Day 11...

As all public transport is fully booked due to Thai New Year holidays we took a private taxi 400km north to Sukhothai, the 'birthplace of Thailand'. The traffic was horrendously busy with holiday traffic - if we weren't careering along from one lane to another at speeds above 120kph (until I asked the driver to slow down) we were crawling in thick traffic jams. My heart was in my mouth for the first 30 minutes!
Up the side of the road there were an almost continuous run of roadside vendors: one had clearly started selling hammocks (for example) and made decent money out of it, so then 20 other stalls have sprung up on the same stretch of road selling hammocks ...and no one makes decent money. The most astonishing thing we saw for sale were rotisseried chickens - rotisseried heaven knows how long ago, some of which had since been put into plastic bags to sweat in the 40 degree sun. They were a bargain at 15c each - we didn't stop for one!
We arrived in one piece at our guesthouse in Sukhothai - a real oasis and the first place we've felt like hanging out. So we've settled into Sabaidee House for a few days.




Sukhothai Historical Park is breathtaking. It's refreshingly well presented and explained through signs/audio tour.








The kids took turns to listen to the audio tour and convey what they learned, and Shane or I would then quiz them on the detail - we all learned a lot. Cycling around the park was fun for everyone.




This afternoon we hung out - kids are writing diaries, we cycled out to the shops to buy nail polish (kids fun) and stick on sparklies for Rosie's iPod and camera. It feels like the first day we've been in the zone - we look forward to staying in it as long as Asia permits.
Shane, Helen, Rosie and Tom

Location:Mueang Sukhothai,Thailand