Life Transformation
I was still in my teens when I first took part in an Autotest (skilled driving event) held at the venue previously known as Kallang Runway. As motorsports is often considered dangerous, I did not enjoy much (if any) support from my family. By sheer determination and passion, I gradually upgraded myself from competing in club events to international competitions. Thanks to the encouragement from close friends, sponsors and well wishes, I am fortunate to have enjoyed an exceedingly high level of success in this sport.
Some years ago, I began to focus on long distance driving which is more appropriate for my advancing age. To date, I must have done a dozen overland trips that covered many countries in Asia including India and Myanmar. Like any travel adventure, there is always a story to tell after each trip. However, the journey to Nanning (China) and Koh Samui (Thailand) during Oct 2011 and Nov 2011 respectively, in my Hyundai Tucson will undoubtedly be to be the most memorable and infinitely unforgettable.
Man and Woman
My wife Irene will dutifully bear the task of looking after our business whenever I take part in any competition. Despite the added burden at work plus her concern about my safety while I am away competing, I am very thankful that she has not protested. It would be hard to imagine that this has been ongoing for the past 30 years! Hence, I set my mind to put an end to such ‘misery’ for Irene.
I persuaded her to be my co-driver for the CAITA 2011 (a marathon rally from Singapore to Nanning).
To my surprise, it turned out to be a wonderful trip for Irene. She did well in navigating and communicating with fellow team mates especially while driving through the difficult roads in Indo-China. During the event, the cabin of our Tucson was transformed into a command unit (as shown in below picture, taken while passing a town in Laos), being decked with navigational and multiple communication devices.
Irene’s constant involvement in the rally left her no time to feel nervous. In fact, there were many delightful Kodak moments along the route such as this one taken at the renowned Angkor Wat in Siam Reap.
We are really proud that our Tucson did well to keep up with the competition, clocking mile after mile effortlessly throughout the 6,000km rally. The ride is amazingly stress-free that we could even chat, share and enjoy each other’s company - reminiscent of our early courting days. It was such a blissful experience that we wish the rally could go on for another 6,000km.
Read story on CAITA 2011 at http://singaporecarboy.blogspot.com/2011_11_01_archive.html
Mother and Child
My mother loves to travel. Unfortunately, her mobility during the recent years has somewhat been restricted due to her failing knees. Therefore, I decided to take her for a driving holiday – an option that would enable me to drive my mum right to the doorstep of our destinations and, most importantly, allow me to spend bonding time with her while travelling for long hours in my Tucson.
From Surat Thani, we were supposed to head north towards Bangkok. Due to the flood crisis, we had no option but to divert our route eastwards and drove to Donsak Port. The Hyundai is seen here in the ferry on its way to Koh Samui (a famous island situated 40km away from mainland).
It has been a long time since I gave undivided attention to my mum. Hence, this trip was also about pampering her with good food (her favourite in Thailand is MK Restaurant), daily massage and 5-star accommodation. In below group shot taken with other family members and close friends, my mum (standing next to me) appeared very happy and seemed to be in good spirit.
Although I tried to plan the trip as free-and-easy as possible, some days we ended up spending more than 12 hours on the road. On our return journey, the car even climbed the winding roads leading to this temple on a hilltop in Hatyai City.
The trip may be a self-drive holiday but it was equally important to have a good car. I was pleased that the Hyundai covered the distance comfortably, never allowing my aged old mother to feel sick nor weary. At a floating market in Southern Thailand, my mum faced difficulty to walk down the river bank. The Tucson gamely pulled a party trick by switching to off-road mode and go near the boats for her to have a better view.
Unsung Hero
I bought the Tucson (pre-owned unit) 6 months ago so that I could take part in CAITA 2011 – an event strictly reserved for SUV or 4x4 vehicles. During the event, it was dwarfed by bigger machines including a Hummer, a Jeep Wrangler and several units of Land Cruisers. It was also humbled by cars with premium branding such as Range Rover, Lexus RX350, BMX x5 and x6. In terms of age, my 2005 registered Tucson didn’t fare well too. There were more shortcomings about the Hyundai but it did not matter to me. Few cars of the same age can lay claim to trouble-free run during the 2 back-to-back trips covering almost 9,000km. Even fewer cars in the Tucson price range can offer such high level of performance, handling and ride comfort. And most importantly, none other than my Tucson is capable of bringing so much joy to the 2 most important women in my life.
It may lack of snob appeal but the Hyundai scores on practicality and reliability. The model may have been replaced by the current Tucson but its clean lines and no-frills design has aged gracefully as seen in below picture taken outside a car showroom in Nanning.
There are still a good number of older Tucson’s on our roads today. I am now in a position to better understand the proud smiles often seen behind the wheels of such cars.
