19th Feb - Sukkothai day and Chang Mai night

Wednesday 19th Feb - Sukkothai day and Chang Mai night
(written quite fast so sorry ill try embelish at later date)

Slept very well until I needed the loo then was so paranoid about oversleeping I didn't at all! Having to check out early gotta sort my overnight bus too. Hung out with the girls and saw some cool temples. We cycled around. Much different atmosphere to Ayutthaya. The main Wat Maharat was amazing it was utterly huge. I love old ruins. I was tempted to stay and do more but dont wanna fall too far behind the girls and Ill have less time in Chang Mai as it is. I decided I had done enough to whet my appetite, especially as we had left at 8am - its suprising what you can achieve when you get up early! The bus back to new sukkothia was so incredibly slow I rushed to get to the bus station for the 3 o clock bus before being told it had been involved in an accident. I waited for the 4.30 and by complete coincidence - because I had kinda given up hope - the bus station had wireless yippee! After acquiring more than a few curious glances from Thais probably thinking I was ultra rich or something, I go on the bus (late of course!) and basically was it a 5 hour journey? er. NO! Was there a TOILET?! Can you believe it, a 6 1/2 hour journey and no toilet! Got to the bus station in Chang Mai much later than ideal as I was by myself and not knowing where I was going to sleep at 11pm. ANYWAY I paid a rather expensive but apaprantly standard 80 baht to get to the vicinity the girls were staying in. I knocked on about 5 doors (and some wernt even answering at that time) before I struck lucky with a single room for 150 baht. Felt extremely grubby and minging and was ithching like crazy and could desperately have done with a nice shower then bed but NO! I had to get chatting to a bunch of people who had just come back from a 3 day trek who were eating in the resteraunt of my accomodation and so of course in traveller mode I went with the flow after they invited me to join them for drinks. We went to a gorgeous and very chilled / mellow / hippy 'rooftop' bar near the main square. Couldn't actually believe it when Lauren approaches me - a few screams and hugs and reconciliations follow leaving me with a very warm and happy feeling, reunited with my friends after a whole - what 30 hours?! It seemed like longer though and was soo cool we happened to be in the same place. I left after my friends as I went back and forth between the two groups. When I eventually left, I went to collect my shoes (thats what happens in Thailand, you take your footwear off for shops, bars etc) and some skank had nicked them! I couldnt believe it! So I walked home in an old pair of flip flops given to me by the owner. Welcome to Chang Mai!! On the way out a bloke and his friends invited me on to a club. As I was severely lacking will power I went along, but the club (which had a sign no lady boys!) smelt really bad and wasn't as good as it had been when they were there the night before. Sooo...we went in search of open bars, julies, smiles and eventually I gave up and went to bed! Especially as the guy I was with was getting fresh with me...

Money spent: 20 baht bus to old sukkothai, 100 admin inner city, 100 admin north, 80 baht sun hat! 150 baht accomodation last night, 6 baht ice cream, 60 baht lunch (omlette and cold water) 20 baht bus back to guest house, 30 baht lipton ice tea and water at 7/11, 40 baht tuk tuk to bus station, 218 baht bus to Chang Mai, 30 baht phoning girls, 80 baht to guest house, 150 baht accomodation tonight, 120 baht mojito, 62 baht cheese and ham toasted sandwich, 20 baht tuk tuk back from club
TOTAL: 1286 babt / 25.62

Best thing: Wat Maharat
Worst thing: Looong bus ride