Go North -- so sayeth the Queen.

I had planned on going south from Bangkok, to the island beaches. But it was the Queen's Birthday - a national holiday -- so everyone and their brother took the train south to the island beaches. The trains were full, and the islands would be mobbed, so I headed North to Chiang Mai instead.

That's the first time a regal birthday has affected my plans in any way. Just think, if her parents hadn't decided to get their groove on when they did, I might be on a beach right now. Dude.