We had a good start to our trip in Sukhothai! We arrived a the main bus station at 3.15am, a little bleary eyed after a long seven hour journey. I had originally though that our guest house was opposite but no- it was 14km away! It appears that a a funny tuk tuk man had been sent out collect us (he looked a bit like Mr Miagi from Karate Kid but with a bobble hat on) But we were insistent that we would walk (given our bad experience with Tuk tuks...

The people there found this very amusing, as we had not realised how far 14km was (about 6 miles) and so we gave in and went with the odd looking fella. The Tuk-tuks are very backward in Sukhothai compared with bangkok, as you sit on the front rather than the back. He stands behind you and steers instead of the other way around. But this all seemed a bit odd as he was tearing down the deserted highway, at god knows what speed. Me and Russ had tears streaming down our faces from the ferocious breeze hitting us, (and the insects) as well as being freezing cold, it was just a bit surreal and I couldn't stop laughing. Neither could the tuk tuk driver, but he was probably drunk, I discovered later!
When we got to the Vitoon guest house someone else had our aircon room, so they gave a crummy one instead, for the night.
The next day we were up early for our trip around the Sukhothai Historical park, which was directly acroos from our guest house. We hired a bicycle for 20 Baht for the day from our guesthouse, after being moved to our air con room, and headed off round the park. We got round all the temples in half a day, and had a very tasty and reasonably cheap lunch in the park. This made a nice change from, well, anywhere else I've ever been!! As food and drink seems to rocket in price as soon as you enter any tourist parks/areas, also the local people were friendly. There were just a few too many stray dogs roaming around for our liking, you're not even safe around the temples. I think stray dogs might actually be taking over Thailand- they have a huge problem with them here. Russ seems to think that they should just (a) shoot them all, or (b) (and I quote) just give them a big pice of land in Thailand and put them all in one place. Lets hope he never becomes Prime Minister shall we? Or for that matter, any position where he is able to speak publicly!!! He would be dangerous.
Anyway, if you head to Old Sukhothai for the ruins, etc, don't expect much from the nightlife, as they are not allowed to have bars too near to National places of Heritage. In Sukhothai itself I'm sure there are many, but if you go by tuk tuk, don't go after 8 or 9 o'clock as most of them are drunk. We actually witnessed one guy on his moterbike pissed as a fart who literally went so slowly round a bend that it just fell over with him on it!! So be warned! We did find a nice little place round the corner form our guest house which was run by a guy called Malcolm (from Yorkshire) and he was a thorougly bloody nice bloke. And on having a beer and wondering what to do the next day, one of his thai friends called Pong (unfortunate name, nice guy though) happened to have a day of and offered to take us to Si Satchanalai Park (about an hour from Sukhothai) and around all the temples, kilns, etc and be a guide for the day for 1500B. Bargain! We have a plan! And with practically no effort.