Day 1, Friday 31 March - Nakhon Ratchasima
Decisions.......On the last day of March, I can look back and see that it wasn't a great month for touring with just 10 days of travel. Well, yesterday I was able to extend my visa for an extra 30 days. While April won't be a full month in Thailand, I'm expecting a lot more in terms of traveling around hopefully adding more quality site visits and a new province or so to add. The weather in Bangkok has been fierce over the last month. Just maybe I can find a location or locations that I'm comfortable with. What seems crazy is that we take breakfast on a day of travel day when there is so much indecision. Yet by 10am I decide to plan a longer trip; it can be cut short at any time.
We plan to head northeast a long single day's trip but to make matters much easier we plan only to cover half the distance today. Initially we will be in familiar territory and reaching Saraburi I decide to make a call at the train station.
Saraburi Railway Station.......Saraburi Railway Station is a station on the north-eastern line from Bangkok serving the termini at Nong Khai and Ubon Ratchathani. Surprisingly there is little work yet on station upgrades where I expected to see substantial engineering work; just some alterations to the track layout. Not to be deterred, I next head to Kaeng Khoi railway junction just 10 minutes away.
Kaeng Khoi Junction Railway Station.......Kaeng Khoi is an important station on the north-eastern line. Tains can diverge from here to Bua Yai Junction, a station on the mainline section that runs north to Nong Khai. But here there is a maintenance depot, and, in the past, I've been able to get access to the depot itself. Arriving at the depot I check with security and am allowed in to look around, this time accompanied. This brief stop is quite rewarding in terms of what I can photograph. On a day when nothing much was supposed to happen this is already a bonus.
We next head for Pak Chong where we spend a while on a family visit then make the relatively short journey to Nakhon Ratchasima.
Nakhon Ratchasima.......While we weren't sure where we were heading for this morning, we did call ahead to inquire about accommodation. Selecting KIO Hotel Khorat on the ring road we not disappointed when we arrive. In fact, the accommodation is excellent except for the lack of crashing of waves and the odd coconut falling on the golden sand. We quickly settle in and find ourselves with time to explore. Then for the third time today I find myself on the railway; this time at Nakhon Ratchasima railway station. For those of you not interested in trains I can assure you today is an exception, and it will get better. After the best part of an hour at the station we find some street food nearby. As days go this is one of most straightforward as we return to KIO Hotel.
Next Page.
Decisions.......On the last day of March, I can look back and see that it wasn't a great month for touring with just 10 days of travel. Well, yesterday I was able to extend my visa for an extra 30 days. While April won't be a full month in Thailand, I'm expecting a lot more in terms of traveling around hopefully adding more quality site visits and a new province or so to add. The weather in Bangkok has been fierce over the last month. Just maybe I can find a location or locations that I'm comfortable with. What seems crazy is that we take breakfast on a day of travel day when there is so much indecision. Yet by 10am I decide to plan a longer trip; it can be cut short at any time.
We plan to head northeast a long single day's trip but to make matters much easier we plan only to cover half the distance today. Initially we will be in familiar territory and reaching Saraburi I decide to make a call at the train station.
Saraburi Railway Station.......Saraburi Railway Station is a station on the north-eastern line from Bangkok serving the termini at Nong Khai and Ubon Ratchathani. Surprisingly there is little work yet on station upgrades where I expected to see substantial engineering work; just some alterations to the track layout. Not to be deterred, I next head to Kaeng Khoi railway junction just 10 minutes away.
Kaeng Khoi Junction Railway Station.......Kaeng Khoi is an important station on the north-eastern line. Tains can diverge from here to Bua Yai Junction, a station on the mainline section that runs north to Nong Khai. But here there is a maintenance depot, and, in the past, I've been able to get access to the depot itself. Arriving at the depot I check with security and am allowed in to look around, this time accompanied. This brief stop is quite rewarding in terms of what I can photograph. On a day when nothing much was supposed to happen this is already a bonus.
We next head for Pak Chong where we spend a while on a family visit then make the relatively short journey to Nakhon Ratchasima.
Nakhon Ratchasima.......While we weren't sure where we were heading for this morning, we did call ahead to inquire about accommodation. Selecting KIO Hotel Khorat on the ring road we not disappointed when we arrive. In fact, the accommodation is excellent except for the lack of crashing of waves and the odd coconut falling on the golden sand. We quickly settle in and find ourselves with time to explore. Then for the third time today I find myself on the railway; this time at Nakhon Ratchasima railway station. For those of you not interested in trains I can assure you today is an exception, and it will get better. After the best part of an hour at the station we find some street food nearby. As days go this is one of most straightforward as we return to KIO Hotel.
Next Page.
Saraburi Province
Saraburi Railway Station, Mueang Saraburi
Kaeng Khoi Engine Maintenance Depot, Kaeng Khoi
Nakhon Ratchasima Province
Nakhon Ratchasima Railway Station,
Mueang Nakhon Ratchasima
Street Food, Mueang Nakhon Ratchasima