START
Singapore 0830 hrs
ARRIVE
Ipoh 1730 hrs
Driving thru the Haze
The 2 senior passengers were most impressed with the police escorts arranged by SMSA. As we got our carnet stamped, the Chinese convoy politely waited for us after custom clearance at Petronas station. We were placed with Group 3, consisting a Hyundia Terracan driven by William and Harold, lead-car LandCruiser, tv crew in a chinese-made SUV, high officials in a Volvo XC90, chinese-works 4X4 and a mini-bus carrying working members and guests from Vietnam. The drive was filled haze measuring appro 75-90 psi throughout. At the 2nd rest halt, our most senior passenger was accidentally locked in my car for 15 minutes. He almost smashed the rear window to get our attention! We arrived Ipoh Casurina Hotel with no further drama.
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DAY 2 - 15TH OCTOBER 2006
START
Ipoh 0800 hrs
ARRIVE
Haddyai 1500 hrs
Coming to Terms
We began to learn that this is not a luxury tour. Waking up at 6 am, having packet lunch and tahan urine are norms. Being special guests and having 2 passegers age 77 and 81, we were constantly interviewed by the various reporters and tv crews during meals and stops. However, we were pleased to note that the petrol and tolls were paid by the organiser. Driving into Thailand was a pleasure, truly sabai-dee. I managed to brush up my Thai-English. During dinner, the Chinese were singing and partying. It was also my first experince with Moutai, an alcohol that I shall stay far far away from now on. We slept early.
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DAY 3 - 16TH OCTOBER 2006
START
Haadyai 0700 hrs
ARRIVE
Bangkok 1930 hrs
The Long March
We embarked on this 900 km sector with positive thoughts, looking forward to meet Kun Roger. Till now, we were using 2 walkie-talkies - 1 provided by the lead-car solely to receive directional instructions and the other to talk-cock-sing-song with William/Harold. As the drive was getting boring after 3 to 4 hours, William suggested that we should tune our 3rd walkie and chat with the rest of the Chinese in group 3. We then discovered that the Chinese were having such lively chats that even my dad joined in. But he looked weird talking/holding the walki like a phone! Though dinner was provided at The The Royal River Hotel (next to Mekong River) upon our arrival, we ate little. It proved logical as we were treated to better fare by Kun Roger who came in his new Toyota Alphard.
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DAY 4 - 17TH OCTOBER 2006
REST DAY
One more night in Bangkok
On this day, Team Singapore decided not to join the contingent for city tour. Kun Roger took us for an excursion, visiting the SSW factory. Although I had seen the factory at its opening 3 years ago, much have changed. It is obvious that the current site is running near its maximum capacity. And, even more obvious that Kun Roger has never worked harder than the last 3 years. Lunch was at one of the MK outlets, 10 times better than our daily packed fried (read cold) rice. We then proceed to Uncle Heng's professional audio equipment showroom. Uncle Heng is my father-in-law's closest friend and speaks old-style teochew. William and Harold soon got bored and we left for Maboonkrong. The lady at one of the facial shops asked Harold to sit 'more high' :) Soon, it was dinner time. Uncle Heng and his family treated Team Singapore including Kun Roger to a 'branded' dinner at downtown Bangkok. Very memorable indeed.
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DAY 5 - 18TH OCTOBER 2006
START
Bangkok 0530 hrs
ARRIVE
Siam Reap 1800 hrs
The Duck Tour
The organiser probably foresaw the much-heardabout delays at the Cambodia custom. Thus, morning call was brought forward to 4 am. To minimize our waiting time, we had to 'pay' our way thru the crossing. From filling up immigration form to endorsement of carnet, we were not spared. Unwittingly, the real challenge was about to unfold. Along the 150 km highway # 6 from Poi Pet to Siam Reap, we encountered floods averaging 1 meter over and over again....14 times! At some point, we were driving along with sampan paddling right next to us. The oncoming water ripped off my front number plate (which I managed to salvage later). For the first time, I saw my dad praying and my father-in-law expressed worriness. We were so relieved that we were not among the 2 cars that failed this test.
Picture shows my number plate had fallen off. The car behind gave an indication of the depth where water splashed over the bonnet at times.
Co-driver from Car # 22 holding the number plate frame that had fallen from my car. Note the special modifications and the height of this car.
