Walking Through Hua Hin

[Big Boy]

I dropped my car at Ford this morning (a few minor jobs that I'm having done - nothing vital, but they will only get worse if I ignore them), and decided I’d walk home. Well, not a good move. Distance wise, it was about double what I do around Khao Tao lake each day, so it should have been easy. In reality, the walk was a nightmare. They’ve just spent thousands upgrading Hua Hin’s pavements, but you have to avoid bushes, trees, motor cycles, parked cars and food vendors at very regular intervals. Because of the water problem when it rains, curbs are very high as well – not too much of a problem early on, but regularly having to step 18” into the road and 18” out again, it does become a strain.

Of course, I completed the walk OK, but it was definitely a strain, and I’ve pulled a muscle in my back going up and down the curbs. I’ve never noticed how crazy it is is, but I had to get of the pavement a couple of times because the pavement had cars or motorcycles using them as a road. Walking around the lake, it’s lovely, flat and no obstacles. I hate to imagine what problems I’d have encountered if I had my wife and her wheelchair. Start to finish I took me 1 hour and 4 minutes, but not at all enjoyable.

When I crossed the road at Soi 70, it was like a maze getting through the parked motor cycles and food vendors parked there. A map would have been useful.

So well done Hua Hin Municipality, your leaf and pineapple patterned pavements look very nice. It is just a shame that you don't seem to be able to walk more than 10 yards without having to step into the road to avoid an obstruction.

[buksida]

This is an Asia-wide problem, but more so in Thailand. As we know, Thais never walk anywhere which is probably why no priority is given to pavements or pathways!