Confused on where we are? My apologies for any confusion with the timeline, and thanks for sticking with me. Sadly, there was just no way to make the Lopburi Monkey Festival work with our dates. Ah well, there were still sunflowers to chase! I convinced Becca to trust me, and after a late night arrival on Khao San Road and an early morning train north, we met at trusty backpacker favorite Noom Guesthouse for two nights chasing sunflowers in Central Thailand.
They were simple but sweet, and Noom Guesthouse remains the best place in Lopburi to get travel information, meet other backpackers, rent motorbikes, and grab an easy meal. We spent out first night there catching up over a glass of wine and strolled through the night market that takes place every Wednesday in Lopburi and practically cuts through the front door of Noom Guesthouse. I was just starting to feel confident when fifteen minutes into the drive, we got pulled over at a police checkpoint.
No fines, no bribes β off-the-beaten-path Thailand at its best. I expected endless farms of blooms, in the end we only past one or two β but that was fine, one was all we needed to get out and play around in the joyful explosions of yellow.
We paid a small fee and shot off blazing, cameras in hand. At one we scaled hundreds of steps up to one of the stupas and enjoyed the peaceful views of the valley, at another we hung out with the peacocks circling the base. Next up, lunch at Ang Sub Lek, a reservoir that looked extremely inviting on a warm dusty day. The lake is jam-packed with various restaurants that have floating huts upon which to enjoy their offerings. But we were there for the view, and so we enjoyed it.
At least it will be cheap, I thought to myself, but actually we were unpleasantly surprised when the bill came. It was a beautiful, adventurous day exploring the rural Thai countryside. That night we were treated to a gorgeous sunset back in Lopburi Old Town, and a quiet evening strolling around and observing life in this sleepy, lovely little destination. When I saw the sunset really going off, I sprinted over to Wat Phrasi Rattana Mahathat, the one directly across from the train station.
