Thailand – Laos: Day 11 – Part 5 – Ayutthaya Mosque & Travel to Nong Khai

Continued from Thailand – Laos Travel: Day 11 – Part 4 – Ayutthaya Historical Park & Wat Maha That. For pre-travel, please refer here.

After a tiring day of cycling which I think reached 10km, it was time for us to leave the city of Ayutthaya. Seriously I say, it feels like I’m about to vomit from seeing too many historical monuments that are almost the same plus the subject of history that is actually not of interest to me. But because this city is everything revolves around the history and is also famous for history as well, so we had to enjoy what is here.

It was almost 6.00 pm and we were a bit chaotic while pedaling to return the bike. Our next destination was Nong Khai city. Although the train leaves at 9.41 pm, here are some things we need to complete from 6.00 pm to 9.41 pm:

1. Stop for prayers at the Ayutthaya Mosque.
2. Buy a takeaway food at the night market (for dinner and backup food on the train later).
3. Return the bike.
4. Waiting and hoping the boat crossing the river is still operating (at 6.00 pm it has started to get dark).
5. Retrieving bags stored at the Left Luggage Office at Ayutthaya train station.
6. Bathe the child in the station toilet.
7. We both also need to shower and clean ourselves.
8. Dinner (with the food we bought earlier).
9. Waiting for the train to arrive.

Did we have enough time? Continue reading…

I forgot to tell you. The picture above is the only mosque we came across in Ayutthaya. According to Google Maps, it is named “Thai-Pakistan Mosque”. There was an old Pakistani -faced man in a white robe (in the picture above) looking at me from outside. Then I looked at him and he smiled. Then we shook hands.

Actually, the GPS position referenced in Google Maps is inaccurate. Please copy this GPS to go to the mosque: 14.364031666666666,100.56974166666666

Right after finishing buying takeaway food at the same night market that we had visited yesterday, we rushed to the bike shop. Worried if the store has closed.

We are relieved that the bike shop is still operating. After handing over the bike, with our hands full of goods and food, we rushed to the boat jetty while praying that the boat service would still operate. For your information, when the boat operation ends, we will have to walk or take a tuktuk to cross the river. Even though the river is less than 100 meters wide. If you take a tuktuk, the fare is definitely THB100.

Relieved for the second time because the boat jetty is still operating. The faces of each of us are tired.

Somehow, the boat was not visible even close by. This is the night scene picture that I am most interested in of all time while in Thailand.

Arriving at Ayutthaya train station, our routine as parents were as usual. If possible, the child should eat first and leave the clothes dirty. Then we bathed him.

This dog looked at us from close range. Assume this is just a normal scene. Otherwise, “you will be tired of tanning here and there every time you want to sit (for Muslims). If we sit here 18 times, then we also have to tan 18 times.” The most important thing after that is that to tan yourself and your clothes.

Tatie’s head shook thinking of Aqif’s behavior combined with the fatigue that has not subsided. Here, we piled up all the backpacks and plastic bags we carried by hand. Meanwhile, I became a temporary security guard to take care of our belongings. Free bags from the Siti Khadijah brand have been our companions throughout Thailand and Laos.

Note that the next train will go to the border of Thailand and Laos. So, please be careful with the contents in each bag.

Our place hangs out near a public toilet which is relatively clean and suitable for self-cleaning as well as a simple shower to complete the self-cleaning requirements. See that long banner? Do not drink alcohol and smoke at the station and also on the train later.

At this point, it is 9.14 pm. There are another 25 minutes before the train arrives. What makes me excited is because the train is a new version (ANS40), more modern and safer in it, unlike the one we rode from Hat Yai to Prachuap Khiri Khan 10 days ago. For the reader’s knowledge, there is no need to worry about the train in 2019 because all trains from the south to Bangkok have been replaced with new ones just like the ANS40 model.

Too much merchandise to be brought to northern Thailand. For the knowledge of the reader, when mentioning ‘northern Thailand’, it should be noted that there are two train tracks to the north. Starting from Ayutthaya, the runway will be split into two:

• one to the north of Thailand which is Chiang Mai (Northern Line)
• another will also go to northern Thailand namely Nong Khai which borders Thailand and Laos (Northeastern Line)

So, with this trip, we really have been ‘Trans-Thailand‘.

