Tag Archives: Thailand

Short-Term review of the Meteor 350

19 April, 2025 Scurvy Dawg Leave a comment

I wrote my first impressions of my bike after just a week of ownership. This is the second, short-term review of the Royal Enfield Meteor 350 after 5000km.

The Good

The engine doesn’t show signs of overheating, even without liquid cooling, even after long rides at sustained high speeds. However, I don’t do much stop-and-go city riding and that could be another story.
The power of the bike is perfectly suitable for asian highways, where the top speed for motorcycles is around 90 kmph. It reaches that speed with ease and still maintains reserve power for overtaking. However, I am most comfortable cruising at 80 kmph because:
- Above that speed, the mirrors vibrate so much, everything you see in them is a blur
- The engine starts feeling stressed around 100 kmph and there’s very little reserve overtaking power above that speed
- The handlebar vibrations are a bit too much for my arms
  
  Even up-hills, there’s enough torque to carry the bike upwards without downshifting much.
  I don’t see the appeal for the 650 cc twins, except in US and EU, especially since they don’t have the obligatory thump.
The touring seat is excellent and is a must for long highway rides. I remember on the Thunderbird, my legs started going numb after some time, no such thing on the Meteor.
Service and spares are so cheap, it is a bit unbelievable
The engine is unbelievably refined for a Royal Enfield. No vibrations at regular speeds and no clanking sounds like the previous versions.

The Bad

The entire fuel tank and related systems suck.

The fuel warning indicator starts flashing with a good 6-7 litres of petrol left and the dash starts playing a doomsday signal.
The tank is more wide than it is deep, so, while filling the tank, the fuel cut off gets triggered after only a few litres. Then I have to beg the operator to fill more manually. Overall, like this, I can only fill around 7 litres between the warning light and tank full.
The fuel meter in the digital cluster is unreliable. It has 6 markings and can change swing back or forth 3 levels in minutes.

That’s it, don’t have more complaints and am very happy with the motorcycle.

Health & Fitness

Bumrungrad Race to Heal 2025

22 February, 2025 Scurvy Dawg Leave a comment

Continuing my series, this is about my first race of 2025, in an event called Bumrungrad Race to Heal 2025. All the proceeds from this race went to charity, so I was keen on participating.

I was quite excited for this race because having done a sub-1 hour 10k before, I wanted to see if I could do it again.

I left home by grab bike at 5:00 AM. The race was in the beautiful Queen SiriKit Park at Chatuchak, Bangkok. The park has long, winding running tracks and beautiful lakes. It was a treat watching the sun rise here.

This race was comparatively small scale compared to most others I have participated in.

I was able to maintain a decent sub-6 minute pace for most of the run. Unfortunately, I forgot to start & end the run on my watch on time, so couldn’t gauge my performance immediately. However, I checked the official race records after I got home and was pleased to see that I had improved my time further.

Bumrungrad Race to Heal 2025 10k finisher certificate — Bumrungrad Race to Heal 10k finisher certificate

With each passing race, I feel fitter and more confident.

Bumrungrad Race to Heal 2025 10k heart rate zones — Bumrungrad Race to Heal 10k heart rate zones

Bumrungrad Race to Heal 2025 10k splits — Bumrungrad Race to Heal 10k heart rate zones

I came home by MRT. Overall, a great start to running in 2025.

Bumrungrad Race to Heal 2025 10k finisher medal — Bumrungrad Race to Heal 10k finisher medal

Motorcycle

Wanderlust: Day trip to Saeng Chan Beach

15 February, 2025 Scurvy Dawg 2 Comments

Continuing my series, this is my latest road trip, to Saeng Chan beach in Rayong province.

It was my birthday and after a rough month on the personal front, I seriously needed a break. What better to relieve sadness than a motorcycle trip to the beach?

Total Distance: Approx 380 km

Phrom Phong, Bangkok to Saeng Chan Beach, Rayong

The initial part of the ride is nothing special, same as Pattaya which I have already covered here and here. Industrial highway with lots of traffic and a different stink every kilometre.

I left at 4:30 in the morning and it was dark, cold and miserable.

Bang Chak Gas station on Chonburi Expressway — Chonburi Expressway at 4:30 AM

I made good time and saw the sun rise somewhere in Chonburi.

By the time I reached Rayong, the sun was out. The area around Saeng Chan beach is surrounded by beautiful canals.

The beach was mostly deserted at 07:00, so I spent some time in peace.

