Phitsanulok, Tue 28th Oct 2008

We were fortunate to find an excellent hotel - the "Casa Holiday Hotel" - just off the main road leading into Phitsanulok from the east. The rooms are well appointed, exceptionally clean and the price is very competative at 450 Baht per night, especially as this includes free morning coffee and Internet access in the tastefully decorated and comfortable lobby.

The Railway Station at Phitsanulok - please note the mandatory three litre 4x4 (black, of course!) - sorry!

Phitsanulok is a much larger city and more of a business centre. There is an airport, railway station and a massive Tescos! I got the feeling that Bangkok thirty years ago must have been a little like Phitsanulok today (four-wheel drives and shopping centres aside!) - the city reminded me of the car chase scene in the James Bond movie "The Man with the Golden Gun". We visited the railway station and had a cup of coffee across the way in the aptly named "Phitsanulok Hotel"; plenty of "atmosphere" but unfortunately asking the same tariff as that of the "Casa". Having said that, I would prefer to see the hotel in the state it is in rather than find that the site has been "developed". However, a lick of paint and a "scrub up" would still not do any harm! It is dated 2505 meaning that it was built in 1962 (to convert to the Buddhist calender simple add 543 years).

There is a green steam locomotive parked in the centre of the roundabout opposite the station which really adds to the whole character of the place (one often finds these interesting touches around Thailand). The vehicles in the foreground are often referred to as "tuk-tuks" due to the frightful racket they make. Various sorts of tuk-tuk taxis are found all over Thailand, each region seeming to have it's own particular design. Whilst being great fun, the three-wheel versions anyway, it is imperative that any fare is negotiated beforehand. This is particularly important in the more tourist orientated places such as Bangkok and Phuket. Motorcycle taxis are also very common; I tend to avoid them unless there really is no other alternative (enough said!).

Later in the day we went to the Ratchburana Temple where I had a steam sauna. This service was free although a small donation is expected. Steam saunas are very popular in Thailand with various herbs being added to leave feeling fresh and invigorated, especially following the long trip on the motorbike. The evening was spent with Gung's daughters and a college friend of Gang. Dinner was suggested and I was all set for a Thai restaurant. However, popular consensus indicated that something more "trendy" was required and five minutes later I was eating "smash" at KFC!