day 5 - escape from Bangkok, arrive in Ayutthaya

Tuesday, 29 October 2013

Our last day in Bangkok. We were really ready to get out of the city and see more of Thailand. We set off from the hotel at 8.45am after one final delicious breakfast at the hotel. Paul drew a map for us to follow, while his parents caught a taxi. Our plan was to meet at the station and catch a 9.25am train. Some road works through us off course a bit but Paul did a great job of navigating the city with a bit of help from a friendly local. And while the traffic was heavy, drivers gave us plenty of room and it wasn't a bad ride at all. His Mum and Dad only just beat us to the station, managing to catch a photo of us along the way. 

(En route to the Hua Lamphong train station in Bangkok)

Four one-way tickets to Ayutthaya cost 60 Baht in total, which is about $2 Australian. It's definitely a pretty economical way of getting around.

(Inside the station)

(Two train tickets to Ayutthaya)

We made our way to platform 8 and were directed to the front of the train to load our bikes into the luggage area. The young guys working on the train were friendly and showed us where to leave the bikes. It was all pretty straight forward. Shortly after 9.30am, the train left the station and we were on our way.

(A view from the window)

We had decided to take the train out of Bangkok so as to avoid the heavy traffic and major roads. And we were happy we'd made the decision as we passed through a lot of industrial and built up areas on the way to Ayutthaya. While the views weren't particularly special, we did see some colourful characters on the train. We were a bit perplexed by some of the stations we stopped at that weren't listed on the timetable but a couple of other passengers noticed and with a few words and some hand gestures, they were able to explain how far we were from our stop. The train itself was pretty good, with ceiling fans and enough room for all the luggage, although we both wished we'd worn our cycling shorts for a bit of extra padding on the hard seats.

Arriving into Ayutthaya, we scurried off the train and Paul and his Dad offloaded the bikes onto the platform. We did get a few odd looks from people sitting nearby.

(Unloading the bikes at Ayutthaya)

(Ayutthaya station)

(You can never be too prepared)

We were greeted by some eager Tuk Tuk drivers outside the station who were very amused when we told them we had our own Tuk Tuks. We loaded up the bikes and set off ahead of Paul's parents so as to find the hotel.

Nicky had found a recommendation for Promtong Mansion B&B on the Crazy Guy on a Bike website. It was about a 5 minute ride from the station, set back off a busy street and we were warmly greeted by the owner who speaks excellent English and had lots of useful advice for us. 

(Our accommodation in Ayutthaya)

Once we were all at the B&B together and had freshened up, we headed out to explore. Our first stop was for lunch and Thai iced teas at a local cafe. We passed a few places that offered bikes for hire and saw plenty of tourists making use of them as we sat back in the shade.  

(Our shady spot overlooking one of the ruins)

After lunch, we rode around the town and stopped at 3 or 4 different sites. Paul's parents had been able to hire bikes from the B&B so we were able to cover more ground together. Ayutthaya is a UNESCO world heritage site. It was the capital of Thailand for about 400 years. There were many beautiful temples, some dating back 700 years. Sadly, many were destroyed by war but some have been reconstructed over time. Even just seeing the scale of the foundations was impressive.

(The only temple that survived the wars)

(Houses and a playground by the river)

(Tourists taking elephant rides)

A couple of hours later, we were all templed out. We'd been told not to cycle after sunset as the wild dogs in the area enjoy chasing cyclists(!) so we were happy to head back to the B&B and relax before dinner. In the evening, we wandered through the night markets to see what was on offer. We ended up at a small restaurant near the river that was busy with locals - always a good sign. The food was tasty and the staff were friendly. And after a long day, we were ready for an early night. 

(Wandering through the local night market)

(Lots of fruity looking drinks at this stall)

(One of the food stalls)

Tomorrow we will say goodbye to Paul's parents and begin the cycling trip. We plan to leave at 6.30am to cover most of the distance before midday; hoping to arrive at our next destination by mid afternoon. Wish us luck!