After arriving at Bangkok and spending a few days here, we headed up to Ayutthaya to have a look at what the old capital was like.
We stayed there for two nights in a really nice room in a Thai style hotel. We had one of those king size beds that kinda float on the floor with a wooden panel underneath, a nice ensuite bathroom with a HOT shower (important - this doesn't happen often!!) and a big plasma screen tv! Luke was happy because he got to watch the start of the Euros, even if the commentators were speaking Thai!
We went on a river cruise to see some of the best temples in Ayutthaya... one being an old monastry which is now in ruins, but still looks incredible all the same. It was nice going on the boat because we didn't just get to see temples and monuments, we also got to see how the Thai people live here. We saw people fishing in their boats or on the banks, kids skimming stones across the river, people looking out of their wooden houses at boats passing by and sometimes people just sat there taking the views in.
Everytime we went past one of them in the boat, they would always wave at us!

One of the reasons we headed back to Bangkok was to sort out our visa for Vietnam... we've heard mixed stories on how much it costs, how hard it is to get and what have you, but we thought we'd go to the Embassy to ask them. Turns out we didn't even need to do that, as just outside our hotel is a tourist shop that also specifies in visas for Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia etc.
So we picked it up there for less than 40 quid ;-) A lot less than what we were expecting to pay.
We had to wait a few days for this to come through and thats when we went to Ayutthaya in this time.

We've been staying on the famous Khao San road... we didn't get to see this the last time around so we thought we'd be brave and stay ON it this time. It can't be worse than Bang La Road in Phuket surely? And as it turns out I don't think it is! It's quite noisy until atleast 6am... but we've managed to sleep through it. They've been showing the Euros on big screens so that might have something to do with the excess noise.
We didn't feel like going out last night (overdid it a bit a few nights ago before we went to Ayutthaya!) so Luke watched some of the Holland v Denmark game from our hotel window! He's annoyed that he cannot watch Italy v Spain tonight, as we have an overnight bus to Laos.

With our Vietnam Visa we have to specify what dates we will be entering the country, so we thought we'd go there on the 19th, and do Laos for some time before we go there.
We have an overnight journey to Vientiane tonight, leaving here at 6.30pm and arriving in Laos at 12 midday!! :-O Longest journey we've had so far!!!
We're going on one of those really cool VIP buses though, which provide you with extra space and blankets, a neck rest and maybe a cheeky bottle of water and some snacks. Comfort first! lol.

Looking forward to seeing two more different places of South East Asia, I think we've done so much of Thailand now it'll be nice to see something a bit different.Really can't wait for Vietnam!!
We will be entering Vietnam through Hanoi in the north, and making our way right down to Ho Chi Minh City... two places i've always wanted to see!!
And once we're finished with that it'll be back to Bangkok for the seventh and final time to spend a few days here ready for our flight home :-)
I can't believe the end is nigh!!! Feels so weird and it's gone so quick, yet we've seen so much and so much has happened!

See you in just over 5 weeks! :-O
:-)
xxxx