My girlfriend and I travel for about 3 months each year. But for flying to and from wherever we're going, we don't normally fly. However, on this
trip (to Southeast Asia) we have already flown twice* and have another four** to go. Our last flight was on the 6th December: from Mae Hong Son
(HGN) to Chiang Mai (CNX). And it was unexpectedly excellent and surprising.

We were ticketed on the TG195 flight, operated by the AT7, namely departing at 1505 and arriving at 1530.

We left the Sunflower Cafe at 1230 and walked to the airport, which is architectually pleasing and small and usable, at which we arrived just before 1245.

After passing through the logical security checkpoint at the entrance to the terminal, we went to the check-in desk. The lady, after taking our
passports and tickets, informed us that - despite having just 15 minutes left before departure - that there was space on the 1305 flight. Would we
prefer that flight instead? This was surprising: firstly, we wanted the 1305 but were told in the Thai office (in CNX) that it was full; secondly, it was more expensive; thirdly, there was just 15 minutes to go before the flight left; and fourthly, it was free.

So, we chose the 1305.

We were given our boarding passes and proceeded through security, for which there was no queue. Then, after a few minutes, we were ready to
board.

Our aircraft, HS-TRB, an AT7, was sitting peacefully on the small apron. We all boarded quickly - it seemed pretty full - and thence began our short taxi, via
the runway and the turning circle, to the end (of 25?). ZOOOOOOM!

From our seats (1A and 1B), our view was somewhat restricted, but it did enable us to see the lush green mountains in the Mae Hong Son area
before flying over the flat plains around Chiang Mai. We received a carton of juice and a sausage roll.

After 26 minutes, we landed in CNX, after which we taxiied past a terminal-parked TG 744 (operating BKK-CNX-BKK).

Once we had collected our pack, we got a taxi and headed to the train station, where we waited and purchased 3 tickets, then proceeded by tuk-tuk
to our accommodation.

From leaving the Sunflower Cafe in central Mae Hong Son to arriving in central Chiang Mai - with about 30 minutes to the train station, getting tickets,
then leaving - it took us about 2 hours and 10 minutes. Amazingly quick! Had we not gone to the train station, we'd have been from central Mae
Hong Son to our accommodation in central Chiang Mai in about 1 hour 40 minutes.

We're now in Phitsanulok.

Cheers!

James.

P.S. This damn computer is messing up the paragraphs. Sorry.  

* Vientiane-Luang Prabang

** Bangkok-Singapore; Kuala Lumpur-Phnom Penh; Siem Reap-Kuala Lumpur; and Phuket-Bangkok.