Cozy Pai has flooded. Help NATALIE!
Donation protected
Hello fellow travelers and other like-minded humans!
I am starting this fundraising campaign on behalf of Natalie Buchabun, also known as the smiling lady and owner of "Cozy Pai."
What is "Cozy Pai" you ask?
Cozy Pai is a quaint set of 12 or so bamboo huts nestled in the Pai valley in northern Thailand. The huts are very simple, but very practical and perfect for backpackers looking to get a good night's sleep. However, due to recent flooding in the Pai Valley, all the Cozy Pai huts are now under water!
Cozy Pai before the flooding
Cozy Pai now :-(
If you've ever made it to Pai, you will know that there are quite of few accommodating places for tired backpackers. However, this one is so much more special to me as I am sure so many of you who are reading this right now will agree.
This place feels so special not just because of the cozy huts, the hammocks hanging at every little porch, the always clean bathrooms or the fact that there is always free drinkable water and fresh fruit at the "front" hut, but the fact that the person behind all of this magic is wonderful Natalie!
Natalie is one of the most hospitable people I have met on my travels through SE Asia. She is like walking sunshine , always with a smile on her face. During my week-long stay at Pai she invited all travelers to come and join her family for food and homemade beverages and exchange cultural experiences and laughter.
Natalie made us all feel like we were part of her home and family, yet every time I saw her during the day she was working hard on building new huts and improving the property to make the property even more magical.
Whether you stayed at Cozy Pai, met Natalie, passed through Pai or are just another backpacker who appreciates people like Natalie, consider donating on this page to help Natalie recover as quickly as possible so she can open her business to us all again!
The flooding destroyed all the mattresses, pillows, sheets, fans, blankets, mosquito nets, Natalie's computer, washing machine, and refrigerator.
Natalie estimates that replacing all of these items will cost about 170,000 Thai Baht In conversion, this translates to about:
USA : $5000 US
UK: £3800 GBP
Europe: €4,400 EUR
Australia: $6400 AUS
Canada: $6300 CAN
You can make donations in all of these currencies through gofundme.com. If your currency isn't supported through gofundme.com you may probably arrange a transfer through Western Union directly to Natalie.
Since gofundme.com doesn't exist in Thailand I will be the one collecting the money for Natalie and then plan to send them to her through Western Union as well.
For issues of transparency, I plan to post all copies of documents here to make sure you all know that the transfer will take place.
So lets make this goal of $5,000 as quickly as possible so Natalie can start repairing all the damages!!!! I am a believer in karma! I believe that when you put good out to the world the world will return good back to you. I would love to see good Karma return to Natalie for all her amazing hospitality and kindness!
Please spread this campaign to all your fellow travelers, backpackers and dreamers and help restore Cozy Pai!!!!
Thank you for reading
your fellow co-traveler Sonia
(on the picture above myself with fellow travelers Laura (from UK), Roxanne (from Canada) and Snow (from Australia) and of course Natalie!
P.S. Who am I?
My name is Sonia Domkarova. I am originally from the Czech Republic but have lived most of my adult life in the United States. I currently live in NYC where I work as an event planner and professional organizer. I've always had the travel bug. I plan to travel the whole world one day because people and cultures are so amazing! Meeting people like Natalie is one of my most favorite experiences from traveling. I love that technology can keep us connected and that I can help Natalie this way!
I am starting this fundraising campaign on behalf of Natalie Buchabun, also known as the smiling lady and owner of "Cozy Pai."
What is "Cozy Pai" you ask?
Cozy Pai is a quaint set of 12 or so bamboo huts nestled in the Pai valley in northern Thailand. The huts are very simple, but very practical and perfect for backpackers looking to get a good night's sleep. However, due to recent flooding in the Pai Valley, all the Cozy Pai huts are now under water!
Cozy Pai before the floodingCozy Pai now :-(If you've ever made it to Pai, you will know that there are quite of few accommodating places for tired backpackers. However, this one is so much more special to me as I am sure so many of you who are reading this right now will agree.
This place feels so special not just because of the cozy huts, the hammocks hanging at every little porch, the always clean bathrooms or the fact that there is always free drinkable water and fresh fruit at the "front" hut, but the fact that the person behind all of this magic is wonderful Natalie!
Natalie is one of the most hospitable people I have met on my travels through SE Asia. She is like walking sunshine , always with a smile on her face. During my week-long stay at Pai she invited all travelers to come and join her family for food and homemade beverages and exchange cultural experiences and laughter.
Natalie made us all feel like we were part of her home and family, yet every time I saw her during the day she was working hard on building new huts and improving the property to make the property even more magical.
Whether you stayed at Cozy Pai, met Natalie, passed through Pai or are just another backpacker who appreciates people like Natalie, consider donating on this page to help Natalie recover as quickly as possible so she can open her business to us all again!
The flooding destroyed all the mattresses, pillows, sheets, fans, blankets, mosquito nets, Natalie's computer, washing machine, and refrigerator.
Natalie estimates that replacing all of these items will cost about 170,000 Thai Baht In conversion, this translates to about:
USA : $5000 US
UK: £3800 GBP
Europe: €4,400 EUR
Australia: $6400 AUS
Canada: $6300 CAN
You can make donations in all of these currencies through gofundme.com. If your currency isn't supported through gofundme.com you may probably arrange a transfer through Western Union directly to Natalie.
Since gofundme.com doesn't exist in Thailand I will be the one collecting the money for Natalie and then plan to send them to her through Western Union as well.
For issues of transparency, I plan to post all copies of documents here to make sure you all know that the transfer will take place.
So lets make this goal of $5,000 as quickly as possible so Natalie can start repairing all the damages!!!! I am a believer in karma! I believe that when you put good out to the world the world will return good back to you. I would love to see good Karma return to Natalie for all her amazing hospitality and kindness!
Please spread this campaign to all your fellow travelers, backpackers and dreamers and help restore Cozy Pai!!!!
Thank you for reading
your fellow co-traveler Sonia
(on the picture above myself with fellow travelers Laura (from UK), Roxanne (from Canada) and Snow (from Australia) and of course Natalie!P.S. Who am I?
My name is Sonia Domkarova. I am originally from the Czech Republic but have lived most of my adult life in the United States. I currently live in NYC where I work as an event planner and professional organizer. I've always had the travel bug. I plan to travel the whole world one day because people and cultures are so amazing! Meeting people like Natalie is one of my most favorite experiences from traveling. I love that technology can keep us connected and that I can help Natalie this way!
Organizer
Sonia Domkarova
Organizer
New York, NY