The beach has a unique shape, forming moon-shaped pools every few meters.

Spotted a nice lighthouse.

I needed to be back home by noon, so I left soon to grab a coffee at this cafe.

On the way back, I drove in a more leisurely manner. I spotted this interesting resort with different sections in different aeroplanes.

As expected, I took a wrong turn and accidentally entered Motorway 7, the enemy of motorcycles and had to back-track the wrong way.

All in all, a decent and relaxing trip.

Health & Fitness

Amazing Thailand Marathon 2024

7 December, 2024 Scurvy Dawg 5 Comments

As December came back around, it was time for another (my second) Amazing Thailand Marathon 2024. Last year’s was my first marathon, so I wanted to do it again this year.

Getting There

Getting there was the worst part. I made the mistake of taking a Grab and due to extensive road closures, got dropped off 5km away from the start line. With the clock ticking, I started running towards the venue. On the way, I came across a shuttle bus which was ferrying people who had abandoned the 42k/21k and hopped on it. However, soon, its way was blocked by runners and I spent 20 mins in it while it was sitting stationary while 2 women fainted.

Eventually, I got back off and ran the rest of the way to the starting line & reached just on time.

The race

This race was special, because Eliud Kipchoge was running with us (yes, in the 10k).

They put me in Block D at the back (1h45m finish) and it was agonising trying to outrun the slow pokes and move ahead. The first 2 splits were spent trying to find openings to overtake them. After that it was much easier to run freely.

The weather was cool enough to be comfortable. The route was pretty scenic, passing next to some of the most well-known and beautiful landmarks of old Bangkok.

Scenic route of Amazing Thailand Marathon Bangkok 2024

I was surprised to catch-up to Kipchoge (and the queen), around the 5th split and it was exhilarating passing them. It was nice to see that instead of showing-off and leaving everyone in the dust, he took it slow and let many people pass him. He certainly inspired me and hopefully thousands of others to push harder.

Unlike other 10ks, I did quite well, relatively, in the second half (buoyed by the presence of Kipchoge) and for the first time in my life, finished a 10k below 60 mins.

The Stats

Amazing Thailand Marathon Bangkok 10k stats

Amazing Thailand Marathon Bangkok 10k Heart Rate — Amazing Thailand Marathon Bangkok 10k stats

The Amazing Thailand Marathon Bangkok 10k Finisher medal

I felt high from the race for the rest of the day (And next day).

A Year (And a bit more) in Comparison

Below, I did a comparison of my last six 10ks over a year.

Month	Run	Time (hh:mm:ss)	Energy (Kcal)	Shoes
Dec ’23	Amazing Thailand ’23	01:10:33	732	Hoka Arahi 6
Mar ’24	SWU Run together ’24	01:01:45	744	Hoka Clifton 9
May ’24	Bangkok Park Run	01:03:58	725	Hoka Clifton 9
Aug ’24	Run for Mom	01:02:44	721	Hoka Clifton 9
Oct ’24	Garmin Run Asia ’24	01:03:02	704	Hoka Clifton 9
Dec ’24	Amazing Thailand ’24	00:59:47	702	Hoka Clifton 9

2023-2024 10k performance comparison

Having done a sub-60 mins 10k once, I want to do it again, many times.

Motorcycle

Wanderlust: Day trip to Chaosamran Beach

16 November, 2024 Scurvy Dawg Leave a comment

Continuing my series, this is my latest road trip, to Chaosamran beach in Phetchaburi province.

It had been a few weeks since my last motorcycle trip, so I decided to head out into the highway.

Total Distance: Approx 320 km

Unlike the more popular beaches near Bangkok, Chaosamran beach is on the eastern coast of Thailand, just short of Cha Am and Hua Hin.

I left on a monday morning, so getting out of Bangkok was painful, with many traffic hot spots. Once out of the metropolitan area, I found the highway quite similar to Pattaya and Ayutthaya. Not very pleasant to ride a motorcycle on.

Having already crossed the running-in period, I opened the throttle a few times and touched 120 kmph at a few spots.

Thankfully, the weather has cooled down by some amount, so the ride was comfortable.

Bang Chak station, Samut Songhkhram — Highway 35 to Phetchaburi Province

Once in Phetchaburi province, off the main highway, the roads were surrounded by lush green fields and I enjoyed the ride more at a sedate 80 kmph.

The beach, itself was almost empty of both tourists and vendors. It was quite peaceful to sit on the sea wall with my legs hanging over the ledge (Reminded me of our Futala lake jaunts).