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DAY 6 - 19TH OCTOBER 2006
START
Siam Reap 0845 hrs
ARRIVE
Phnom Penh 1430 hrs
Wrong Side Up
Yesterday's massive floods along the notorious track from Poi Pet to Siam Reap caused much delay to the convoy. As such we have to visit Angkor Wat this morning instead of yesterday's sunset tour. As the main monument is west-facing, the contrasting backlight of the morning sun is akin to one swimming upstream. After the excursion, the tour buses alighted the contingent at our hotel. We headed for Phnom Penh and after crossing 21 bridges, we arrived with ample time for city tour. The Friendship Banquet was similar to the one held in S'pore, attended by high-ranking officials from Cambodia and Chinese Embassy. This time, my dad drank the potent moutai and, within minutes, he thought was one of the officials too.
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DAY 7 - 20TH OCTOBER 2006
START
Pnom Penh 0700 hrs
ARRIVE
Ho Chi Minh 1930 hrs
We almost turned back!
En-route to Singapore, the Chinese convoy was delayed upon entry at Vietnam for no less than 5 hours. Add another 3 hours when they were leaving the country. With such horrible experience, the organiser repeatedly asked us whether we needed any help with regards to the documentation for our cars. We were confident the carnet that was provided by AAS will suffice, thus paid no further attention to the matter. That proved to be our greatest mistake. We were denied entry into Vietnam! And, the custom was very firm - no money talk or whatsoever imaginable, primarily due to our right-hand drive configuration. After having exhausted all resources, came a mini miracle. One of the organiser's guest, a Vietnamese, managed to contact HQ (Hanoi) for assistance. This guest was made to write a letter of undertaking on our behalf. God please bless him indefinitely. The relatively short journey of 225 km taken us almost 13 hours to complete. More than half the time were spent waiting at the Vietnamese custom. The massive flood we earlier encountered pales in comparison with the agony and anxiety we faced today.
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DAY 8 - 21ST OCTOBER 2006
START
Ho Chi Minh City 0800 hrs
FINISH
Nha Trang 1630 hrs
East is better
All foriegn cars on Vietnamese roads are assigned with a temporary number plate. Our assigned number is 70B-310 0. In Cambodia, we saw floods almost everywhere we went. Here in Ho Chi Minh, we were instead flooded with motorcycles. That resulted our painfully slow progress out of the city. We were, however, rewarded by spectacular views of the valleys and the sea as we headed towards the eastern side of the country. Like in Haadyai, we arrived Nha Trang well before sunset. I found time to dip into the swimming pool and, after dinner, caught up with my backlogs and this trip's daily report via hotel's wifi. If only everyday is like today.
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DAY 9 - 22ND OCTOBER 2006
START
Nha Trang 0600 hours
ARRIVE
Hue 2040 hours
The Longest Detour
We were mentally prepared for a long but scenic drive along the coastal route. Shortly after Nha Trang, we encountered many trucks by the side of the road, forming up a queue no less than 2 kilometers long. We soon learnt that the road ahead was impassable to heavy vehicles. The organiser decided that we shall take an alternative route which meant we had to circle round several mountains. And that added 250 kilometers to our already very long journey! This detour over the hilly sector proved to be very demanding. All non traffic-obeying road users (including animals) can be found here. We also found out that their agricultural vehicles can carry up to 10 persons - more handy than our MPVs. By 5 pm, it became dark and worrying. The convoy hurried on and minimized the rest stops to make up for the lost time. When we were 30 odd kms to our destination, the convoy leader radioed if the 2 senior members had any problem to tahan till end point without pee-stop. My dad instantly replied: "The older the age, the better the tahan ability". That moment, I was so proud of him.
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DAY 10 - 23RD OCTOBER 2006
START
Hue 0700 hours
ARRIVE
Halong 2030 hours
Conquering Vietnam
The convoy squeezed the precious little time we had in Hue City to visit (read drive pass) the old palace. Unlike previous mornings, we were driving faster in case we were to encounter any unforeseen circumstances during this 650 km sector. While most cars adapted happily to the Vietnamese 92 octane petrol, my turbo-charged Forester struggled to keep up with the lead car. On the other hand, we adapted well to our daily packet lunches which were usually taken at petrol kiosks or just outside some kampong houses. Today, the convoy was pounded by very heavy downpour shortly after lunch. Our progression was drastically slowed by the near-zero visibilty at some stages. As a result, we arrived in Halong Bay, where one of the James Bond movies was shot, way passed dinner time. The passage through this country turned out to be such a long and demanding process. Perhaps, we should have learnt or read more about the American experience in Vietnam.
