Yesterday I took a bus to Mae Sariwan, to complete the loop around Mae Hong Son province. This place was the smallest town of the three, and only had a couple of confused farang wandering around (and no hippies), despite a write-up in Lonely Planet. Backpackers all go to the same places, and Mae Sariwan just isn’t one of them.

I wanted to see the National Park nearby, so I wandered around until I found the only place in town that rents motorbikes (my guesthouse!). By then it was too late, so I just rode out of town instead.

Today I got up early, and rode out to the park. It was all hilly dirt roads, so I got to do some dirt biking with my Honda Dream. The park was nice and peaceful (except for my bike), and I only saw two locals pass me on motorbikes, and some Hill Tribe women walking. I wonder where they were going, because there is nothing there? It was fun, but after three hours, I had enough.

THen my goal was Sukhothai, first capital of Thailand, which has some ruins. So five hours on a medium-sized bus to Chiang Mai. When I arrived I had missed the last bus to Sukhothai, but the last bus to Phitsanoulok, a nearby city, was about to leave. So six more hours. Ugh, 11 hours on busses is way too much, especially if you are awake the whole time.

I usually don’t use my Lonely Planet to find accommodations. I’d rather pick my own. But it does come in handy when you’ve been on a bus for 11 hours and get in to town at 11 pm. Lonely Planet described the Phitsanoulok Hotel as “classic,” and according to the map, next to the bus station.

It turned out to be nowhere near the bus station, and I don’t know if they were being sarcastic, but it was a “classic” suicide hotel, complete with filthy walls, fluorescent lights, noisy fan, cracked mirror, and squat toiled. It’s only $5, though (which is actually more than what I’ve been paying for decent places.)