Wednesday 15 March - The journey begins
Published Thursday, March 16, 2006 by Carolyne | E-mail this post
It's Friday morning (customs day!), and it is hard to believe that we have been here only 48 hours (+ one night - which doesn't count!).
The flight was surprisingly cramped and the service was poor on British Airways. Bob knicknamed, rather unfairly I feel, our fellow passenger in the aisle seat "Miss Smiley" (because she didn't), and I was keen to ask if she were a runner, as she was wearing Nike Free shoes, although the watch etc didn't bear this out. However, it's not obligatory to look like one is ready to get on the starting blocks 24 hours a day. Alas, there was no opportunity.
Our airport hotel, booked online for AUD $30 odd, was fine, with us upgraded to a Deluxe 2 bedroom suite for the night. This won't continue! We slept well, and were down to breakfast in good time, with me opting for Hot Ginger Tea, sliced fruit and passable coffee. Bob went the whole egg with made to order omlettes and vegetables. During breakfast I took my garmin forerunner down to lock on to a satelitte; this was achieved with realtively little drama and time, despite Friar's warnings!
A trip to the nearby rai l station and the purchase of two local class (3rd) tickets to Ayuthaya (40 baht - about AUD$1.20?) and we were away, the train arriving just as we had tickets in hand.
It was a short and pleasant journey, through rice paddies fringed with banana trees. On arriving at our destination, we stopped by the onward booking office to buy tickets for the next leg of our journey to Chaing Mai. We had hoped to get a night train if possible, although all the guides we had read indicated that this was dificult without long pre-booking, so had expected to have to travel during the day. Although there were no second class sleeper seats available on Friday night (tonight!), there were first class sleepers and seats (sitting). We made a quick executive decision and lashed out on the first class tickets (around 2,400 baht for two) on the train departing Aruthaya at 9 pm. This takes around 12 hours, and will mean that we have the best scenery (allegedly) around the mountainous north from dawn when we wake.
A flyer at the rail office led us to check out accomodation a 1-2 km walk away on the main island. A most charming girl, Nook was there to help us, and whilst Bob considered which room to choose, I enjoyed the ambiance of the teak structure with large open areas very similiar to the Queenslander style of architecture. He chose the most expensive room, due to it's first floor elevated location as much as anything, with airconditioning (necessary) and cable tv (not required and an extra 50 baht a night).
It was still only mid to late morning, and we were on another time plane, rather than just 20 hours away from Canberra.
The flight was surprisingly cramped and the service was poor on British Airways. Bob knicknamed, rather unfairly I feel, our fellow passenger in the aisle seat "Miss Smiley" (because she didn't), and I was keen to ask if she were a runner, as she was wearing Nike Free shoes, although the watch etc didn't bear this out. However, it's not obligatory to look like one is ready to get on the starting blocks 24 hours a day. Alas, there was no opportunity.
Our airport hotel, booked online for AUD $30 odd, was fine, with us upgraded to a Deluxe 2 bedroom suite for the night. This won't continue! We slept well, and were down to breakfast in good time, with me opting for Hot Ginger Tea, sliced fruit and passable coffee. Bob went the whole egg with made to order omlettes and vegetables. During breakfast I took my garmin forerunner down to lock on to a satelitte; this was achieved with realtively little drama and time, despite Friar's warnings!
A trip to the nearby rai l station and the purchase of two local class (3rd) tickets to Ayuthaya (40 baht - about AUD$1.20?) and we were away, the train arriving just as we had tickets in hand.
It was a short and pleasant journey, through rice paddies fringed with banana trees. On arriving at our destination, we stopped by the onward booking office to buy tickets for the next leg of our journey to Chaing Mai. We had hoped to get a night train if possible, although all the guides we had read indicated that this was dificult without long pre-booking, so had expected to have to travel during the day. Although there were no second class sleeper seats available on Friday night (tonight!), there were first class sleepers and seats (sitting). We made a quick executive decision and lashed out on the first class tickets (around 2,400 baht for two) on the train departing Aruthaya at 9 pm. This takes around 12 hours, and will mean that we have the best scenery (allegedly) around the mountainous north from dawn when we wake.
A flyer at the rail office led us to check out accomodation a 1-2 km walk away on the main island. A most charming girl, Nook was there to help us, and whilst Bob considered which room to choose, I enjoyed the ambiance of the teak structure with large open areas very similiar to the Queenslander style of architecture. He chose the most expensive room, due to it's first floor elevated location as much as anything, with airconditioning (necessary) and cable tv (not required and an extra 50 baht a night).
It was still only mid to late morning, and we were on another time plane, rather than just 20 hours away from Canberra.
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