About Edda 🥾🚴♀️🏌️♀️🚵♀️
9,438 km
1055:03 h
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Edda 🥾🚴♀️🏌️♀️🚵♀️ and Udo Wortelboer went cycling.
November 15, 2025
Day 8: Bang Saen – Pattaya (97.3 km, 650 m elevation gain) The last stage takes us slightly away from the coast of the Gulf of Thailand on side roads to avoid heavy traffic – our destination: Pattaya. After days in the quiet plains of the northeast, we once again feel the proximity of the Bangkok metropolitan area. A scenic highlight is the extensive circumnavigation of the large Bang Phra Lake, a huge water reservoir. We then continued on a varied, undulating route with many pineapple fields and a long, smooth descent to the outskirts of Pattaya. Crossing the city itself – with its heavy traffic and constant changes of direction – was a challenge for our guides and our nerves alike. Pattaya is Pattaya. The evening in Jomtien shows another side of Thailand: the wide, well-kept city beach, the impressive skyline in the haze of dusk – and at the same time the visible gap between Western purchasing power and local reality in the form of the many Western men with or without Thai companions. That, too, is part of this country. After almost 700 kilometers, the 19th Tour of Hope ends here – a week full of encounters, landscapes, and impressions that will stay with us. Thailand in all its facets. A country that we were once again able to experience with respect, gratitude, and enthusiasm. We'll be back! On November 6, 2026, from the region where we have now stopped, for the 20th Tour of Hope. Want to join us? Then get in touch. Most photos by Klaus and Richard
04:20
97.3km
22.4km/h
650m
650m
Edda 🥾🚴♀️🏌️♀️🚵♀️ and others went cycling.
November 14, 2025
📍 Tag 7: Chachoengsao – Bang Saen (71 km, 116 hm) Today we rode the shortest stage of our 2025 Tour – but it was anything but short on impressions. From Chachoengsao, the route led us along quiet backroads toward the Gulf of Thailand. In between, a five-kilometre section on the highway demanded full concentration. Thanks to our excellent guides, we made it through safely. The highlight was a ten-kilometre bridge stretching across the shallow coastal waters – a panorama that will not be forgotten soon. Our destination was Bang Saen, a popular seaside getaway for people from Bangkok – the perfect place to stretch out in the sand and bring the day to a calm close. Pictures mainly from Richard
02:52
69.7km
24.2km/h
150m
140m
Edda 🥾🚴♀️🏌️♀️🚵♀️ and Udo Wortelboer went cycling.
November 13, 2025
🇹🇭 The Tour of Hope 2025 – Day 5 | November 12, 2025 Prachinburi → Chachoengsao (100 km, +112 m) After the tough climb through Khao Yai National Park, today's route was flat – really flat. 100 kilometers through the heart of central Thailand, along countless canals, rivers, and rice fields. 🌾 The road was wide, the wind mild, the landscape peaceful. Only Hans was too fast in the tunnel and shot past the first rest stop – no one heard him calling. Work was being done on both sides of the road: men wearing masks on loud, rattling tricycles were plowing the fields – the start of the new rice season. In Thailand, there are two main planting seasons: 🌱 May to July, with the start of the rainy season 🌾 and again in October to December on irrigated land. In between, we passed ponds for shrimp farming – another important industry in this region. For lunch, we had delicious noodle soup with duck, after which the last few kilometers rolled by as if by themselves. A fast day, a good feeling. In the evening: the first Chang beers on the hotel terrace right by the Bang Pakong River, where Irrawaddy dolphins are rarely seen. The hotel? A little GDR charm, lots of people in uniform at a military conference – but the massages were great. Tomorrow we're heading for the sea – we're approaching the Gulf of Thailand.
04:08
100km
24.2km/h
220m
250m
Edda 🥾🚴♀️🏌️♀️🚵♀️ went cycling.
