of travel.
I met up with Lisa and Chris emerging from a side road. Apparently to get to the Water fall you had to tackle a wet muddy road and an even slipperier boat driver, who wanted to charge half of your life earnings to get you over a 1 meter river.
We decided that a drive back to town, a good munch on some food and an episode of friends, was what was required to get us through afternoon.
After all this we had the energy to go back to the original waterfall. When we arrived I was very unenthusiastic to climb a bunch of stair to see a cave that I had to pay to see. So, I sent Lisa and Chris off and they promised to share the photos. Gladly I didn't go as they said it was just a hole in the side if a mountain more than a cave. We opted for a swim in the crystal clear, cold waters that came from the bottom of the mountain and explored the cave from there!