TRU TRAVELS NORTHERN THAILAND TOUR DAY 1-4
- Abbie Smith
- Oct 31, 2017
- 6 min read
If you've read my previous blog post you'll see I've just completed a 14 day tour of Northern Thailand with TruTravels. Take a read below of what we got up to on Day 1-4 of the tour...
Day 1 - Check in & chill out We arrived in Bangkok on the 12 October at 8am where Benmore, our Thai guide (and absolute babe) met us in arrivals. After teaching us how to say the basics in Thai and some questionable accents from Josh we arrived at our guesthouse in Bangkok. The first day is a chill day so after dropping our bags Josh & I took a stroll. I have to admit a lot of people told me they didn't like Bangkok but I didn't mind the area we were in, it's busy and some strange smells but all large cities are hectic. We went for some £1.00 noodle soup and had a 30 min foot massage for £2.50.
Coming from Dubai this was obviously ALOT cheaper! Prices do range depending on where you go though. There was a really vibey cafe called 'Madame Masur' where prices are a little more 'expensive' but still only £3ish for a large beer, £2 for a coffee and £1.50 for a water. It's all made of wood and has beanbags etc - super cool but obv not where you want to eat/drink every meal if on a budget.
Our first night we met the other people on our tour and went for dinner and for a stroll down Khoa San Road. We had dinner at Bombay Blues, didn't really think I'd be eating Indian on my first night in Thailand but it was incredible. The decor inside was beaut with sequin pillows, fairy lights etc and we all sat cross legged on the floor and had such a chilled evening.
This again was on the pricier side but only as we are on quite a tight budget! It was around £3/4 a main, £1.20 for a soft drink, £2/3 for rice and £3 a beer.
Khoa San Road was cool, but it's quite touristy. I'm glad to say I've been but I wouldn't go again. Scorpions and cocktail buckets aren't my thing!
Day 2 - Kanchanaburi, floating markets & bridge over River Kwai Our second day was the floating markets and going to Kanchanaburi to see the Bridge over River Kwai. We left our guesthouse at 8.15am for a 1.5 hour journey to markets. Luckily I'm a morning person as majority of mornings were a pre 9am start.
Once we arrived to the market we got into a long tail boat and float down the river to different stalls. Tbh we didn't actually buy anything other than pad Thai and a hand fan but it's a cool experience.
We then took a 2 hour bus journey to our guest house in Kanchanaburi which had a big pool and our room backed out to the river. At this point we picked up a microwaveable meal from Tesco Lotus (I know a Tesco how cultural of us) before hopping on a long tail boat for an afternoon of history about the railway that was built here during the war.
That evening we had dinner nearby, it was super affordable at 50 bht for pad Thai or fried rice and 120bht for a curry Josh & I shared.
Day 3 (my birthday eve) - Erawan waterfalls On my last day of being 25 (cry) we woke up and went to the Erawan waterfalls. Unfortunately it had been raining pretty bad for the days prior to our visit and therefore after walking to the waterfalls we couldn't take a swim! The water was also real muddy, it was such a shame but I suppose it's the risk you take going in wet season! We decided to go back to our hotel and have a little pool party and a massage. I would say the massage I had was up there with one of the best - 300 bht for a back neck and shoulder massage I felt SO good after!
In the evening we were taken to an all you can eat buffet for 150 bht, we were about 30 minutes late arriving which meant unfortunately all the food was cold. I have to admit this was by far my worst meal HOWEVER after being a little moany bitch for about 40 minutes I decided to buy a bucket of rum (paint stripper) and this ended up being one of my favourite nights. Barbie made sure I had a good time and talked me through the moany bitch stage. Ben & Steve had gone to pick me up a birthday cake and after one of the oddest birthday speeches from a Thai woman telling me she's 'Sorry I cannot have sex with you' we all took a shot and and a great night. It was perfect way to enter the grand old age of 26.
Day 4 - my birthday! - Ayutthaya - temples & history bike ride Josh & I woke up early and went for a birthday coffee to open all of the cards I had bought with me (please don't hate me everyone but they are now in the bin with limited space in my backpack SOZ -the money is also mentally spent on coconut bowls I want to post home). Iced coffees have become my favourite out here and range from about 50-70 bht (£1.20-£1.80ish) Starbucks who?
We then had a team breakfast on the brightest of sunniest days we'd had (could you expect anything less on my day of birth). We took a 3 hour minibus to Ayutthaya where we rented push bikes and cycled to temples and landmarks.
Steve (our guide) dropped so many knowledge bombs and told us about what happened at the temples etc. I would recommend going to do this when visiting Ayutthaya.
We also visited a temple which was absolutely beautiful. They had some sticks in a little box (I’m sure there is a proper name for this) you shook until one popped out and it had a number on. You then went to collect your fortune. Mine is below - can't say I'm 100% happy with it haha
We then went to a huge reclining Buddha (the Buddha image for Tuesday and ironically my day of Birth, I do love to lye down LOL). There were locals there offering us incense sticks and candles to light and make a wish. It was dusk when we went so even though the pictures dont do justice it was beautiful.
We got a little lost on our bike home so ended up cycling for quite a while however after all the rice I've been eating I wasn't too bothered about the extra exercise. We had dinner back at the hostel and then hopped in a Tuk Tuk (an experience) for the sleeper train. When we booked this tour it didn't even cross our minds that we'd be getting the sleeper train up to Chiang Mai. I was a little nervous about it only as I'd heard about people being robbed and also me and josh watched a documentary on 12 derailing a YEAR - for anyone that knows me panic Penelope was out in full force before boarding. However I was pleasantly surprised at the train and the space we had.
I would say if you're going to get a sleeper train 100% get the aircon and pick the bottom bunk, take an eye mask and ear plugs (and a sleeping tablet if you need help sleeping). I was in top bunk and I had a light directly above my bed and no window. Josh was all cosy in the bottom bunk with black out curtains and a night light. I put my small backpack in my bed and had my phone etc inside my jumper just a precaution. After trying to convince Josh we could both squeeze in his bottom bunk and fail I actually got quite a lot of sleep in my bed but Josh & I both were awake at 5.45am so got up and watched the sunrise.
If you can deal with mornings I would recommend this as you drive past locals houses and through jungles and loads of dogs!
There also is a proper toilet on the train, which literally is an open whole to the tracks so it's a bit breezy but one way to wake you up in the morning. Paintstripper cocktail buckets, turning 26 and surviving a sleeper train concludes part 1 of our Northern Thailand tour.
For more travel pics head over to @lifeinlycra_ on Instagram :) AbbieJS Xxx
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