Visiting Ayutthaya

What brought me to this city? I realize I have few memories of it. After seeing countless temples, my brain turned passive and ignored details. Ayutthaya was a lovely place if only I’d paid more attention to it.

To explore the city, you can either rent a bike or hire a tuk-tuk, which is more expensive if you’re traveling alone. I attempted to get on a bike, but my lack of experience betrayed me. I ended up walking around the city under the scorching heat.

Hours later, I met a man driving a tuk-tuk who offered to take me to the temples. My budget was tight, so I negotiated the price until we came to an agreement.

He told me he used to work in Singapore as a driver but missed Thailand so much that he decided to come home. The intolerable heat made it difficult to focus on our conversation, so I only remember pieces of it.

There weren’t a lot of things to do at night. The house I stayed in was two minutes from one of the famous evening markets in Ayutthaya. The smell of fried fish and spices filled the air. I bounced from one stall to the next, nibbling on bite-sized food until I was satisfied.

When it was time to go, the owner of the house drove me to the train station. She didn’t ask me for money for the ride. Everyone I encountered in Thailand seemed nice: they smiled a lot, were curious, and always wanted to help when needed.

The train arrived, and I said goodbye to the city as quickly as I said hello.