November 11, 2025
Today was the big climb – through Khao Yai National Park, one of Thailand’s most famous and most beautiful natural areas. Before we even reached the park, the landscape already changed: villas, golf resorts, and gated communities everywhere. “Weekend escapes” for Bangkok’s wealthy, just 200 km away. We passed a fake Leaning Tower of Pisa with an Italian-style piazza called Toscana Valley – only the cypress trees probably don’t make it her, a perfectly assambeled chateau (with a twin under construction next door). Every few lamp posts: new real estate ads. Over 50 km, construction everywhere. Prices start at 15 million Baht – around 400,000 euros – some promised returns of 8% per year. Apparently, paradise sells well. Then came the real thing: Khao Yai National Park. Thailand’s first national park, founded in 1962, it covers more than 2,100 km² of dense forest, grassland, and mountains. Home to over 350 animal species – from elephants and gibbons to hornbills and deer – it’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of Southeast Asia’s most impressive protected areas. The climb was tough: 13 km uphill through humid, green jungle, no shortcuts, no mercy. But the reward? A long, rolling 35 km descent through mist, monkeys, and the smell of wet forest. We didn’t see elephants (just warning signs), but a few macaques, a sambar deer, and – unforgettable – the loudest insects we’ve ever heard. It was one of those rides that make you forget the distance and just enjoy being somewhere completely different. Tomorrow is our rest day – and we’ve earned it.
04:35
90.4km
19.7km/h
1,020m
1,390m
Edda 🥾🚴♀️🏌️♀️🚵♀️ and hamburg1960 went cycling.
November 10, 2025
The Tour of Hope 2025 – Day 3 | November 10, 2025 Nakhon Ratchasima → Pak Chong (105 km, 695 m elevation) We started the day in style – with a swim in the infinity pool overlooking Korat, followed by what might have been the best breakfast of the tour (sorry, no photo – we were too busy enjoying it). Then came a short transfer through the morning rush hour of this busy city before we hit the road again. Our first stop was the second school visit of The Tour of Hope 2025: the Khon Phet Samanora School. We handed over ten new bicycles to students in this area – a region that until recently struggled with water and soil pollution from crayfish farming. Wastewater from ponds once contaminated the local waterways with chemicals and organic residues. Thanks to many efforts the live of the children in this region can turn to better perspectives. And thanks to World Vision Thailand, who help us select and support schools, our project now gives children a safer and faster way to get to school. What stood out today was the amazing energy – a joyful morning ceremony, bright faces, and a dance performance that made everyone smile. Short encounters, but full of warmth. The second theme of the day: street dogs. Since leaving Khon Kaen, we’ve seen them everywhere – in towns, on rice field roads, even far from any houses. Most are calm, some shy, many simply lying in the shade. In Thailand, and especially in rural areas like the Isaan, dogs often live freely. Poverty, lack of sterilization programs, and cultural tolerance all play a role. People don’t always “own” dogs, but they often feed them – we saw it today at the mountain viewpoint: drivers stopped to hand out food, and even our supply bus driver shared some leftovers. These dogs are part of the landscape here – independent, social, and surprisingly friendly. And somehow, they remind us that kindness can appear in the smallest gestures – a bowl of rice, a smile, or a biscuit for a stray. Tomorrow we ride through Khao Yai National Park – and probably swap rice fields for jungle hills.
04:05
104km
25.5km/h
720m
510m
Edda 🥾🚴♀️🏌️♀️🚵♀️ went cycling.
November 9, 2025
The Tour of Hope 2025 – Day 2 | November 9, 2025 Chaiyaphum → Nakhon Ratchasima (116 km, 239 m elevation) Today’s stage took us from Chaiyaphum to Nakhon Ratchasima – or “Korat,” as everyone here calls it – right through the countryside of the Isaan. For hours we rode through rice fields in every shape and stage: small green seedlings, golden fields ready for harvest, and lots of rice drying on blue tarps in front of houses. The smell of fresh rice and wet earth was everywhere. And yes – today we got very close to the rice. Several kilometers went straight through the fields, with plenty of contact with mud and water. Let’s say our shoes won’t dry anytime soon. Rice is at the heart of life here. It’s not just food – it’s work, tradition, and identity. The Isaan is Thailand’s rice bowl, feeding millions of people across the country. Seeing it up close makes you realize how much effort and rhythm lies behind every grain on a plate. Tomorrow we leave the flatlands behind and head toward Pak Chong – and probably a lot less mud. 🚴♀️🌾
04:23
99.2km
22.7km/h
240m
250m
@Edda 🥾🚴♀️🏌️♀️🚵♀️ Wow, this looks like such a peaceful and meaningful hike! The details of the carvings and natural surroundings add a truly spiritual touch to the experience. Thank you for sharing this wonderful journey with us! 😊
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