‘Trans’ because we have passed from the southern region to the center (Bangkok). And from the central region, we went up to the north.

Railway route map for the whole country of Thailand.

Pictured memories in Ayutthaya. Sorry Ayutthaya, we may not repeat our visit here as there is nothing else to visit. Maybe soon we’ll choose to go to:

1. west coast in southern Thailand such as Phuket, Krabi, Phi Phi Island and others.
2. eastern Thailand such as Pattaya or across the border from Bangkok to Cambodia.
   Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai and Pai in northern Thailand.
3. Cha-am
4. complete the southern train route from Sungai Kolok (border of Kelantan and Thailand) to Hat Yai.
5. Bangkok for the second time and this time will be more fun!

Ayutthaya station officer’s office. It is just next to the Left Luggage Office.

Pictured with all the memories as long as the important ones are the word Ayutthaya as proof of visiting here.

Station officer’s office. I took this picture because of the classic value.

We walked around the station because of the boredom of waiting for a train that had not yet arrived. Eh eh, Aqif saw a toy motorcycle. Love it! These are all items that passengers will be carrying north.

All aboard! It’s fun. The train arrived just in time. Excited to be able to board the new train. The bed booking method is the same as we booked for the train in Hat Yai which is side-by-side.

Look at that! Each bed has an electrical socket. The same goes for the passenger in the upper bed.

Reading light is also provided and can be adjusted. Meaning, the head part is near the lamp and socket. I also brought a mini electrical extension for travel. The first socket is to charge the mobile phone and the second socket is to charge the camera battery. No need to scramble with other passengers.

The bed was already prepared by the train officer working in the carriage. After all, it was past 9.00 pm. Of course, all the chairs had been converted into bed shapes.

Ok, this is the real position of how to place a backpack more safely. Do not do like us in the train from Hat Yai to Prachuap by placing it in a special place provided outside the bed.

We are going through a long journey for tonight.

I closed the curtains. It’s time to sleep! Good night…

The train is expected to arrive in Nong Khai at 6.50 am. But I already woke up at 5.57. For almost 8 hours, we were unconscious from sleeping because the train is very comfortable and maybe also because of fatigue.

The reason why we don’t worry if we miss the station is that Nong Khai station is the last station for the northern railway. Usually, the train will stop there for a long time and will leave for Bangkok a few hours later. So, you don’t have to worry about anything. Just sleep peacefully and comfortably.

The door is opened and closed if you want to walk from carriage to carriage. However, it is manual and requires the green button to be pressed.

And now, between carriage to carriage, there is no longer a divider like the old train.

The situation in the middle corridor of the carriage for the sleeper berth.

Seat or bed without passengers. After boarding this train, it means we have boarded a train at night twice. So, a huge loss for not being able to see the scenery out there. Presumably, what is the terrain of Thailand in the north?

The toilets are very clean due to the age of the train which is still new.

The old version train will eject out all the waste materials that go into the toilet. Of course, there will be rubbish on the runway. And for modern trains, there is no longer the same method due to a care for the environment.

Imagine if there was a habit of like to sit on the side of the railroad tracks? Doesn’t it feel disgusting? Ha ha ha!

Lavatories are similar to those in an airplane.

At the end of the train, there is a cafeteria. At the end of the counter was the farthest location I reached in the entire train carriage. If I continue, there may be more carriages. There may be more than 15 wagons if mixed together with wagons carrying cargo.

Drinks are sold here, but the price is a bit expensive. Be sure to bring food and drink supplies before boarding the train.

Food is also sold here. There is a perforated wall in the middle that connects between the counter and the kitchen.

Boxed and canned drinks are sold but expensive.

I went back to the carriage where our bed was while looking at the train ticket. Just to assess the similarity between the expected arrival time recorded on paper (6.45 am) compared to the time displayed on the wagon’s LED screen (6.50 am).

The one-way train fare for adults is THB812 (~MYR90). But this is if departing from Ayutthaya. Need to check the ticket price first if departing from Bangkok.

Contemplating alone because Tatie and Aqif are still asleep. In a moment we will arrive in Nong Khai.

I have never heard of a Malaysian traveler arriving here and crossing the border into Laos heading to the city of Vientiane. Most take direct flights from KL to Vientiane. The next blog post continues here …