Adventures Continue...

Trying to write a diary blog is really hard. When confronted with a blank screen and a flashing cursor, you seem to clam up. And as such, end up just writing about the hardcore facts, rather than your real feelings and experiences, which count for so much more.

Tonight (about 2 nights ago now), we ended up chilling out at an "alternative" bar, with a load of Brits. All English teachers in the local area. Half of them had no TEFL or Degree, so we thought "Fucking Hell!!! We can piss this..." Or words to that effect, after a couple of beers. Laos is where we plan to do some work, so if it is the same there, we can easily get some work.

Besides that, the conversation, as many do out here, went along now all too similar lines. First, the pro's and con' of traveling to different parts of South East Asia. Bragging, covered up as advice exchange. Second, are memories of home, the job you did, where you came from, etc... Relating stories that your friends back at home got sick of hearing years ago, to a new audience.

Monkeys at our window! We awoke to monkeys at our window. Sam had the bright idea of feeding them the sweets we'd bought the night before. It was so much fun watching them reach out and ask for the sweets with gentle out stretched hand. Soon word got out on the monkey grapevine, we ended up with dozens and dozens of them hanging out near our bedroom window. Eventually all the sweets ran out and we thought it better anyway if we stopped encouraging them to hang around the back of the guest house.

Leaving Lopburi, and the monkeys behind, we climbed on a early morning train to Phitsanulok (or Phi-Lok). A good stop off on the way to Sukhothai, or so "Lonely Planet" says. Phi-Lok is a place of little or no charm, a crossing point between North East and North Thailand. We found ourselves a guest house, not in the "Lonely Planet", Bon Bon Guest House. At 250 bhat for our own bathroom, a TV (Thai Channels only though), and a cute little balcony, it wasn't too bad.

The main, if not only sight in Phi-Lok is Wat Yai, which houses one of the most beautiful and revered Buddha images in Thailand. To be fair it was lovely, but like I say, that's all the place had going for it.

Next day we got an air-con bus to Sukhothai. Two hours of crazy driving, on what can only just be described as roads and we arrived. New Sukhothai is a sprawling rural town, unlike old Sukhothai, which is a sprawling historical park full of old ruins. The main and probably only reason that travelers come here.

Taking "Lonely Planets" advice, we found ourselves at Guest House No.4. Here for 250 bhat you get your own bamboo hut in a tranquil hide-away. It is a haven away from the dusty streets of new Sukhothai, buried away off a small track, off a Soi, on the edge of town. We decided to stick around for the rest of the day, rather than go exploring, just to soak up the atmosphere of the place. Which was a good move, otherwise we would have got soaked in the torrential downpour that afternoon. Rain is a truly amazing concept out here. People go, "Oh, you're here during the rainy season!" As if that is a bad thing. No way, we get the best of both worlds. The baking sun, and the cooling beauty that is tropical rain.

The subdued lamp light among the palms and the bamboo, create a magical place at Guest House No.4 in the evening. Heading for dinner we met the other couple who were staying across from us. Now I'm not going to mention people we meet anymore, it is getting boring. Not that is, unless they are particularly interesting adding richness to our lives and the this blog. These two, well they came across as middle class southern toss. Not that I'm judging here! But, "We only eat native food." Was a clincher! Patronising twats. Yes we too only eat native food, because it's cheap, not because we think we are getting down with the "natives". We are not adverse to hitting a Burger King if the mood takes us. There is only so much rice and noodles you can take.

We did meet a couple in Phi-Lok, at the night market. They were from Selby. They were nice, just ordinary, no edge to them. Make of that what you will, in the argument about the North / South divided in the U.K., I'm not the one to judge. :-)

Today we did the big temple thing. The Sukhothai Historical Park. A short bus journey and two (20 bhat a piece) hired push-bikes later, we set off. Two conflicting maps in our hands. We had a great time cycling through the Thai countryside. The various chedis, prangs, and multiple Buddas are quiet a sight. We had did as many as we saw fit, not wanting ruin over-kill. We made sure we were selective. Lot's of photo's, to bore people with when we get back however. Just as we had finished looking at the last Buddha, my favourite so far in Thailand, a school party descended on us. There teacher explained that as part of the field-trip they had to have their photo taken with some "farang". We accepted quite happily, the thought of our mugs plastered across a classroom wall somewhere was just too amusing. Then the rain descended! Oh and did it rain!!

We shelter with our bikes until the torrent subsided, and we felt it dry enough to make a break for it. A quick hop to where we could get food, we'd not eaten all day, all the exercise had made us hungry. Then we headed back out of the park, returned our bikes, grabbed a bus, made our way back to new Sukhothai and the tranquility of Guest House No.4. A quick shower and a small chill on the porch, we felt fit enough to come and do the internet thing.

So there you go. Up-to-date! Sam and I sat in an internet place on late Thursday afternoon, 1st of September I think it is. One month to my birthday! I'll have that in Laos somewhere probably. Tomorrow we plan to see another shrine / temple thing near here, then onto Chang Mai for a couple of days of city madness. After that?! Well Chang Rai, for about a week. That is where we will chill-out and plan our assault on Laos. Sam is just writing to her friend Chrissy, as we may detour to Beijing in China for a few days. Why not?!

Nb. I've not been altering the date and item of my posts to local time, this is the first time I have bothered.