CAITA 2007 Daily Report - Day 05

DAY 5
Sunday, 14th October 2007
Phnom Penh, Cambodia


The 'picture perfect' TSM

Bingo and his stooch

Today is our first ‘rest’ day of the Rally and we have had a full programme to keep us busy. Without doubt, the highlight of the day was this evening’s dinner but more of that later.

The usual excellent buffet breakfast was available at our hotel, the Cambodiana Hotel, one of the best, if not the best hotel in Phnom Penh. The team assembled in the car park after breakfast at 8.15AM for a photo shoot for one of our very important sponsors, Stamford Tyres. Stamford's generosity has meant that our two vehicles were equipped with the best and most suitable wheels for this testing journey. Stamford have also supplied a range of other products and services that were vital to the preparation of our Hyundai 4WD’s. We take this opportunity of extending again our sincere and profound thanks for their most valuable support.

Four of our team elected to take part in a tour of a number of interesting sites around Phnom Penh. The Wat Ounalom and the Royal Palace were memorable, despite the oppressive heat brought on by a hot day after heavy rain overnight. Leslie and Bingo opted to remain at the hotel. Leslie spends a lot of time replying to the large number of e-mails generated by interest in the Rally.

David and Arch left the tour before lunch in order to visit the ‘Genocide Museum, Toul Sleng’. Both were touched deeply by the exhibits at this site of the torture and murder of thousands of innocent Cambodian and Vietnamese men, women and children by the Khmer Rouge between 1975 and 1979. Photos of the victims are displayed and are quite unsettling to view.

The team re-assembled at the hotel and planned the balance of the day. The only chore was to take both vehicles out for petrol and a thorough wash to remove the mud generated by our journey across Cambodia yesterday. The cars are now ‘as new’.

This evening’s dinner was a major event for our hosts. VIP’s included the Chinese Ambassador to Cambodia and a number of Government officials from both Cambodia and China. Speeches were given and, clearly, China regards the Rally as a vital ingredient in fostering healthy political, economic and sporting ties between China and all ASEAN countries. Their unconditional support of the Rally is clear evidence of their attitude.

Our youngest team member, Bingo the Magnificent, was the featured act of the evening. Bingo performed a 20 minute magic show that earned him a standing ovation from the large crowd of 170 plus present. His illusions were well executed and he has become a favourite with all Rally participants. Bingo was ably supported for one of his illusions by Aki-boon (Arch Stewart) who did a great job of making himself look stupid on cue. The team has been noticed by all participants.

It has been the intention of the writer to draw attention to the fine driving being done by our favourite Englishman, David Duffield (Davo). The conditions here are difficult to say the least and Davo has done himself proud. That said, we are duty bound to report that on learning that England had beaten France in the Rugby World Cup, he has been impossible to live with. We regret to advise that tensions bordering on outright hostility have broken out between Davo and Akiboon.

This writer is disappointed but is also duty bound to report an outbreak of censorship of this diary by Leslie, the Big Cheese. Nothing more can or should be said at this time!! Your writer will not allow this situation to continue. The truth will be my beacon.


6-woman spa treatment for the Terracan


very impressed

CAITA 2007 Daily Report - Day 04

DAY 4
Saturday, 13th October 2007
Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Good Day, Push your way.

Hyundai, Drive your way

Our Chinese hosts continue to outdo themselves with each new day. Breakfast at the Royal River Hotel in Bangkok was just sumptuous. Every taste was catered to in a beautiful room overlooking the river.

We started in convoy at 7.00AM and traffic conditions out of Bangkok were much better than coming into Bangkok last night. Road conditions to the Poipet on the Cambodian border, a run of 250 kilometers, were excellent and we made good time. We did expect the worst at the border with Cambodian Immigration but our fears were unfounded. All vehicles were checked and allowed entry in very short order and all passports were processed in a similar fashion. We did enjoy a great lunch at a border casino and by the time we had finished lunch we were able to leave the border area with all paper work in hand.

The contrast in conditions between the Thai and Cambodian sides of the border was dramatic. The roadway was unsealed and muddy as a result of recent rain. Beggars, mostly children, surrounded the cars and the scene was generally chaotic. Things got worse for the first 50 kilometers of our run to Phnom Penh. This ‘highway’ was unsealed and in terrible condition with potholes and corrugations giving us all a very uncomfortable ride. This area gave the impression of being economically depressed. We all felt as if we had been through a tumble dryer by the time we eventually reached a sealed road. Beyond this section, the standard of housing improved dramatically and there was a general sense of well being and prosperity. The countryside was flat but very green with enormous amounts of land sown with rice.

We traveled 664 kilometers today (totaling 2,629 kms till date), arriving 7.30PM at our hotel for the next two nights - Hotel Cambodiana, Phnom Penh. The rooms are spacious and the hotel is first class. Dinner tonight was another Chinese feast at a local restaurant about 1 kilometer from our hotel. Buses were provided to get us to and from the hotel.

The team has been performing admirably. Particular mention needs to be made about our ‘Big Cheese’ who gathered all of us at the cars 1 hour prior to our departure. We were made to empty our boots as much as possible. All equipments bags and pieces were placed and secured in the cabin. This apparent transfer of weight from the rear to the middle must have helped both cars from bottoming over the meanest unsealed surfaces.

The installation of lower guards must have also defrayed some of our earlier worries.

Tomorrow, a half day tour has been arranged for all participants and we are looking forward to tomorrow night’s dinner when “Bingo” the Magnificent will put on a premier Cambodian performance for an audience that will include the Chinese Ambassador to Cambodia. We expect the audience to include a number of talent scouts

“Team Singapore, Motorsports (TSM) continues its remarkable run. In a company that includes the renowned Toyota Landcruiser and Nissan Safari, our Santa Fe and Terracan demonstrated worthy off-road capabilities. We are proud to be powered by the all-round traits of the new generation Hyundai. Meanwhile, our entertainer (Bingo) shall be put to test tonight. We are confident of another good performance by TSM”
Leslie Chang, Chief d’ Mission, TSM.

