Sitting in the shade at Sukhothai National Park

Getting to Sukhothai is an adventure in itself. From central Bangkok you take the Skytrain the the metro to Hua Lampong station, then the express train to Phitsanulok ( lunch is included in the price of the ticket, was surprised by how few tourists took it when offered it)

I admit I avoided the iced water but that was quite embarrassing when the young girl came round collecting the leftovers as she only had a black bin bag, not the ideal container for my full water cup! But in true Thai style she just smiled at me (what she was thinking was possibly less polite!)

So arriving in Phitsanulok you then have to take a tuk tuk to the bus station and from there you take the bus to Sukhothai, it's a 1 hour journey and the bus was absolutely packed, I almost felt sorry for those who got on a couple of stops later as they had to stand the whole way, not much fun in that heat. Then arriving at the bus terminal you then have t get another tuk tuk to your hotel so quite an adventure in itself. 

Sukhothai is divided into 2 areas, the new and the old.  For the Historic Park it's better to be based in the Old Town but you don't realise this until you've checked into your hotel in the New Town. But at 30Baht in a 'bus' to the Old Town this is hardly the end of the world.  I say 'New Town' but like a lot of Thailand it's a bit ramshackled. 

Dinner was fun though, not your average high class establishment but my Pad Thai at 35Baht was one of the best I've ever had. 

The morning brought breakfast. You might think that all I've done in Thailand is eat but that's not true. The reason it's worth mentioning is because I seem to have eaten so little, in all the chaos of sightseeing and getting from A to B then on to Z I'm constantly forgetting to eat, should be a bonus for the waistline. Below a picture of breakfast. 

Then on to the constant adventure of life on the open road ThaI style. Crossing the road is a hair raising event then there is the excitement of waving down what you think is the right 'bus' which turns out to be an open ended truck with 2 ridiculously high steps for clambering on board. The next trick is to sit in such a way that you don't fall out when they take he corners at a speed that would terrify Lewis Hamilton.  For 30Baht though you can't complain. Presumably if you do fall out before your destination you don't have to pay? Shan't be testing the theory. 

And here I am in the Sukhothai National Park.  By the standards I have grown accustomed to it is almost deserted. It's beautifully laid out and the various Wats are fascinating but working on the Trevor v goats idea - seen 1 Wat you've seen them all! One particular Wat I was convinced I had been to before but then realised that the steps were slightly different so it was yet anther one.  Photos of the 2 in question below:

I agree that now looking at them side by side they don't really really resemble each other but in the heat and the dust and the humidity ........

Below some of my attempts at a 'selfie' - hahahaha

I can only presume that other people have got much longer arms than me!

Mustn't carry on hiding in the shade, more in my next blog.