Swimming 10 Kilometers in the Andaman Sea

I arrived in Thailand via Colombo early in the morning. My body was tired from the long journey, but my mind was full of excitement. A big challenge was waiting for me ahead — swimming 10 kilometers in the Andaman Sea at the OCEANMAN Krabi. After reaching Krabi in the evening, I spent the night at Belcony party hostel. Very quickly I realized that this trip would not only be about competition, but also about meeting new people, discovering new experiences, and testing my own limits.

The next morning I went out to rent a scooter. Most tourist areas charge at least 250 baht, but after walking for some time I found a 125cc scooter for 200 baht. At the hostel I had met Aviral, a student from India who studies finance at Kharagpur University. He had come to Thailand for a paper presentation and later decided to travel around. When he heard about OCEANMAN, he became excited and said, "Let's go together."

We rode the scooter toward the event venue. Even in Thailand, fuel prices reminded me that the whole world is struggling with rising costs. Two liters of fuel cost 90 baht. The scooter was not in perfect condition either. The seat was loose and the brakes were weak. On the way, police stopped us for a license check, but after Aviral showed his documents, we were allowed to continue.

When we arrived at Dusit Thani Krabi Beach Resort near Klong Muang Beach, the entire area felt like a festival. Swimmers from many countries were walking around, stretching, preparing, and enjoying the atmosphere. After showing them my registration number, I received my OCEANMAN kit bag with a swimming cap, T-shirt, number tattoo, anti-chafing balm, and gala dinner coupons. It was a small bag, but for me it carried a very big dream.

Soon after, I received a phone call from Mustafiz Bhai, another Bangladeshi participant. Hearing that he was also competing gave me confidence. He had already completed Ironman 70.3 races and crossed the Bangla Channel. Together we took photos holding the Bangladeshi flag. Standing in a foreign country with the red and green flag felt emotional and powerful.