A Slow Start

Day three started slowly.

I woke up around 8 a.m., jet lag still very much present. My body was extremely sore — shoulders, back, legs — everything felt heavy. Not sharp pain, just constant. The kind of soreness that lingers. A reminder of the work already done and how far from home I was.

This was a day off from training, and it was needed.

Alone in a Big City

This was my first time travelling solo — not just in Bangkok, but properly on my own.

I didn’t feel anxious.
I didn’t feel scared.
What I felt was lost.

Not in a dangerous way — more in the sense that I didn’t speak the language and the city was harder to navigate than I’d expected. Bangkok doesn’t hand itself to you easily. You have to figure it out as you go.

I moved through the city using the MRT, taxis, and a lot of walking. Each trip felt like a small win. You learn quickly when there’s no one else to rely on.

First Impressions, Up Close

I visited Wat Arun, wandered through parks, and spent time just observing.

Bangkok hits your senses hard. The smells were intense — shifting from fried chicken to sewage within a few steps. The noise was constant: people working, moving, clambering around one another, all while the city continued on without pause.

One thing that stood out was the traffic. Busy. Chaotic on the surface — but strangely organised. Everyone seemed to know where they were going and when they needed to be there. It worked, even if it looked like it shouldn’t.

Food, Familiar and Not

Food-wise, I kept it simple.

I don’t eat a lot of Thai food, so I leaned towards what felt familiar. Fried chicken on a stick. Rice. Sticky mango. At some point, I even ended up in McDonald’s.

Nothing fancy. Just fuel.

Safe, But Switched On

Bangkok felt safe.

People were friendly for the most part. Polite. Helpful. But you still had to stay aware. Like any big city, there were scammers and people looking for your money if you weren’t paying attention.

I had brief interactions with locals — a few “Sawadee kap”, “Sabai dee mai kap” — hello, how are you? Small exchanges, but enough to feel human in a place where you’re otherwise anonymous.

On the River

At one point, I got on a ferry along the Chao Phraya River, heading towards IconSiam.

That moment stood out.

The city looked different from the water — calmer somehow. Less pressure. Just movement. Boats passing. Buildings rising in the distance. It was one of the few moments where everything slowed down.

Mentally, I still couldn’t quite believe I was there. In Bangkok. By myself.

It was a strange feeling — but a good one.

End of Day Three

By the end of the day, after hours of walking and travelling, I was exhausted.

Not training-tired — just drained.

The day off did its job. The body got a break. The mind caught up. Bangkok became a little more familiar, even if it was still overwhelming.

Day three wasn’t about Muay Thai.

It was about learning how to exist in a place that owes you nothing — and finding comfort in that.