Chiang Mai 2025

# 2025 Jul 20 When we arrived in Chiang Mai, we were greeted by our transfer driver. My friend Em wowed him with his Thai. Those lessons and all the fanboying have really paid off! The driver said we had arrived at the perfect time because there would be a night market nearby. Sure enough, upon arrival, we found a night market right on our street. Needless to say, our first night started off strong with shopping. We went window shopping first and then grabbed dinner. Afterward, we walked around the Tha Phae Gate. Ton was busy exploring the gate while Em and I trailed behind. Em drifted off and started chatting in Thai with a woman at one of the stalls. I wasn’t in the mood to talk, so I quietly wandered away and caught up with Ton instead. About half an hour later, Em returned, saying he’d enjoyed the conversation and was surprised to find himself alone. I told him he looked like he was hitting it off, so I gave him space. He laughed and said, “Yep, that’s the kind of friendship we…