Ayutthaya – Our First Road Trip


Our first full-day trip in Thailand wasn’t to the beach, but to history. And it was special for another reason: it was the very first trip we took in our new car. Finally on the road, free to go where we wanted, when we wanted.

We set off with our friends Kasia and Lukas – fellow retirees living in the same condominium complex – and headed north to Ayutthaya, the ancient capital of Siam. Just a couple of hours behind the wheel, and suddenly we were standing in a place that once ruled the region, filled with temples, palaces, and canals.


Walking among the ruins, we saw the famous Buddha head wrapped in tree roots, weathered chedis leaning under the sun, and statues that had lost their arms or heads but still held their dignity. History here isn’t behind glass – it’s in the air, in the bricks under your hands, in the silence between the centuries-old walls.

The heat was relentless, but the day was worth every drop of sweat. Between the temples we shared stories, laughed, and took in the contrasts: schoolchildren on field trips, monks in orange robes, stray dogs napping in the shade of ancient ruins.

But maybe the best part was the feeling of freedom. Sitting in our own car, heading home as the sun went down, tired but happy, we knew this was a beginning. Ayutthaya will always be special – not only for its history, but as our first real road trip in Thailand.


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