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DAY 11 - 24TH OCTOBER 2006
START
Halong, Vietnam 0500 hours
ARRIVE
BeiHai, China 1530 hours
Laughter in the Rain
Morning call was set at 4am but the homecoming mood was truly positively for the entire contingent. The route leading to the border which passed some coal mining areas was winding and dusty. To our relief, we cleared the Vietnamese custom without undue delay. The Vietnamese guest who acted as our guarantor for the passage must had felt equally relieved, if not more. Despite the rain, we were warmly received by Mdm Liu Xin Wen (Vice-Governor of Guanxi province), the welcoming party and residents of Dongxin. On 'home' soil the convoy enjoyed the privilege of police escort and extensive road closures. We spent the night at BeiHai where new hotels lined the beautiful beach - a Hawaii that's nearer home. Plus, you can freely purchase and launch fireworks at designated spots! That's wishing upon a star.
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DAY 12 - 25TH OCTOBER 2006
FREE DAY
BeiHai
An extraordinary dinner
Other than a debrief for all drivers, the contingent had a free day. However, I was requested by the organiser to attend an official banquet on behalf of S'pore sports authority. Prior arrangement had been made to ferry me to Nanning (capital of Guangxi) with another Vietnamese participant this morning. Both of us were received as VIPs by officials from Guangxi sports authority. Sensing that the banquet in the evening was going to be very formal, I rushed to grab myself an appropriate set of attire. In the process, I discovered the thoroughness of the city's preparation for the forthcoming China-Asean Summit. Major buildings were externally washed and colourful flowers lined the main boulevard. The works enhanced an already beautiful and well-planned city. At the dinner reception, the setting was similar to scene of tv news footage where Chinese leaders conversed with foreign dignitaries on large individual large sofas. Amidst my limited Chinese vocabulary, I soon realized that I had Communist Party chief members from state of Guangxi as my host. Help!
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DAY 13 - 26TH OCTOBER 2006
START
BeiHai 0900 hours
ARRIVE
Nanning 1200 hours
Surprise! Surprise! Surprise!
I was informed that the escorted drive from BeiHai to Nanning was remarkable. All junctions were blocked at the time of passing. And, sweeper cars were holding public vehicles at bay for the 3-hour expressway stretch. At lunch venue, I rejoined the main body (particularly Team S'pore) . Unfortunately, I had to dine at the VIP table and dressed formally as my role as an official was still counting. The contingent then rehearsed under hot sun for the night's Awarding Ceremony, which turned out to be a grand affair held at Zhuangjin Square / Green Mountain. We were overwhelmed by major awards! Best Team - Team S'pore, Best Crew - William/Harold and Best Driver - Leslie Chang. I must add and willingly undertake that there were no prior under-table arrangement or whatsoever.
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DAY 14 - 27TH OCTOBER 2006 (END OF REPORT)
More Surprises....
This morning we drove the 2 S'pore-registered cars to QinZhou Port and parked both vehicles inside a 40-footer container. Upon our return to hotel at Nanning, we were greeted with more surprises. The organiser was handing out cash for all prize recipients! Team S'pore left Nanning with surplus budget and, best of all, a sound working foundation for future collaborations. We are grateful to all who made this historical journey possible for us. And to those who followed my daily logs closely and your words of encouragement. An Appreciation Dinner is in order. Meanwhile, my sincere thanks to all families and friends, including:
AAS - Carnet Document
Andy - Preparation of the Forester
Angeline Khoo - Kind arrangement for parts
Aztech - Main sponsor of Team S'pore
Christina - Cash contribution (for my dad)
Dana - Pre-event preparation
FeiWei - Preparation of communication equipments and relaying our reports
Gary - Cash contribution and supply of Massimo high-spec engine oil
Roger - Our gracious host in Bangkok
S'pore Machinery - Cash contribution
SMSA - Pre-event coordinations
Stamford Tyres - Provision of Wheels, Tyres and accessories
Teng Lip - Provision of Hyundai Terracan
Yong May - Extensive coverage in MyPaper
P.S. At the time of writing, we have yet to receive the Bill of Lading for our cars. Whether we will eventually get back our cars, your guess is as good as mine!
