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Hello, welcome! Take a look inside kaa. Here's what I have for you today:
42.2km on foot in the Thai heat
The other side of Pattaya
What 55,286 steps taught me
🦶 My Personal Walking Street
You know that feeling when you have a "brilliant" idea, only to realize about two hours in that it was, in fact, incredibly stupid?
That was me, one sunny morning in Pattaya. The goal? To walk a full marathon – 42.2 kilometers – across the city. My preparation? Let's just say "sleep, beach, and nightlife" were higher on my priority list than actual training.
What was I thinking? Probably not much, but here's what happened:
7 AM, 27°C. Stepped out, felt invincible. "How can one be so stupid?" I asked myself, already knowing the answer.
Coastline crusades and hidden gems. The route took me past the majestic Sanctuary of Truth, through the bustling fishing market where you could buy fresh catch and have it cooked on the spot, and even to the lesser-known Ocean Sanctuary and "Mini Siam", an open-air museum filled with tiny versions of famous landmarks.
Sweat, dogs, and sheer willpower. My "hidden talent" for sweating became abundantly clear. Every kilometer was a battle against the heat, my own exhaustion, and the occasional curious stray dog.
My Pattaya marathon map
By noon, 18km in, I wanted to quit. Badly. My legs felt like lead, my shoulders ached, and my brain was screaming for an ice-cold shower, a full-body massage, and maybe some new legs entirely.
But I pushed through. Until 7.32 PM. Why? Because I wanted to make that video.
The result: 55,286 steps in about 12 hours.
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🗺️ What Did I Discover?
Pattaya, it turns out, is SO much more than just Walking Street and its lively nightlife. Away from the main drag, there are quiet beaches, local markets bursting with life, stunning temples, and even quirky mini-museums.
It was a terrible idea, a painful experience, and honestly, something I wouldn't recommend without proper training.
But it showed me…
that the best way to get to know a place is on foot.
that if you just keep going, even when every fiber of your being wants to stop, you uncover parts of a place (and yourself!) you'd never see otherwise.
that your limits exist only in your mind.
that you can only achieve big goals if you take every step.
and that an unofficial marathon in a city with almost no sidewalks isn't a good idea.
Next time, I'll probably just take a Grab. 😉
What's the craziest, least-prepared thing you've ever done while traveling that actually taught you something? Hit reply and let me know!
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👕 These Shirts Are Made For Walking
12 funny & cool T-shirts for the smart Thailand Insider: Good Ploys Only, Butterfly Man, Say no with your Shirt (Mai Ao), tell her you remember her too and celebrate the best streets in Thailand. Plus 6 more designs: My Ploy is different, Ping Pong, 8-Ball, Sick Buffalo, Muay Thai, Handsome Man.
Take a look at all of them here.
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- Tim
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