“We must find the way, but for that I have to cut your head off.” Didi, The Blue Lotus (Tintin, Hergé)

Photo Ayutthaya ruins

Standing at seven on Tuesday 17 November, we take some supplies at the nearest 7-Eleven before you hail a songthaew which brings us to the bus station baht percent (~2,62€). The logic of the Thai price is inconceivable : a drink usually costs the same as a hearty dish, a five-hour bus ride costs less than Airport taxi - downtown Bangkok or almost the same as a quarter hour in songthaew !

So for two hundred baht (~5,26€) we have a ticket for the 9:45 bus bound for Sukhothai. With two breaks, the bus takes a little more than five and a half hours to get to the bus station for our new destination. Not walk with luggage this time because we booked just behind the bus terminal to Rueang Sri Siri Guest House - 250B (~6,54€) with fan, we will go to 400B (~10,47€) for the second night just to have air conditioning because the heat is unbearable to new !
After a late afternoon rest - yes, we rely a lot but we must say that the trips in Thailand are sweaty and tiring ! – nous discutons avec le très sympathique patron de l’auberge en dégustant un Pad Thaï un peu trop épicé pour nos papilles occidentales – très bon mais l’estomac ne nous remerciera pas le lendemain. 😕

18 novembre | 11h36

Wat Mahathat, Sukhothai

18 novembre | 12h18

What Sra Si

Wednesday 18 November, nous petit-déjeunons à l’hôtel avant de leur louer un scooter – 200B (~5,26€) – pour prendre la route de la vieille ville et de son parc historique. A park you can almost go round by the & rsquo; outside and see the ruins from afar because it n & rsquo; there are only three that are worth a glance, the rest is only small mounds of bricks - enter costs a hundred baht (~2,62€) per person plus 20B (~0,52€) for scooter. Another monument northeast is again paying and we meet those around us free of charge before resuming the path of the new city, disappointed with the remains of this flourishing city 13e and 14e centuries, first capital of Siam whose eponymous dynasty had nine kings over two hundred years and was considered the golden age of Thai civilization.
At night we just a tour in New Sukhothai looking for a salad for lunch - yes Thai food is good but it is often hot and fried !

18 novembre | 11h43

Detail of Wat Si Sawai

18 novembre | 12h26

Wat Chang Lom

Thursday 19 November we left for another five hours by bus towards this time of Ayutthaya, the driver makes only one stop but the vehicle is so comfortable - large space between the seats - we hardly see the time passing and that dropped us off on the highway off the island city. A songthaew driver announces a race three hundred baht (~7,85€) for just six km - then we have to do almost four hundred 211B (~5,25€) – and we eventually negotiate 200 but each with a scooter driver. original and insightful choice finally saw traffic to access the city center !

After a street in error they put us outside the hotel Adam Place where no light shines. While I try the phone number, Ronald ventured inside but there will be greeted by a silent woman, a weeping baby, and to top it all a biter dog ... While we wonder where we landed, the restaurant next door troubleshoots us by calling the owner to report our arrival. A smiling and friendly character who apologized immediately for the reception, give us water bottles, coupons for a Thai free breakfast next door, city ​​map, tells us what to see, eat tonight ... then takes us to our room by promising to Ronald to learn where to find rolling tobacco - bought once in a 7-Eleven in Chiang Mai, Thailand sells except that packets of cigarettes "normal".

Once showered, nous ressortons le temps de quelques bières Chang et d’une Pataya Salad non épicée façon thaï – donc un peu trop pour nous 😀 – dans un pub où ils ne parlent pas un mot d’anglais. Nous nous débrouillons avec des gestes et notre thaï plus que rudimentaire. Un tabouret est placé devant la porte de notre chambre lorsque nous rentrons, avec deux paquets de tabac à rouler dessus !

20 novembre | 9h56

Vestiges d'Ayutthaya

20 novembre | 9h57

Few statues kept their head !

Friday 20 November, après avoir profité du thé offert, the heat makes us abandon our bike project - free at the hotel - around the island and ask our excellent host - who refused to pay him Ronald tobacco packs - if he rents scooters.
Remains of Ayutthaya, capital of the Kingdom of Siam 1350 to 1767, are a bit scattered throughout the island city, in much better condition than Sukhothai and we pay only the entrance to Wat Mahathat - 50B (~1,3€) – to see the head of Buddha in tree.

20 novembre | 9h55

Buddha head in tree

20 novembre | 10h06

Buddha in Ayutthaya

After this round, we have largely preferred to Sukhothai, we finally buffet lunch at the Thai : rice, vegetables and meat for one, tofu for a.
The hostess Adam Place makes us one last favor by dropping us by car to the station mini-buses to Bangkok - 60B (~1,57€), I think the train is cheaper. We should have come down to the airport and then call the hotel booked for the last night which offers a free shuttle but we experience a reality Thai : do not always rely on geographical indications of a Thai because it will tell you any road rather than admitting he does not know !

We find ourselves in the center of Bangkok, far from our destination but having a last glimpse of the city by taking the subways and elevated trains until Lat Krabang district where a taxi dropped us in front of the BS Residence.
The hotel is located next to a small non tourist market and we eat a salad there for our last night in Thailand. On Saturday 21 November, we leave the hotel room at the last minute and take advantage of the free shuttle service that drops us off at Suvarnabhumi around noon. We will spend more than twelve hours having our plane that 22 November at 1:55, meanwhile I take advantage of free Wi-Fi to post that article and tell you all very soon ! 😉

Trouver la voie, me laisse sans voix… Voilà ! Notre dernière souffrance collante à la peau, notre dernière Chang, dernier chauffeur, un peu abîmés – Claire a glissé contre un pilier, a pas moins de vingt-cinq piqûres de moustiques sur le pied gauche, je me suis fait mordre par un chien furieux et me suis pris un loquet de gare se refermant contre ma jambe, mais assez contents de notre séjour.

Nous voilà à l’aéroport, assis devant un écran qui montre les images parfaites de la Thaïlande (même Bangkok y a l’air propre et brillante !), nous préparant à la longue attente et au long trajet.

Mais ce n’est pas fini ! Au retour il nous faudra réparer notre maison à roulettes, refaire notre cabine et planifier une tournée en Europe… Rien que ça.

Oh yes, visiter la famille et les amis tant qu’on y est 🙂

11 Comments on ““We must find the way, but for that I have to cut your head off.” Didi, The Blue Lotus (Tintin, Hergé)”

  1. Vous aviez chaud, préparez vous à avoir froid, car il semblerait que chute de températures et neige arrivent en même temps que vous. Hâte de vous voir, et en espérant que votre tournée européenne passera par chez nous.

    Take care

  2. Hello, prévoyez-vous de blinder votre maison à roulettes pour l’éventuelle tournée en Europe ? Il est vrai que le temps est frisquet dans tous les sens 😉 même que certains en ont la tête agitée !
    Bisous bisous.
  3. Arrivés en France où le froid est venu paraît-il en même temps que nous oui. Excellent, après deux semaines en Thaïlande nous étions très contents d’être au frais ! !
  4. Il va falloir penser rénovations (et anti-vol) pour la maison à roulettes oui. Nous aimerions bien trouvé un mini-poêle !

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