Audition held at rest stop.

Machines that bear no fruit.

CAITA 2007 Daily Report - Day 03

DAY 3
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.

CAITA 2007 Daily Report - Day 02

DAY 2
Wednesday, 11th October 2007
Suratthani, Thailand


Slow custom clearance

Breakfast must be very good

Tonight we are staying at the Diamond Plaza Hotel in Suratthani, located half way between the Thai/Malaysian border and Bangkok on the Thai Peninsular. It has been a particularly long day with a 7AM departure from Ipoh and an arrival here in Suratthani at midnight (11PM local time).

Road conditions on the Malaysian peninsular were very good and we made very good time to our early lunch stop at Alor Star just a few kilometers south of the border. Our expectation was that we would reach our destination before dusk but the first of our delays occurred at the Malaysian exit point with visa complications with some of the Chinese contingent. It took about 2 hours to resolve this problem but our real delays were to be on entry to Thailand. Conditions at the border were very chaotic and it took hours to process all rally participants and their cars through Thai Immigration. The sheer number of those involved in the rally really makes delays like this almost inevitable.

The sum all the delays meant that we could not reach Suratthani until midnight. Road conditions from the border to Suratthani were quite good and we made good time, albeit arriving much later than expected.

Despite the late hour, another great meal was laid on by our hosts with live music. Our hearts were not really in the meal but we snacked and then retired to our rooms in the hope of getting some badly needed sleep.

The performance of the Singapore team is worthy of mention at this stage. We have enjoyed some inspired leadership from our Chief d’ Mission, Mr Leslie Chang (aka the Big Cheese). Leslie has kept us focused and has an eye for the detail needed for a rally like ours. Unfortunately his English deteriorated in direct relation to our proximity to the Thai border. By the time we reached the border he was totally unintelligible and could speak only in Thai English.

Daryl Chang (aka Bingo, the Magnificent) provides endless entertainment to our fellow travelers during our meal stops. Bingo is a first class radio operator and translator for his Australian team members. Bingo is also now the only team member who understands his father – Leslie.

Ernest Chua (aka the Stick or ‘Anus’) is an experienced and steady rally hand having navigated for Leslie many times over the last 15 years. He keeps a keen eye on the cars and the radios which are vital to our convoy style of travel.

More on the rest of the team in our next report.

“The attention attracted by Team Singapore, Motorsports (TSM) imported drivers from Australia has, thus far, been overwhelming. To facilitate entry into Thailand, Archibald and David have adopted new names ie. Aki-boon and Lay-pit respectively. We did some high speed chase when the group’s lead car (a VW Toureg) sped towards the end of the sector. Both the Sante Fe and Terracan performed exceedingly well and we look forward to the challenges ahead.”
Leslie Chang, Chief d’ Mission, TSM.


long wait for the the contingent's vehicle entry permits


one final look before the immigration booth

CAITA 2007 Daily Report - Day 01

DAY 1
Wednesday, 10th October 2007
Ipoh, Malaysia

Working conditions fairly relaxed

Mr Rong posing with the 2 ang-mo's

We are now comfortably accommodated at the Impiana Casuarina Hotel in Ipoh after a relatively smooth and uneventful drive from Sentosa Island in Singapore.

Before reporting on the day’s events, mention should be made of the wonderful dinner laid on for all participants on Tuesday evening at the Raffles Town Club. The event was attended by a number of special guests including MP Dr Lim Wee Kiak (who is patron of SMSA), Ms Liu Xin Wen, Deputy Governor of Guangxi Provence, China and Mr Tan Teng Lip, President of SMSA. A lavish buffet dinner was provided with entertainment. Gifts were exchanged between special guests and Team Singapore, Motorsports (TSM) members were presented with their CAITA 2007 event shirts. The incoming Singaporean Team was given a rousing welcome by all participants.

The start of the Rally from Sentosa Island was exciting for all participants. Both China and Singapore press were in attendance and coverage of the event and the official start was very good. MP Dr Lim and Deputy Governor Liu with other VIP guests were present to address the Rally members and to take part in the official start.

A Police escort led all cars (25 in all) across the Island to the Tuas crossing point. An event free drive followed getting us to our first stop for lunch in the beautiful city of Malacca. An excellent lunch was provided by our China hosts at a local restaurant. Unfortunately, our departure from Malacca was delayed by a problem with one of the vehicles in the rally – the main coach. We did not manage to leave the city until 3.30PM and this in turn delayed our arrival in Ipoh until about 9PM.

The drive from Malacca was relatively smooth although late rain did make conditions somewhat difficult on occasions. The art of convoy style driving did not come easily to everyone but we are confident we will all get better with experience. Today we traveled a total of 617 kilometers. This is about the average we will need to maintain over the entire 6,000 kilometer journey.

“Team Singapore, Motorsports (TSM) passed its first test remarkably well. We came across a Chinese team who had strayed from its convoy – probably let down by the failure of its in-car communication system, bad weather and apparent difficulties in coping with a left-hand drive vehicle in a right-hand drive environment. The 2 cars from TSM answered the distress call by selflessly shepherding the Chinese crew to its destination. The incident had not only given valuable impression to the organizer, it demonstrated the efficient teamwork of TSM.”
Leslie Chang, Chief d’ Mission, TSM.



Along North-South Highway, West Malaysia


Newly refurnished room at Casuarina Hotel, Ipoh