Phitsanulok is 390km away north of Bangkok and is often abbreviated as ‘Phi-Lok’. Under the reign of Authaya King Borom Trailokanat (1448-88), Phitsanulok served as the capital of Thailand for 25 years. Many travellers prefer to use Phitsanulok as a base tor visiting the nearby ruins at Sukhotai, Kampaheng Phet and Si Satchanalai, as well as the national parks and wildlife sanctuaries of Thung Salaeng Luang and Phu Hin Rong Kla, all of which are within 150km of Phitsanulok. The town’s own draw include Wat Phra Si Ratana mahathat (known locally as Wat Yai), which contains Phra Phutta Chinnarat, one of the most beautiful and revered Buddha images in Thailand.
Lonely Planet Thailand 9th Ed and Lonely Planet South East Asia on a shoestring 12th Ed
That’s the brand new Toyota Vigo Double Cabin pickup our Thai deaf friend owned and sent us to Bangkok’s Northern and North-Eastern bus station to catch a bus that would take us to Phitsanulok. Most of the double-cabin pick-ups I saw carry a much higher cc capacity (3.0 cc) than what we have in Sabah!
Holy cow! 8 adults packed like a sardine in the Toyota Vigo. In case your mind wanders, the lady is Nataporn's wife! Actually, 3 of us were seated at the back but once we came to a toll gate, the toll collector would not allow people to sit at the back as it is prohibited on tolled highway! Thanks goodness, the ride to the bus station from the toll gate took a mere 10 minutes! So our backs and joints were safe!
We saw this steroid-powered 138ps black beauty Mitsubishi Triton that, I think, will be launched tomorrow (21st November 2006) in Tanjung Aru. Such a bold radical design makes for an interesting choice. The rear passenger seat is spacious and comfortable unlike the crampy feelings I have had with other 4x4 double cabin pick-up models. I hope I can go to the launch tomorrow! And I do hope I can afford to get one when the time comes!
That our air conditioned double decker bus that will traverse 390km via central Thailand to Phitsanulok. Throughout the 6-hour journey, on both sides, vast tract of lands planted with paddy run hundred of kilometers long! No wonder then Thailand ranks first in the world for rice production! Added with very good drainage systems (Thailand has 3 big dams, one of which is the biggest in South East Asia – more on this later!), rice plantation can be done twice a year.
Spacious and comfortable seating with reclining chairs! Pillows and blankets are provided too. Even got that idiot box showing mostly Thai movies throughout the journey.
Lunch in styrofoam box on board and doused with a plastic-cupful of iced cola!
That was the simple lunch provided – fried chicken (wings) and raw cucumber slices on top of rice. But this bus hostess has a more yummy lunch! Whoaaa…!
Nataporn haggling with the Tuk-Tuk lady driver. In Thailand, we saw quite a number of women drivers driving heavy vehicles like 12-wheelers, big trucks carrying cements, even excavators! It is quite the opposite in Sabah as it is a frowned upon for a woman to drive heavy vehicles.
Our first Tuk-Tuk riding experience…whoaaa great feelings! The vibration I felt from the engine sounds like tuk-tuk…hence the name, Tuk-Tuk. Make sense eh?
Tired and resting at our host Nataporn’s place. Our comfortable air-conditioned free lodging for the next 3 days!
Dinner with new Thai deaf friends. Tom yam seafood soup – very hot and distinctive taste compared to what we have in Sabah.
Colorful, delicious and glorious food! Unable to translate the names so I will let the photos do the talking!
Too hot to handle! Jeremy’s reaction to hot and spicy food…! Still we all managed to ‘clean’ the plates!
This is the usual spectacle of our nightly (but not always) sins! What’s not? One carton of 1-liter beer goes downright cheap at B330!!! Most Thais do love to drink beers and brandy! It is unsporting not to accept their invitations but as always we were accommodating but not to the extent of going overboard! One thing I noted was Thais drink their beers with ice. I seldom see that in KK, though. Also, beer of any brands in Kota Kinabalu carries 5% alcohol contents, in Thailand, the content is a tad higher at 8%.
To be continued…
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