Last day in Ayuthaya

We braved the heat once more and cycled around the historical park where we saw a 42m long reclining Buddha at Wat Lokkayasutham 

After a delicious lunch of soup and fried noodles cycled to the most romantic temple, Wat Chaiwatthamaram which must be our favourite 

It is so romantic at sunset that we saw two different beautifully attired couples posing for photos

Elephants

Before we left Ayuthaya we bumped into dozen of elephants..

They waited by the road to be transported by a (strong!) lorry to their Kraal just outside the city. 

There are only 4000 domestic and wild animals in Thailand and the Elephant Stay in Ayuthaya runs a hugely successful breeding program and provides tourist rides around the ruins as well as runs (3 days minimum) stays where visitors learn how to ride, bathe and earn the trust the elephants. Sadly we decided to move on the tandem instead

Ayuthaya

The capital of Siam between 1350 and 1767 it had 400 sparkling temples.

Now, a dozen ruins and several working temples. 

We walked in the heat (body still used to English wet, windy, cold weather) more than 1 km to a grand, informative and air-conditioned tourist office. Have decided to spend a few days here, cycling around the ruins, getting our bearings and generally taking it easy. 

War Phra Ram

Ban Khun Pra (the Bureaucrat's house)

Our view from the guesthouse

Ayuthaya temples

Pleasant stay at Ban Khun Pra watching the barges go by on the Chao Praya river (do they go all the way to Bangkok?). We ve already had to change room twice. It seems now that everyone reserves by Internet and the whole guesthouse gets booked up by groups.. We re getting a little lazy (or old) and are savouring staying in one place for longer and Ayuthaya is such a fascinating place!

Braving the heat we visited (the most visited temple) 

Wat Phra Mahathat

Then off to Wat Thammikkarat (after a cooling off in the shade and rehydrating fresh coconut milk (30Baht)

The guarding lions (singha - like the beer!)

There was also a Buddha shrine flanked by two guarding bright cockerels. Apparently when King Nasueran was taken hostage by the Burmese, his invincible cockerels (he loved cock fighting as a little boy) secured his reputation..

Bangkok to Ayuthaya

88km on hot, busy, dusty (but smooth!) large roads. Maps.me proved very useful in negotiating right hand turns. It's practically impossible to cross the road and turn right..

Arrived in Ayuthaya half an hour after dark, a bit frightening but easier on tandem than on single bikes. 

Found Ban Khun Pra (where we stayed 10 years ago), lovely 100 year old teak guesthouse, we love it but it has seen better days..600 Baht. Supper on terrace by the river and to sleep in four-poster bed

Suvarnabhumi airport Bangkok

For the first time in more than 10 years transporting our tandem on plane it arrived in a sorry state. Our carefully taped together polythene had been completely ripped and our thick one had disappeared. John could have cried! 

John went to the toilets and I waited by the bags and the poorly tandem. After a little while, a smiling lady came to say there was a problem with my husband.. I imagined the worst!

It turned up he mistakenly walked into immigration after leaving the toilets and was "caught" without a passport (which I had). Security and immigration official were called and they wouldn't let him out!

Anyway, after much waiting all was well In the end, the smiling lady took a selfie with us (she thought we must be famous to cycle through Thailand on a tandem) and we filled a complaint form with Emirates

Off to Thailand

After a fraught week, many obstacles, inclement weather and other crises we made it. Packed tandem, caught the chain ferry (and rain) and arrived in Gatwick where we spent cosy night at Yotel. This morning found out John had forgotten to pack enough polythene to wrap tandem...but a very kind cleaner let us have his bin bags to make up the short fall :)