Wat you talking 'bout Sukka-thai?

Trip Start Jun 16, 2006

Trip End Nov 11, 2006

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Where I stayed

Chantana Guesthouse

(Sukhothai hotels)

Flag of Thailand Sukhothai, Thailand
Monday, October 16, 2006

There was a huge storm in the night and the thunder was almost deafening, I had to wake Nathan up so he could hear it. We had a lie-in and took a pick-up ride to the bus station for a bus to Bangkok. It was pretty crappy for "1st class" but there was a bus hostess and we got free water. The combination of karaoke videos on the tv and idiots chattering behind us nearly sent us over the edge but it calmed down and Nay watched a concert featuring some of the biggest names in Thai rock. Hmm. In Bangkok we successfully avoided the scam-meister taxi drivers and got a cab with a friendly man to the Northern bus station. We were soon on a bus to the city of Ayuthaya (Siamese royal capital 1350 - 1767) It was rush hour so the traffic was awful and the bus was packed. In Ayuthaya some nice mum-type ladies pointed us to the guesthouses and we checked into Chantana House. Under attack from mozzies we headed out for dinner and to catch a glimpse of some of the city's ancient ruins. We saw the illuminated and impressive Wat Ratburana before some scary feral poochies scared us away

1. Wat Mahatat

. We got caught and punished in another downpour before simple Thai dinner and supplies buying - mosquito coils and journey snacks.

The next day was an early start and a tuk-tuk ride to the bus station. We hopped on a bus headed to Sukhothai and settled in for a long journey. We stopped for lunch and bought snacks and fruit. Nay had a chat to some other Western passengers and discovered we went to college with them, small world! As we travelled North we saw more and more flooding. At one point the road was practically a river and the locals were swimming, catching fish and washing their trucks with big smiles! Sukhothai itself was also flooded so we had a fun tuk tuk ride through a monster puddle to the guesthouse. After settling in we headed out to dinner with Cheshire lads Tom and Chris plus Chris' girlfriend Cara (Edinburgh). We enjoyed a variety of Thai food in a restaurant with a pushy waitress before beers at a local bar (with dreadful live band) and then the lethal rice whisky in another bar with a very close river view and a scary toilet. We had more beers back at the guesthouse and a good giggle, someone discovered a terrapin which was quite exciting and nobody remembers going to bed.

We were indeed hungover the next morning (except Mr "I threw up all my alcohol last night" Dobby)

2. Elephant Guardians of Wat Chang

. Lots of breakfast and water went some way to fixing it and as a group we headed off to the 'Old City' in another pick-up / bus. Sukhothai was Thailands first capital back in the 13th century and the ruins of the old city are a Unesco World Heritage Site. After a ride through more flooding we rented matching bicycles and followed the reccomended route through the park. There were lots of tiny frogs because of the recent rains but the site was relatively dry and it was beautifully hot, clear day. The Wats, Stupas and Buddha images were truly magnificent and the whole place had a very peaceful atmosphere. It was great fun to cycle after so many years and we clocked quite a few kilometres in search of the main Wats. With aching buttocks we stopped for lunch and much needed cold drinks before returning the bikes and hopping back in a bus to New Sukhothai. We had a lazy evening with snacks and Uno before watching Ong Bak (Thai martial arts movie) with a new appreciation of the settings.

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