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A weekend in Yvetot, France
I’ve had this in drafts for over a year! Time to finally get it published. Journal date: September 23-26, 2022 See also: Where I stayed: France for hotel recommendations. Day 1 – From Rouen to Yvetot (Friday) I had a few hours between checking out of my Rouen AirBNB and getting on my train, so I spent it people-watching in the train station. This time I also had to use the bathroom, which (like many public restrooms in Europe) was not free. In fact, this toilet was €1! That’s pretty pricey, but I have to admit it was a really nice bathroom. And apparently the ticket lets you get a…
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From Sukhothai to Chiang Mai by bus
Previously: A visit to the Ramkhamhaeng National Museum (Sukhothai) Journal date: September 16, 2023 I took another long-distance bus today, from Sukhothai to Chiang Mai for a total trip of 5.5 hours! This time I bought my ticket in person at the bus company’s office within Old Sukhothai. It was MUCH cheaper at only only 324 baht / $9 USD compared to the online price of 599 baht / $16.80 USD. I also got to select my seat right away, and I managed to snag a window seat. The bus was perfectly fine; a little older maybe but clean enough and with comfortable seats. The seat next to me stayed…
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A visit to the Ramkhamhaeng National Museum
Previously: Exploring Sukhothai’s ruins Journal date: September 15, 2023 The Ramkhamhaeng National Museum is located just near the Sukhothai History Park (central entrance), making it an excellent stop either before or after a visit to the ruins. It’s an older museum that’s partially under renovation, but most of the rooms are open to the public. There are a few displays on local modern history, but most of them focus on artifacts and information about the nearby temple ruins and the people who built them. The museum has a particularly excellent collection of stucco sculptures and art! There’s also a small outdoor area with larger statues and stucco recreations. Well worth…
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Singapore travel tips & recommendations
I’ve visited Singapore twice (so far) and it’s one of my favorite places to visit. Though it’s a little pricier than most other Southeast Asia destinations, I think it’s worth exploring for a few days if you have the time/budget. Here’s some of my recommendations for traveling around Singapore on a solo backpacker’s budget. See travel tips for Jeju Island and Malaysian Borneo! Resources & Tips ATMs are plentiful. That said, almost everywhere accepts credit car. You’ll just need some cash for hawker centres and the bus/metro if you don’t have a smart phone. Klook is a discount travel app headquartered in Singapore (though it’s good for all around east…
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Exploring Sukhothai’s ruins
Previously: From Ayutthaya to Sukhothai by bus Journal date: September 14, 2023 Sukhothai Historical Park is a huge complex, something like 27 miles square. It’s split into multiple sections, and each section is 100 baht / $3 USD entry fee. I visited the central section which is both closest to my hotel and houses the five most popular wat. I meant to take a borrowed bicycle from my guesthouse but chickened out at the last minute– I haven’t been on a bike for something like 5 years and I didn’t want my first time back on one to be in a foreign country without a helmet. ;P The Historical Park…
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From Ayutthaya to Sukhothai by bus
Previously: Visiting the Ayutthaya Gold Treasure Exhibition Building Journal date: September 13, 2023 I had a such a good time exploring the ancient temple ruins in Ayutthaya that I decided to check out the (slightly older) ruins in Sukhothai, the former capital of the Sukhothai Kingdom, established in 1238. There’s a direct bus from Ayutthaya to Sukhothai, about 6.5 hours long and 300-something baht / $8 USD if you book in person. If you book online? Nearly 700 baht / $20 USD. Yes, more than double the price! Lesson: always book buses in person! If you’re in the main part of Ayutthaya like I was, ask your hotel to help…
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Visiting the Ayutthaya Gold Treasure Exhibition Building
Previously: From Bangkok to Ayutthaya by train Journal date: September 12, 2023 Today I went to Chao Sam Phraya National Museum. Well, I TRIED going to the museum, but it’s closed for renovations. However, the exhibition hall behind it is still open, so I went inside there instead. Cost: 150 baht / $4.25 USD The exhibition hall (Ayutthaya Gold Treasure Exhibition Building) displays treasure and artifacts found within the nearby wat (temples), discovered during various archeological digs in the 1950s-1980s. It also talks about part of the culture and history of the people in Ayutthaya, though focused more on royalty as it’s their stuff on display. I’d actually visited all…
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From Bangkok to Ayutthaya by train
Journal date: September 11, 2023 Today I traveled from Bangkok to Ayutthaya, one of the old capitals of the kingdom of Siam. It was destroyed by the Burmese in the 18th century, but ruins of the old temples and monasteries remain. I wanted to go see some old stuff, so I decided to stop by on my way up to Chiang Mai. Local train from Bangkok to Ayutthaya Getting to Ayutthaya from Bangkok is super easy. Many people visit Ayutthaya as a day trip or as part of a day tour, but you can get there by public train as well. The train leaves from Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal…
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Where I stayed: Malaysia
Here’s a list of hotels, AirBNBS, and hostels that I stayed in while traveling in Malaysia from July to August 2023. I’ll update this post with more hotels whenever I go back to visit Malaysia. Things to note: Check out where I stayed in Indonesia and South Korea. Places with a little ♥ in front of them are highly recommended. Gemas, Malaysia I only stayed here one night, on the way up to Kuala Lumpur from Singapore. Gemas is only a stopover town, as there’s literally nothing to do here but maybe golf at the nearby resort. I recommend avoiding staying the night here if you can. Hotel Tropicana. Really…
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From Chiang Rai to Luang Prabang by bus and slow boat (October 2023)
Journal date: October 4-6, 2023 Day 1: From Chiang Rai to Huay Xai by bus I left my hostel and went to the bus station at the pre-sunrise hour of 5:30am. A traveler I met on a tour the other day told me there was a 6:00 am bus to the border, but unfortunately that seems to have been a pre-COVID thing. Now the earliest bus to Chiang Khong leaves at 7:30 am! Luckily there’s a 7-11 right across the street from the bus station, so I was able to grab some breakfast and one last Thai tea. The bus costs 70 baht— but if there’s at least 5 people…
