To stunning Sukhothai historical park
Finding it difficult to digest my first Thai-Chinese breakfast
Before I head off to the Sukhothai historical park, I order my first Thai-Chinese breakfast, congee, a watery rice soup. Because of the slightly spicy herbs, I have a hard time digesting the meal; my stomach, which is used to Western food, is struggling. Packed and sacked on the street, a samlor driver approaches me. The bus station is about three kilometers outside the city center. My driver agrees to bring me there for 40 baht. In Phitsanulok, some streets become single-direction during certain hours of the day. As my samlor guy turns into the wrong lane, he needs to cycle an extra block to avoid a possible traffic fine.
To Sukhothai on a third-class bus
After a ride of 20 minutes, we arrive at the bus station. Instantly a bus service representative inquires about my destination. With ease, I find myself aboard the correct bus, scheduled to depart in 15 minutes. For now, I am the only passenger on this local, third-class bus. Sometimes you hear worrisome stories about getting on buses solely, but I can`t be bothered. And the next few minutes, more customers hop in. After a 1 hour drive, we arrive at Sukothai.
A decent room with a porch in front
As in many cities in Thailand, the Sukhothai bus station is located somewhat outside the center. And also quite common, some touts show me a list of available hotels. My preferred place of stay is listed among the options. I can arrange transportation over there for a minimal charge, and within a brief five minutes, we arrive at the guesthouse. I have the option to select between a cheap, dark fan room and a slightly higher priced one that comes with a porch, including a couch and seat plus a table. That makes my decision quite simple.
The historical site of Sukhothai draws numerous visitors at Loy Krathong
The owner, mister Dang – who is of Indian descent, wants to know how long I plan to stay in Sukhothai. In a few days’ time, Loy Krathong will be celebrated. As this is a festival that draws a large crowd of visitors to the Sukhothai historical park, accommodation is in high demand. However, I haven’t made up my mind on any number of days yet. I want to visit the historical site of Sukhothai for the first time and also read about Ayutthaya and Kanchanaburi, my next stops. I will provide him with a response tomorrow.
Fully loaded songthaew to the Sukhothai historical park
Before I leave for the Sukhothai historical park, I eat delicious noodles with chicken. I really need to pay more attention to that, to prioritize eating a proper lunch. The wife of the owner drops me and a few others at the bus stop to the site. She insists that the fare is only 10 baht and not a single cent more, emphasizing her sincerity. During the journey the songthaew becomes packed with passengers; apparently, there is a school nearby, so a lot of students get on the red taxi.
A full option ticket valid for 30 days
When I arrive at the Sukhothai historical park, I immediately buy a full option ticket, which gives access to all sites in the neighborhood, plus two museums; the card is valid for 30 days. However, for today, I plan to restrict myself to the main site and the nearby museum. I will visit the more remote places tomorrow, using a rented bike, which seems to be the standard way to do the Sukhothai historical park tour. After all, it is already midday and the sun is directly overhead, I am sweating heavily.
Many remains of temples and Buddha statues to explore
At a leisurely pace, I go from one ruin to the other. There are still numerous remains of temples and Buddha statues to explore later on. In retrospect, I also visit the museum. However, due to the intense heat, I decided to give up at three o’clock in the afternoon and return to the new city in a van, again full of students. In an attempt to get oriented, I walk around in town for a while, which does not work out so well; exhausted, I return to the guesthouse.
Tasty chicken soup in sour coconut milk
I take a seat on my porch and start reading about the more remote sites, and about that other place, Si Satchanalai, where I want to go the day after tomorrow. I still cannot decide how many days I am going to spend here. After taking a shower with lukewarm water – more than good enough, I head to the dining room around 7 o’clock and order tom ka gai, chicken soup in sour coconut milk, with some rice, a delicious meal. Why should I bother trying to find a restaurant in the city when I can eat here as well?
Ordering my first Thai massage
You can also arrange a Thai massage in the guesthouse. I need to try this at least once during my trip in Thailand, so I notify the owner. We schedule an appointment for tomorrow evening at six, before dinner, but after I have been able to refresh myself from the visit to the Sukhothai historical park. Since I have a back problem, I am interested to see how it will feel afterward; the massage session is expected to last two hours.