Friday, 12th October 2007
Bangkok, Thailand
Aki-boon supposed to lose weight
Have sponsors will travel
Tonight we have been accommodated at the Royal River Hotel in Bangkok. This is a great hotel located on the Chao Praya River with expansive views of the city. The standard of hotels provided by the organisers has been very good. We have suffered for nothing where accommodation and meals are concerned.
We got away to a 7.30AM start this morning after a great breakfast at the Diamond Plaza Hotel in Suratthani. Road conditions between Suratthani and Bangkok, a distance of 649 kilometers (699 kms yesterday), were excellent and we had the easiest of drives. Lunch was a simple ‘pick-up’ meal at a roadhouse in transit to Bangkok. The drive through Bangkok to our hotel was ‘exciting’ but safely negotiated by drivers. For the first time we arrived at our destination in daylight at about 5PM.
This evening we were taken to dinner at a riverside restaurant around the corner from our hotel. The food was first class (as usual). Our Chinese hosts are leaving no stone unturned in laying on the best for a group of about 150 people. We are quite overwhelmed by their hospitality.
The organisation of the driving aspects of the rally is worth explaining. There are 29 cars and two buses carrying 155 people in 5 small convoys. We are in the fifth ‘mini’ convoy. A local guide and a Chinese organizer are in the lead car. Our team leader, Leslie Chang takes up the rear with his crew plus one Chinese organizer. The lead car is in constant radio communication with all other cars by radio, advising us of hazards, traffic conditions, stops etc. The Singapore team has its own radio network for inter car communications. It is a very well organized operation and we are very impressed with the professional approach taken by our hosts.
Continuing a rundown on our team:
Dr Tan Poh Heng (aka Doc or PH) is a valuable member of the team. He has driving and radio responsibilities and provides very helpful translations for our two Australian drivers. Doc has brought sufficient medical supplies to carry our anything from open heart surgery to a cesarean section. We trust his medical talents will not be needed.
David Duffield (aka Davo or Laypid) is one of our two Australian drivers and is more than pulling his weight in this department. David is also treasurer for the team and is responsible for car cleanliness.
Arch Stewart (aka the Nose or Akiboon) is our second Australian driver and our diarist. Regrettably, Arch has spent most of the rally warming the back seat of his car.
“Team Singapore, Motorsports (TSM) had an untroubled day finishing the sector well ahead of other convoys. The cars were checked in anticipation of the tough conditions in Cambodia. Daryl has been invited by our hosts to provide light-hearted entertainments during the Friendship Dinner to be held in Phnum Penh on 14th Oct 2007. We are glad to enjoy such level of co-operation with our Chinese counterpart.”
Leslie Chang, Chief d’ Mission, TSM.
Look, no more cold packet lunches
We spent some of our cash on these flowers.