However, the sun was still quite strong, so my skin started burning soon, so I left for a nice coffee and snacks at this cafe.

Chicken & Mushroom Pie, Espresso Frappuccino Ventī — Chicken & Mushroom Pie, Espresso Frappuccino

Soon, leaving the comfort of the air conditioning, I started my trip back home. I did most of the return trip between 110-120 kmph and reached home under 2 hours.

Thank you for reading!

Motorcycle

Wanderlust: Day trip to Prachinburi

12 October, 2024 Scurvy Dawg Leave a comment

Continuing my series, this is my latest road trip, to Prachinburi province.

Since I installed the CarPlay unit on my motorcycle, I had been eager to test it out on a day trip. The opportunity presented itself last Monday, when I just couldn’t bring myself to go to work. I took the day off and headed out on the highway towards Prachinburi province.

Total Distance: Approx 280 km

I left around 7:30 in the morning and immediately got caught up in morning rush hour traffic. Excruciatingly made my way out of Bangkok and was rewarded with beautiful tree-lined 2 lane roads similar to Nakhon Nayok.

Highway 3481 from Bangkok to Prachinburi

The route follows the Bang Pakong river for much of the way and is dotted with ponds and lakes on both sides.

Khao Ito Waterfall

The approach road to the waterfall turns into a hilly forest-like area and is eerily quiet.

The waterfall itself is not touristy at all and has absolutely no facilities. On the brighter side, there are no entrance fees or parking fees.

There was a lone man at the waterfall, washing his clothes. And a few friendly dogs.

Man washing clothes at Khao I To waterfall

I spent around 30 minutes enjoying the peace and quiet and the washing of clothes) before I headed back.

I had a nice coffee here and then headed back home. Also, on the way back, my motorcycle crossed 2000km and officially finished its running in period, so I opened the throttle. I kept my speed between 90 kmph and 110 kmph and reached before the expected time.

Since this was the first day trip with the new CarPlay unit, I present an addendum to this post on how it performed.

CarPlay on motorcycle

Since I found out that Google Maps doesn’t support motorcycle directions on CarPlay, I decided to try Apple Maps instead. Here’s my feedback on the navigation experience

The POI data on Apple Maps has improved vastly over the last few years. Still, I found myself double checking with Google Maps before leaving.
Apple Maps/Google maps with “Toll Roads” and “Motorways” turned off provide almost the same directions in Thailand as Google Maps motorcycle navigation.
With navigation, Wireless CarPlay, music streaming & location sharing, the battery drained (while connected to the motorcycle USB port) from
- 94% to 81% over 2.5 hours on the way to Prachinburi
- 71% to 58% over 2 hours on the way back
- Approx 5% battery drain per hour – Not ideal, but not too bad.
When I reached my destination, the phone had an overheating message, but I didn’t notice anything different on the CarPlay unit

Apple Maps is much more beautiful to look at, with 3D structures on the map. Also, I really liked how the app switches to 2D and zooms in just before a turn. Also, I found the colours & graphics better than Google Maps.

You have to make a conscious effort to not look at the display too long and focus on the road instead. Also, it is incredibly distracting using the touch screen while riding; I suggest stopping before using it.
While connected to CarPay, Apple Music sends the audio to the CarPlay unit, not the AirPods. It can be overridden from the phone, but not from the unit itself. This means you can start music only from the phone, but can control it from the CarPlay unit later.

An easy workaround to this is to connect your bluetooth headset to the CarPlay unit, not to the phone.
There was an instance while coming back when the phone refused to connect to the CarPlay unit. I restarted the CarPlay unit, which didn’t do anything. Then I restarted the phone and it connected fine. I have seen this before with cars, too, so I blame the phone.

With festivals coming up, there may not be too many solo trips for the next few weeks.

Motorcycle

Wanderlust: Day trip to River Khwae Bridge, Kanchanaburi

28 September, 2024 Scurvy Dawg Leave a comment

Continuing my series, this is my latest road trip, to River Khwae Bridge, in Kanchanaburi province.

The Bridge Over the River Kwai

The Bridge over the River Kwai is part of the infamous Death Railway that was constructed during World War II.

The bridge was built by the Japanese to support their military campaigns. Over 60,000 Allied prisoners of war and 200,000 Asian laborers were forced into backbreaking labor under brutal conditions to build this railway. The construction resulted in an enormous loss of life, earning the railway its grim nickname.

