It was such a haven of peace and the day ahead unknown, as the possibility of bringing the tandem back to Hualumpung central train station back on the train not an option. We left our bags in the station, took a train to Sukhumvit 71 and arrived at Tamsin and Tae's midmorning. Alex, their charming 18 months old little boy was all smiles and games and even cried when we left!
After cycling beside the railway track (the new -unopen still- railway line to the airport follows 
the route of the old line but on stilts and 50 m above it!) we find our way to a canal running in the right direction towards Hualumpung. There is a footpath besides the canal which we can get along but is full of obstacles and eventually stops about halfway, when another railway line and a huge flyover cross the water. John sets off and tries to find an onward route by crossing the canal on the railway line but gives up eventually as he would have to cross a 6 lanes freeway on foot. So we abandon the canal and cycle along oneway streets (!), past the British Embassy ride the tandem on a
dual carriage way with a sky train and various other concrete lanes ahead. Nicole was absolutely terrified, John thought it was ok... We found out later we were cycling in the Siam Square area, more or less the busiest place in Bangkok. The traffic was VERY FAST with buses and tuk-tuk being the worst hazard as they seemed to stop wherever and whenever they felt like it. We somehow eventually found a quiet side street and miraculously arrived at the train station! Nicole had a croissant and last latte, we also had a lovely cool shower for 20 pence each, sorted out a train ticket for the tandem (so easy compared with India!) and leisurely boarded the train and found our bunk. Well it would have been leisurely... the goods carriage still wasn't attached to the train 10 minutes before departure and John was waiting to load tandem on.Uneventful and comfortable train journey overnight and we were pleasantly surprised in the morning to see dry rice paddies surrounded by small banks with cows and buffaloes here and there and occasionally beautiful pink lotus flowers in little ponds.
Nicole's throat still not good, so after we find RiverMoon's guesthouse (very quiet, very cheap,-150B = 3 pounds, rather rundown but off the road and all to ourselves... no tourists are coming to Thailand) we decide to stay put for a couple of days to acclimatise ourselves to Asian food and way of life. John sets off with his compass in his pocket to investigate Wat Pa Na Na Chat, where we have heard "foreign" monks welcome guests with previous Buddhist experience. He takes 2 sawngthaews (sort of pick up buses) and as no one understands English (but everybody wants to be helpful) he lands up somewhere(?) where a "kind" (he later asked for 200B fee) motorcyclist took him for miles and miles of dusty road after dusty road, and eventually arrives at the monastery. John arranges with a monk (who spoke very good English thank goodness) that we should arrive at 7.30 am and speak with the Abbot, who will decide if we can stay for a couple of nights. Apparently if we stay longer we would have to shave our heads...
Go on, go for the haircut... it'll be cool.
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