Given that my night train ticket said "Ayutthaya - Chiang Mai" I had very little choice as to where I was going today. I got to the train station for the scheduled 10:50am train to Ayutthaya, but the ticket was around 350 baht. I probably would have paid it had I not been told that it would be 20 baht a few days ago. The ticket officer then produced an entirely different (presumably local third class) timetable and booked me on the 11:20am train for (wait for it) 15 BAHT. That's about 35p to travel for 2 hours on a train. I handed over the money before anyone had realised there was some horrible mistake. Granted, there was no air conditioning (7-11 supermarkets are like air conditioned refuge points in Thailand) but there was a breeze. I met a girl called Gael on the train who was holidaying while her other half worked in Bangkok, so we arrived and hired bikes together for the day. It was good to have company and someone else to take photos for you (solo travellers will all appreciate this).

Ayutthaya is an ancient town that used to be the capital of Thailand. It's filled with ruins and beautiful sights, mixed in with modern town life. I really enjoyed it and I had my evening dinner snacking at the night market on the north eastern side of the island. The whole place is surrounded by two rivers that act as a natural moat for the town centre. Unfortunately this also means a shed load of mossies set up camp expecting a buffet and they usually get one.

On the way back, I picked up the cheapest alcohol in the 7-11 instead if the pricey Chang. That was to prep me for the night train to Chiang Mai. The fact that the train was an hour late was a blessing in disguise, as it gave me time to stomach the horrible liquid I'd bought. It wasn't beer, lager, cider or wine, but some kind of flat mix between the four. For anyone going to Thailand, do not get a drink called Siamsang (I think that's what it's called). I slept for hours on the night train that was to arrive in Chiang Mai around midday.