[mack]

TommyC it's been about 6 years since I was there but the Pornping Hotel was pretty good for taking a guest back and is in a good location close to the market and some bars. Here's a link to it: http://chiangmaihotels.chiangdao.com...ng/details.htm It was about 1000-1200 baht if I remember right, it's a big tall fucker with lots of rooms, a pool and a disco underneath that used to have freelancers there but remember this is dated info (but maybe their daughters are now 21 and freelancing there...)

Chiang Mai was nice and a good spot to venture out from to do some sight seeing trips, like to the Golden Triangle which I went to, some mountain tribes, ride the elephant into the Mekong river (take a short ride, it's not comfortable!) , see some mountains with waterfalls etc. Lots of travel agents around, I hired a Thai woman (no not for that ) she worked for a travel agency, she had a 4-wheel drive, AC, nice SUV. She drove me all over doing that stuff, can't remember what she charged.

I went up to Chiang Rai and stayed a few days there too and if you like laid back that was the place for that in 2001(?) I had a mototaxi Thai guy take me out to knock shops in the sticks there, it was pretty wild . I didn't know what I was doing but it worked out fine so maybe there is a God after all and He watches over fools.