Chiang Mai

You may be aware that I should have gone to China. Oh well. We all make these decisions. It doesn't seem especially like I'll be repenting at leisure. So far at least.
Air NZ did their traditional attempt at sabotaging holidays. You might argue that fog in Auckland is beyond their control, but I know of at least one person who wouldn't even believe that. Eh Bob?
I had the Murray Head One Night in Bangkok, although staying at an airport hotel is less than likely to make the tough guy tumble. The next day we (my guide Pat - counterpart makes her sound like R2D2) headed off to Chiang Mai, immediately seeing a few of the sights here.
A temple in the hills above the city:


Not my Mom.

And then today a lot was crammed in: elephant football, ox-cart ride, elephant trek, bamboo raft, monkey show, snake handling and long-necked and big-eared women. Mixed. Monkey show and tribal women left me not knowing what I felt. I could see the point, and also the value, but I'm not that kind of voyeur, maybe. The snake handler was worryingly close to torture, but it was very entertaining. The ox-cart ride was not really my thing and the elephants were fantastic. There were also orchids and butterflies... Too many pictures for words, so if there is anything you fancy then let me know.