The bridge itself became an iconic part of this story, tragically immortalized in the 1957 film “The Bridge on the River Kwai” which brought international attention to the horrifying conditions endured by the workers.

Total Distance: Approx 340 km

The Trip

This trp was not planned in advance. However, I couldn’t sleep well the night before and after wasting many hours doing nothing, I decided to make a day trip out of it.

I left at 7 in the morning and didn’t encounter much traffic leaving Bangkok. The highway 338 to Kanchanaburi wasn’t as intimidating as Pattaya or Ayuthaya. In fact, it felt like most Indian highways.

Meteor 350 on Highway 338 from Bangkok to Kanchanaburi

Things got better through the trip, the roads within Kanchanaburi criss-crossing small villages with ponds around them.

I stopped only once on my way there and it took me 2.5 hours to cover the 170km distance.

At the bridge itself, there were not too many tourists, just one Japanese group.

River Khwae from the bridge, Kanchanaburi

After pending some time at the bridge, I went to the Starbucks at TMK Park, Kanchanaburi for a snack and a coffee.

Espresso Frappuccino & Chicken and Mushroom Pie

Meteor 350 at TMK Park, Kanchanaburi — Espresso Frappuccino & Chicken and Mushroom Pie

Fun Return Trip

The return trip was much more adventurous. First I did what I always do and accidentally entered a motorway; requiring me to back-track for many kilometres. When I did get on the right route, it started raining heavily, and I had to stop. I started again when the rain stopped, but it started raining again and I had to stop for the second time.

Second Rain Stop at Kanchanaburi — First Rain Stop at Kanchanaburi

After waiting for a while, I realised that if I keep stopping like this, I won’t get home, so I powered through the rain. It was exhilarating riding at 80 kmph on a 2 lane road during heavy rain.

Soon, the rain stopped and the sun came out in full force, burning my skin because the rain had washed away the sun block. I went through 2 such cycles of wet-dry, but my shoes and socks remained wet throughout.

Eventually, I reached Bangkok via Chinatown, completely filthy and was glad to take a shower.

This was one of the best road trip I ever had and I look forward to doing it again in the future.

Motorcycle

Wanderlust: Half-Day trip to Ayuthaya

14 September, 2024 Scurvy Dawg 1 Comment

Continuing my series, this is a recent road trip, to Ayuthaya. I did this trip because Wanderlust suddenly struck me, but it was too late in the day to go any further.

Ayuthaya: A Glimpse into History

Founded in 1350, it served as the second Siamese capital after Sukhothai. The city flourished as a major trading post and diplomatic hub, connecting the East and West through maritime routes. Its strategic location along the Chao Phraya River made it an essential nexus for international commerce. By the end of the 17th century, Ayuthaya had become one of the world’s largest urban areas and cosmopolitan centers.

Ayuthaya is famous for its impressive ruins of temples, monasteries, and statues of immense historical and cultural value. The cityscape is dotted with towering prangs (reliquary towers) and stupas that are quintessential to Thai architecture.

I had been here before, but I wanted to make the short trip on motorcycle.

Total Distance: A pprox 170km

The Trip

I left after a heavy lunch, around noon. The initial route within the city was same as Nakhon Nayok, once out of the city, it was similar to the highway to Pattaya. I was always a bit stressed that I would unknowingly stray on to the motorway where motorcycles are not allowed.

Meteor 350 on the highway from Bangkok to Ayuthaya

The highway was dotted with big factories each giving off a different smell, some really pungent. All concrete, no greenery to speak of.

One thing I noticed during this trip that the Sump Guard which I had installed recently is reflecting more engine noise towards me. I am not exactly sure whether I would keep it or get rid of it.

I did the entire trip in one go. At Ayuthaya, I just drove around the city aimlessly without stopping.

On the way back, I ran into some drizzle, so stopped at a Gas station for a few minutes. Luckily it was over soon and I returned home on time.

Overall, not a very pleasant motorcycling trip.

Motorcycle

Wanderlust: Bangkok Motorcycle Rides Part 1

31 August, 2024 Scurvy Dawg Leave a comment

Continuing my series, below are some motorcycle rides I generally do within Bangkok. These are when I only have a few hours, but still need to fulfil my wanderlust. What better way than to explore the city I have been living in for more than 3 years, but have hardly explored?

