So, we weren't sure what we were going to do when we finally got to Phitsanulok. We'd got a room booked for the night at the Sila resort in new Sukhothai, but we figured by the time we got there we wouldn't have time to do anything as we wouldn't get there till about 6pm! Hmmmm decisions decisions.

We got to Phitsanulok and caught a THB50 tuk tuk to the coach station and thought b***** it, we're sick of travelling anyway, let's just stick to the plan. We bought a TBB30 bus ticket to Sukhothai which was a nice little 90 minute jaunt through some small towns and countryside and arrived at Sukhothai bus station. To our surprise the hotel had a man there waiting for us in his little van to take us to the hotel, with my name written on paper and all sorts! So David and I, along with fellow guest Anya (a USA Montana resident who'd just come down from Chiang Mai after visiting Africa and India for a few months - nice lady) got in and took a quick short trip back to the hotel.

Well, it was lovely, a main building with reception and rooms above, some bungalows, a restaurant just a little down the road with more rooms above, a little tucked away gem!

We got up to our room which looked a bit Swiss lodgified, but it was lovely and clean and had air con! Ahh sweet lord Jesus what a relief after the last few nights. It also had proper beds and not a rubber slab of mattress on the floor. I was going to be happy here.

We showered and changed and took the 'much further on foot than it said on the map while David kept saying we should go back the other way' longish walk down to the night market. It was a warm but pleasant following the winding river down through what I take to be a quite affluent area judging by the house sizes.

We came out on this ornate bridge with little elephant heads (fake ones) adorning each strut of the bridge, and crossed it to find a small town centre street, one side of which was completely taken up by street restaurants. We ignored or politely refused the owners requests for our custom until we had seen all the market had to offer, which was not much as it turned out, but all very nice. After the street restaurants ended there were a few smaller side streets where traders were selling fruits and vegetables either from a stand or they were laid out on the floor.

All this observed, we were still hungry, so we headed back to the first stall as it had the most locals eating there and took a seat. A couple of Chang beers a definate must to start, I ate a wild fired boar with Thai basil and rice dish which was tasty (tho I assume Thai basil equally bloomin spicy) while David had a Lad Na with chicken (a bit like a noodle soup but on a plate) with a couple of cokes too. The whole thing came to THB185, just under £4 in my terms. Just ridiculously good value!

We finished up and carried on walking when we came to a temple that was positively buzzing! There were seats lined up leading all the way to the front of the temple door that were all filled. Being curious, we went through a side gate and saw maybe 50 young monks walking in procession around the side of the temple, some holding candles making them glow in their yellow/orange (colour blind) robes. It was fascinating to watch as they all lined up ready to take part in whatever this process was. I was tempted to ask a lady, but as David pointed out, he was wearing a vest which is frowned upon in these religious monuments so we walked quietly back the way we came all the way to the hotel. This passed without much happening, we of course didn't make note of where we needed to go, and got chased by some dogs, but hey, that's a nighttime stroll in Thailand for you.

Back at the hotel, we had a couple of large Chang beers each in the restaurant while the lovely staff in there say down to eat what I assumed to be some very hot food as they were giggling and fanning their mouths! Tiddly, we retired to bed so I could bask in the icy blasts of the air con and get comfy cozy in a proper bed!

This morning we got up early and cold (thanks air con ;) ate brekkie and the free car driver was there to take us and this nice 50 something year old Swiss fella called Marcel to the local bus stop. Once there it was THB30 to catch the weird local wooden bus thing the 14k to the old town where the temples are.

Once there we paid the THB110 each to get into the central zone and rented bikes for THB30 to go around as it was quite a big space. We visited all the temples in the complex, which I think I preferred to Ayutthaya as it was cleaner, had easier access to the temples, was a little more scenic with its gardens, moats and lakes and had a little more ambience. We spent three hours there tootling about on our bikes which was really pleasant. We saw creepy thin German guy (yep, that one who followed us in Lopburi) and another fella who was on our train yesterday.

We went for a drink before getting the local bus back and met two cockney ladies in their late 30's who'd been travelling around Asia for a few months who gave us some good pointers about Borneo which I've already forgotten but hope that davids written down. The drink turned into a drink and sticky rice with mango and ice cream for me as I'd been hankering for it since I got here. It was lovely. We chatted with the girls till they decided to go try the temples and we got the bus back (followed by a long sweaty walk to the hotel)

Once back at the hotel we had a sprite and a few fags and a sit down in the nice restaurant before it was time to leave (sob sob). The can man was there again and gave us a free ride to the station. I gave him about 60 baht tho as it was our third free lift as a tip. We got straight on a bus to Chiang Mai, sad to leave Sukhothai and so glad we came, to head off to our next adventure!

And that's where I am as I write this, on the bus. David already nearly had a run in with two vile Italian (I think) complete b****es who decided to ram their seats back into his leg. Quite why he apologized TWICE I'll never know, but they've moved anyway now and are lounging over multiple seats like some smug evil cats full on a diet of rudeness and Ill placed aggression.

Off now, we should be in Chiang Mai at about 8pm and then in the morning, we're off to the elephant camp, so it'll be a couple of days till I write again. X