Sukhotai

First stop North was Sukhotai and a visit to the old town which on the day we were due to explore the weather decided to be unkind to us and it rained all morning finally giving way to some slightly better weather after lunch. This lead to some fun poncho wearing cycling and having the place pretty much to ourselves apart from the occasional air conditioned minivan that turned up at som of the temples at the same time as us. The central area was full of partially restored temples and buddhas and the overcast conditions gave the place a very moody feel.

 Not all of the temples have been restored however and the further out you head the more crumbling decay you find with statues beginning to miss parts and once beautifully rendered and detailed buildings becoming bare brick foundations.

 Until you got to some that hadn't been touched at all by modern hand, which ended up being the most intriguing as far as we were concerned as your imagination had to work much harder to see what was once here.

 The scarcity of people on the day that we went meant that it was much more common to have the many temple animals joining us and trotting alongside as we made our way on foot through the ruins

 Dotted around there were still many offerings in place including many smaller figurines that were dotted around the place.

 Finally outside the city walls we came across mine and Louise's favourite temple which was one supported on all four sides by elephants.

Well that was Sukhotai, definitely worth a visit but time to get off the beaten track a little and head over to Umphang in the far west just this side of the Myanmar border, this entailed two bus journeys and finally a five hour songthaew on something called death road, can't wait!!