A BIG SURPRISE

The thing I found most surprising about my trip to Chiang Mai was the number of farangs (foreigners) who stay there. It's three months now since I arrived and I have learned to tell those who are only here on holiday from those who are living or working here. A map or guidebook in the hand in normally a big give-away, and if they're wearing flip-flops and shorts then they're obviously not locals!
Chiang Mai is supposed to be cooler and more temperate than Bangkok, and that's why many foreigners choose to live there, and there is actually a big expat retired community there. I say 'it's supposed to be cooler' because if anything I thought it was hotter than Bangkok.
Another surprise was the fact you can fly to Los Angeles and San Francisco (China Airlines) and Tokyo (Thai Airways) direct from Chaing Mai International Airport without even touching Bangkok.