“Monotony on the road is like a blank canvas for the mind - sometimes it creates art, and sometimes it just puts you to sleep...”
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| (Wutthikun Bridge crossing the Ping River) |
Route: Chiang Mai – Nakhon Sawan
Hotel: Ezy Inn, Nakhon Sawan
We checked out early this morning. Today’s journey to Nakhon Sawan would be another long drive — around seven hours on the road, excluding the breaks in between.
At Ko Kha PTT, we stopped for our usual 7-Eleven breakfast. There were also several stalls selling traditional sticky rice, a daily staple in this part of Thailand. I was fascinated by the different varieties on display, including riceberry and dark purple-black whole-grain rice, known for their high antioxidant content. There were also brown sticky rice varieties, including red jasmine and the fragrant Pathum Thani variety. Sticky rice is also used to make crispy rice crackers, a popular local snack. I was tempted to buy some varieties to take home, but with our road trip still having quite a long way to go, I decided it was better not to add to our luggage just yet.
The long and rather monotonous drive eventually made me sleepy, so I took a short nap while hubby continued driving. He kept himself alert by munching on snacks along the way. There were quite a number of roadworks and temporary roadblocks, which added to the length of the journey.
In Kamphaeng Phet, we made another stop at Nakhon Chum PTT. This particular PTT station caught our attention with its creative decorations and clever integration of local elements. The combination of community culture and playful sculptures gave the station a distinctive character — turning an ordinary fuel stop into an interesting little roadside attraction.
By the time we reached Nakhon Sawan it was already late afternoon. We were ready for our usual halal lunch stop at Aminyan Halal Food Restaurant. The restaurant is known for comforting favourites such as Khao Mok Kai, or Thai-style chicken biryani. It has a clean, air-conditioned dining area, which was especially welcome after hours on the road. Conveniently located on Chakkrawan Road, it made an easy stop for us before continuing to our hotel.
Tonight, we are staying at Ezy Inn Nakhon Sawan, a three-star hotel known for being modern, clean and good value. Most importantly for us, it has ample parking — always an important consideration when travelling with our Hi-Lux.
Dinner tonight was simple and convenient. We had takeaway tomyam fried rice from Aminyan that we had bought earlier. I was still quite full from our late lunch, so I managed only a few spoonfuls. Even hubby, who usually has a stronger tolerance for spicy food, complained about the overwhelming amount of coarsely chopped lemongrass in the fried rice. It was definitely more lemongrass than we expected!
Before turning in for the night, we spent some time searching for a suitable hotel in Bangkok for our planned three-day stay before flying to Da Lat.
We eventually settled on Nasa Bangkok Hotel, mainly because of its convenient location next to Ramkhamhaeng Airport Rail Link Station. From there, it would be an easy 18-minute train ride directly to Suvarnabhumi Airport - a very practical option for us. The hotel also offers secure long-term parking facility.
One chapter of the journey completed - Chiang Mai behind us, Bangkok on the horizon, and Da Lat awaiting...
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