Victoria's Voyage

Erawan Falls was first on our list for today. It’s just a shame so many of us were feeling so hungover from our crazy night out at a funky little bar in Kanchanaburi.

The falls are beautiful, but unless you want to climb all the way to the top level, you don’t need too long there. After a short hike, we hopped into the refreshing waters, that did wonders for our heavy heads, but there was just one problem – the fish.

This isn’t a pool or a purpose built lake, this is natural, and also home to many small fish who are more than eager to nip at your feet, the sharpness surprisingly fierce. It had been described as having similarities to fish spas, but instead of a gentle tickling you’re instead subject to attack from many tiny daggers. Not that I can really complain; it is their home, after all.

Refreshed, we took off for a cycle tour around the ruins of the old temples of Thailand’s former capital, Ayutthaya. It was interesting to see the difference to the in-tact temples, namely the lack of gold. The cycling itself, however? Not so easy.

We rode down dusty roads in a single file line, where I took in the scenery whilst trying to ignore my aching legs. We hopped from temple to temple, having only our imaginations to remember what it could have once looked like, before all the gold was stripped away and the heads of many Buddha statues removed.

After that, all that was left was to board our overnight train north to Chiang Mai. This was a new experience for me, and I am currently sat up in bed travelling on it as I write this entry.

The train carriage consists of rows of single bunks beds along either side, with a narrow walkway down the middle and curtains over each bed for privacy. We spent the first few hours talking and playing card games in pyjamas, so chilled out in comparison to the “night of many shots” before.

The journey itself isn’t as bad as I’d imagined, but there is already no escaping the rocking and bumping as it barrels along. I’m fact, I don’t even know what I imagined it would be like really, but I’m hoping I can at least sleep a little!