Moving again!

Huge monk/Buddha statue behind the trees

It’s been almost two months since I moved to Chiang Mai (my 60-day visa would've expired on Tuesday!) but now I’m headed South to Sukhothai and then Bangkok.  Leaving was bittersweet, I was sad to say goodbye to the friends I’ve made and the city which I was finally getting the hang of, but I’m also excited to see what is waiting for me next.

I walked over to the bus station (tried to stop a few songthaews but they all were asking far too much.  I ended up making it just in time for the 4:30 bus.  The 5 hou ride wasn't too bad, although the bus was bouncy and I couldn't get the air to turn off so I was cold and couldn't sleep at all.  We made a bunch of stops, some at bus stops or stations but others just on the side of the road.
It was a beautiful drive, I wished I was in a car and could have stopped at some of the temples we passed along the way.

They played Thai pop music videos throughout the trip

Sunset

 We got in around 9:30pm and I had written down directions about which songthaew I needed to take into town but I hadn't realized that they would be running so late.  Fortunately a very nice young guy picked me up and took me.  (By the way, mom, sorry for thinking you were crazy when you picked up hitchhikers and stranded kids, I never realized how awesome you are for doing it!)

I was happy to discover the sidewalk restaurants here

Sukhothai is empty at night!

Traffic police, I love the helmet roof

I didn't think I would have trouble finding a room in Sukhothai, I'd written down the name of a few guest houses but when I got to town they were all full, I finally found a room at a guest house called Hang Jeung, down a dark alley.  The owner and his son were really nice but I just spent the one night there.  It was 150 baht/night which is the cheapest I've found here, but the bed was either just a box spring or the firmest mattress I've ever felt, and I realize I'm in Asia, but when I go home at night, I really just want to be able to use a normal, Western-style toilet.