Day 2: Ayutthaya to Chai Nat

Distance biked: 128.74 kms / 80 miles
Time on the road: 6:13
Total Distance biked: 181.85 kms / 113 miles
Total time on the road: 8:42

Ayutthaya was an interesting city to spend a day and a half exploring. The ancient wats fill the main part of the island-town but most have been almost completely destroyed during the various battles Ayutthaya witnessed over the last few hundred years (mainly at the hands of Burmese armies). There were hardly any buddha statues with their heads left intact as the Burmese were particularly effecient in decapitating them.

I spent the morning wandering around Wat Phra Mahathat but took shelter when the daily thunderstorm rolled in. It rains hard every day for an hour or so but the torrents cool everything down nicely and blue skies return soon after. After seeing the wat I headed over to Viharn Phra Mongkol Bopit is a replica of a typical Ayutthayan viharn and holds one of the largest bronze Buddhas in Thailand. There were lots of Chinese tourists/pilgrims visiting the statue on the same day and it was interesting to be able to identify them as Chinese by hearing some familiar words.

Today I woke up early and did a quick last look through the city before heading north on highway 309 towards Sing Buri. I was surpised to reach Sing Buri at 11:30AM after riding only 46 kilometers. I had lunch (a double helping of rice Pad Thai) and decided that I was up for a longer ride so, checking my map for a bigger city where I could spend the night, I set out for Chai Nat.

Chai Nat isn't in my guide book so I wasn't sure what I'd find here but a nice lady at a filling station along the way told me that it had plenty of good hotels. She was a retired English teacher and spoke very well. She was extremely nice and we sat and chatted while I cooled off in the shade. When I went to leave I tried to pay her for the bottle of water I got from her store but she refused my money. This level of hospitality is indicative of our Thailand experience so far.

I found a hotel for 200 Baht for tonight (it's more than what I wanted to pay but they wouldn't bargain with me and I was pretty tired from my ride). I just finished having dinner in the night market before coming to the internet cafe. Outdoor markets are my favorite way to eat a meal. You walk around buying big or small dishes from different vendors and get a good taste of many different foods. I'm never quite sure what I'm going to get (unless I wimp out and order Pad Thai) because I usually point at things and hold up my index finger indicating I'd like one of whatever that it is. I've yet to be disappointed by this method.

Tomorrow I'm heading off for Nakhon Sawan, another city that's not in my guidebook. It's written in pretty large letters on my map so I'm betting that means it's a decent sized city. Who says I'm not good with maps?