New year in Bangkok

Good bye Malaysia, hello Thailand. We arrived at a small town near the Thai border. The train station was new and absolutely massive. There was no one there and the sign upstairs said counter opened at 3.45 so we waited till then and then purchased a ticket to the border 20 minutes away where we could then get the sleeper to Bangkok. We were told repeatedly the train left at 4.30 so we decided to have a quick wash in the empty wash rooms upstairs as we had just cycled 80 km and it would be a 20 hour trip.  I was just covered in soap when I heard Trevor yell, hurry up the train is coming... It was only 4.10 but I could hear it so I was in a bit of a panic dressing and grabbing clothes, wheeling my bike into the elevator to get down to the platform, sooo  funny!!  We arrived at the border went through the formalities,  still smelling like soap, departed Malaysia, entered Thailand then got our tickets on the 2nd class over night sleeper. There was no money changing facility so we had no Thai Bhat and used all our Malaysian money buying some food, only just enough for 20 hrs. But a good trip, comfortable and cheap despite the continued smell of soap... Arrived in Bangkok about 2 pm the next day, Biked to a hotel near the train station, stressful, then parked the bikes up for a few days.
Trevor needed a new rim for his bike as one of the spokes had come off the rim so that was the next days task and it took all day.... 5 train rides, 4 bike shops, several phone calls , 2 tuk tuks and 2 local buses all the while carrying a bike wheel but mission accomplished finally.
Next day it was Myanmar visa day. As it was Tuesday December 30 and the public holidays start on Dec 31 through till the following Monday we decided to pay the extra for same day service so turned out quite simple just a bit of waiting around. (Photo of Trevor sitting on the pavement waiting)
Awesome new years eve, lucked out and ended up at Asiatique with zillions of others but with a spot right by the water so the view of the fireworks from the boats just metres away was amazing. 4km walk back to the train then a change to the underground but got back to the hotel about 2 am.
New years day got a ferry ticket and got on and off all day checking out the sights and new year celebrations.  So much river traffic, chaos really!
We  enjoyed our 5 nights in Bangkok, I think because it was much cooler than the other times we have been here. We stayed quite close to the train station which was handy for going places and away from the backpacker tourist ghetto. The food was great, street stalls, lots of duck and pork -  and beer - which was missing in Malaysia.
January 2, 7 hr  train to Phitsanulok bypassing the flat central plains of chicken and pig farms. Arrived in the dark but managed to follow the map to a hotel.
We stayed the next night with Mark, Mint and Mia, a local family running an English school. Had a fun day, lunch by the river and a visit to the Saturday evening market where  a street about 1 km long  is closed off to traffic and lots of food, produce, clothes and everything else is sold. As well as music and dancing. Nice to have some rest days but back to the cycling tomorrow.