Ayutthaya : taxi, chaleur, tuk-tuk et bouddha

Pour notre premier jour de visites, nous sommes donc parties à Ayutthaya, une ville classée patrimoine mondial par l'Unesco : au programme, des temples. Beaucoup de temples.

Après un voyage en train sans histoire (pas de retard, troisième classe relativement confortable), nous avons négocié un tour des visites en taxi à un prix raisonnable : 6 temples en un matin, ça fait beaucoup de bouddhas (surtout quand on commence par le temple aux 120 statues...). Qu'ils soient allongés, assis ou debout, il y en a pour tous les goûts : ceux qu'on dore soi-même, ceux qui portent chance, ceux qui protègent, repoussent la peur...

Une partie des fameuses 120 statues

Nous non plus, on ne sait pas comment il a atterri là

Style typique de la région, temple complètement en ruine...

Un Bouddha allongé

Le chedi aux coqs

Et le dernier temple de la matinée...

Mais surtout, toutes les visites sont dehors, la température est donc passée de chaude (7h du mat), à très chaude (8h), supportable quand il y a du vent (10h), puis relativement insupportable (vers midi). Le bilan, c'est qu'on commence à bronzer

(soyez jaloux)

(encore un peu)

et surtout qu'on a mal à la tête (déshydratation mais on pense avoir évité l'insolation), que je fais une petite allergie au soleil, avec un petit combo spécial pour le rhume (merci la clim du taxi), et oh les belles piqures de moustique ! (deux à ce jour, le répulsif fait son boulot). Résultat on a passé l'après-midi au musée et on prévoit de passer un peu de temps à la piscine demain (enfin, si rien ne vient perturber nos projets, ce qui est peu probable).

En conclusion, nous commençons à être à l'aise ici, avec les marchands de rue (presque), le tuk-tuk, les repas à moins d'un euro... Nos yeux s'habituent relativement aux couleurs vives partout (voir le chapitre sur les taxis) et aux scènes de la vie quotidienne (depuis le train on passe plein d'habitations en bord de rail). Il reste le problème de la spontanéité, jusqu'à maintenant on a inventé beaucoup de plans B pour remplacer nos projets initiaux (mais au final, quand on se remet des coups de stress, c'est plutôt sympa).

Une rangée de tuk-tuks à Ayutthaya

Taking the night train (before)

So we had planned on taking the night train tonight for Chiang Mai. Accordingly, we tried to get our tickets from Bangkok's train station before leaving for Ayutthaya this morning. To be told that the train was full.

Panicked, we jumped in the train for Ayutthaya and started for;uling alternative plans. To take a day train the next day, and thus spending the night in Ayutthaya, to take the plane, which meant travelling back to Bangkok and finding a new place to sleep... But first things first, we would start by asking at the ticket office in Ayutthaya what choices we had.

The answer was that they had two sleeping berth for us, separate but in the same coach... exactly what we needed! Well, and if the ticket says "man" and probably means that we are in sleeping coach for men... well, we shall see. Which is why there will be a "taking the night train (after)" coming-up!

Sending a thought home

We had a thought for you people, back in the cold. It was 10 AM,which is 4 AM for Paris, and we were already sweltering. Cheers!

Bangkok

We made it!

With some delay, though, since fog in Dubai made us late in landing... and in taking off for the second leg of our trip. And since we arrived to the guesthouse one hour and a half later than what we indicated, they didn't keep our room.

So, there we were, 9:30PM in a foreign city, with too few hours' sleep, jetlagged, our backpacks heavy on our back,and nowhere to sleep.

I could try to give you tales of warm welcom from local habitants, or make a grim account of a night on the streets -but the truth is that we went straight to the nearest hotel, which we had just passed by, and we booked a (confortable) room at an outrageous price (for Thailand).

What shall I say about these first glimpses of Thailand?

It is true that the people are welcoming, polite, and helpful.

It is hot. Not warm, hot. And humid. We go from air conditionned places to hot, moist air, and we expect Solene at any time to get a combo cold, dehydratation, insolation, and sunburns. I will just get the dehydratation.

The "rapid" train is slow (when it is slow enough, people get down without waiting for it to stop completely).

Taxis are in loud colors, prefereably bright pink, orange, neon green, or just yellow and green.

Palaces rub elbows with shacks.

So, we still haven't slept enough, but we are having a good time. Solene is preparing our tale of our day in Ayutthaya.

Back on the wandering path

Let's shake the dust!

My next holidays start in a few days, and this time, I'm going 'bout half-way around the world, setting foot for the first time in Asia. And I'm dragging Solène with me, so she may be contributing to my stories!

So come back in a few days for news about my stay in Thailand!