Chao Phraya River Ride

Approx 30 kms

This is probably my favourite ride (Till now). I cross the Asok intersection to Ratchadaphisek Road and take the flyovers to Rama 3 road. I take the scenic section next to the river past Terminal 21. Past it, I cross the river on the Krungthep bridge, parallel to Rama III bridge, turn north and then back east crossing the river for the second time over the much bigger King Taksin the great bridge. Then cross Sathorn, Lumpini Park and back home.

King Taksin the great bridge, PC: Anil Kaushik

The entire ride is less than 1 hour and provides a good boost of feel-good.

Suvarnahbhumi Loop

Approx 65 kms

This is a slightly longer ride I do when I want to grab a coffee and also do a ride. I take new Phetchaburi Road, then turn on to Srinagarindra Road where I follow the Yellow Line Monorail, till I reach Bang na-Trat road and turn left.

I generally go to this Starbucks on the highway, have a coffee and make a loop around the airport and come back via a different route.

Motorcycle

Wanderlust: Day trip to Nakhon Nayok Province

27 July, 2024 Scurvy Dawg 1 Comment

Continuing my series, this is my latest road trip, to some scenic places in Nakhon Nayok province. The province of Nakhon Nayok is dotted with beautiful places, with more than 10 waterfalls. Covering all of them will take multiple trips, so I decided to do 2 places in this first trip:

Total Distance: Approx 280km

This time, I used the lessons learnt from my previous road trip and did not have to stop many times.

It had rained the entire day and night before my trip, so I was a bit apprehensive about getting stuck in rain. Once again, I stated my journey on rain-soaked streets with BBC World Service in my ears.

Unlike Pattaya, heading out of Bangkok was a breeze. There was hardly any traffic and within 30 minutes, I was on the 6-lane highway 305 to Nakhon Nayok.

Unlike the motorway to Pattaya, highway 305 is much more biker friendly and much less scary. In fact, after 50kms or so, it turns into a 4-line winding road running parallel to a Khlong. The entire route smelled of rain-soaked vegetation which I loved. Reminded me of early morning bicycle rides in Durgapur.

Highway 305 to Nakhon Nayok Adjacent to a Khlong

There are quaint little bridges all over the Khlong for people to cross.

My motorcycle is on its second phase of running in, so I rode at a base speed of 70kmph with bursts up to 80kmph.

Wang Ta Krai National Park

First stop was Wang Ta Krai National park with a waterfall of the same name. You can ride your motorcycle a bit into the park.

I was surprised to see that cars, on the other hand, could go all the way in. Perhaps it is because of the horrible noise that Thai scooters make.

The waterfall is not very impressive; is a series of small falls over a long distance. Next to the gentle stream, you can see people picnicking.

Wang Ta Krai national park — Stream in Wang Ta Krai national Park

I spent an hour there and then moved on to my next stop.

Khun Dan Prakarn Chon Dam

The dam is only a short distance away and the last few kms are winding hilly roads which I loved to navigate. The dam itself is quite imposing.

Khun Dan Prakarn Chon Dam

I was happy to see some fauna there.

Soi dogs at Khun Dan Prakarn Chon Dam — A pet dog at Khun Dan Prakarn Chon Dam

After the dam, I went for a coffee to Nong Coffee, a modern cafe nearby.

The trip back was as fun; I stopped only once for a bio-break. Also, unlike the last trip (where I couldn’t wait to get back, this time I was a bit sad as the distance to home wound down to zero.

Looking forward to many such trips in the future.

An Insight into my Hindside

Tag Archives: Thailand

Short-Term review of the Meteor 350

The Good

The Bad

Bumrungrad Race to Heal 2025

Wanderlust: Day trip to Saeng Chan Beach

Amazing Thailand Marathon 2024

Getting There

The race

The Stats

A Year (And a bit more) in Comparison

Wanderlust: Day trip to Chaosamran Beach

Wanderlust: Day trip to Prachinburi

Khao Ito Waterfall

CarPlay on motorcycle

Wanderlust: Day trip to River Khwae Bridge, Kanchanaburi

The Bridge Over the River Kwai

The Trip

Fun Return Trip

Wanderlust: Half-Day trip to Ayuthaya

Ayuthaya: A Glimpse into History

The Trip

Wanderlust: Bangkok Motorcycle Rides Part 1

Chao Phraya River Ride

Suvarnahbhumi Loop

Wanderlust: Day trip to Nakhon Nayok Province

Wang Ta Krai National Park

Khun Dan Prakarn Chon Dam

Earth bound misfit, I