KUALA LUMPUR TO HANOI
Starting in March 2008 The Tiger Rally covers 4,500 miles from Kuala Lumpur up through Malaysia and Thailand to Angkor Wat and on to Saigon, up through Vietnam and Laos finishing in Hanoi. Daily reports will be uploaded as possible.
11 APRIL 2007 - SIGN UP
Sign up to drive the Phantom from Kuala Lumpur up through Malaysia and Thailand to Angkor Wat and on to Saigon, up through Vietnam and Laos to Hanoi and beyond. 4,500 miles in a 1928 car. What have we done? This will be a real adventure.
15 JANUARY 2008 - SHIPPING Collect the Phantom I from P&A Wood, deliver to the shippers (suitably escorted by my new Phantom DHC) and load into the container.
We will see her again to get her out of the container at the Sepang Grand Prix circuit on 29th February, and the rally then leaves KL on 2nd March.
29 JANUARY 2008 - VISAS
Send the passports off to agents to get the visas for Laos, Vietnam, and India (where we are stopping off for R&R on the way home). The passport has to go to Paris for the Lao visa, as they have no representation in the U.K.
Getting a Cambodian visa was extraordinarily simple, as its all done online! You just enter all your details and upload a photo (and if the photo isn’t quite right eg too much white space, then they have a department who will sort it for you!) and within five minutes I was able to download a visa and staple it into my passport. Incredible. Why can’t all travel be like this? I posted a “thank you” on their website and a week later got an email from their online department asking me to promote their visa service, which I am delighted to do.
27 FEBRUARY 2008 - THE GULFSTREAM
Since the radiator was very tarnished in the rain when the car left home, and would need a good clean, we decided at the last minute to bring our chauffeur with us as far as Bangkok. He took to the Gulfstream quite well.....
29 FEBRUARY 2008 - SEPANG F1 CIRCUIT Odometer reading at start: 2357
Off to Sepang F1 circuit for a rather tiresome day. The cars should all have been there in their containers when we arrived, but they weren’t all there. Containers drifted in over a few hours and ours was the very last car to be unloaded. Oh well, they left the best to last.
Amazingly, she started immediately and the tyres had not lost a single pound of pressure. The mileometer showed 2357 and we will see a huge increase by the time we reach Hanoi. A 50 mile run in to the Mandarin Oriental, with much acclamation from motorists, including police cars, and lots of people posing for photographs when we refuelled. A great welcome.
Tomorrow is a rest day and the Rally leaves KL on Sunday.
1 MARCH 2008 - MANDARIN ORIENTAL
As I told you yesterday, a Rest Day which we spent, inter alia, shopping, and repacking the car and installing the GPS. I cannot let the day pass, however, without mentioning the Mandarin Oriental, Kuala Lumpur.
I cannot speak for the basic rooms as we upgraded from the Rally accommodation to a superb suite, but I can speak for the staff, who were unfailingly wonderful in their manner and service. Also the food. One can have "fine dining" anywhere but we like to sample the local flavours and, all too often, hotel versions are pale imitations so that they do not offend their guests with extravagant tastes. Having eaten in a local café frequented by Malays, and had the Malay food here, I can attest to it being authentic and delicious. If you pass through KL, I doubt that you can do better than to stay here.
2 MARCH 2008 - FLAGGING-OFF Odometer reading at start: 2404 So we finally leave the excellent Mandarin Oriental, Kuala Lumpur, raring to go, and move on to the flagging-off at the Petrona Towers.
The schedule was supposed to have taken us to the Cameron Highlands to overnight, and then on to Pangkor Laut the next day. However, we are told that there has been a mix-up with the reservation so we will now just have lunch at the Cameron Highlands and then go on to Pangkor Laut for two nights instead of one. This will mean a 230 mile first day with flagging-off not until 10.30, a refuelling stop, and a stop for lunch. We have to get to Lumut for the last ferry to Pangkor by 7.30. All too tight, and with an hour’s ferry ride and checking-in, and no dinner yet. We therefore decide to skip the Cameron Highlands and drive straight to Lumut. Greg (who we saw on the Gulfstream and navigated into town from Sepang) did another faultless job with the Tulip and GPS. For those of you who don’t know (as I didn't until recently) a Tulip route (invested by the Dutch, as you may guess) is a series of directions to the next turn or point of interest, with diagrams of junctions and distances to the next waypoint.
The route is almost entirely a secondary trunk road with no scenery and plenty of lorries. Maybe the diversion to the Cameron Highlands would have been more scenic – we will never know – but it would have meant another 70 miles.
When we get to Lumut they lay on a speedboat for us and Greg seems as at home as he did on the jet.
Pangkor Laut is said by Lonely Planet to be "Malaysia's most exclusive tourist development". We don't quite see the point of over-water bungalows when the water is not crystal clear with myriads of fish, but instead deep green soup reminiscent of the Atlantic ocean. Actually it's a glorified holiday camp (the band sang "We're all going on a summer holiday", "Viva Espania" and something indecipherable from the Beetles in one of their "fine dining" restaurants!). However, the staff are utterly divine and the day's catch was fresh and delicious - at an absolutely rip-off price.
We decided to book a table in their Thai restaurant for the second evening and were told that they would send over a choice of 3 set menus and we would have to choose one by 3.00pm.
Here is one of them: The Straights Sampler
Lumpia minced chicken, shredded sweet turnip, crispy spring roll, special five spiced roast duck with honey sauce and cilantro bruschetta served with three flavour chilli vinaigrette
Burmese style beef carpaccio broth
Exotic broth served with thin slices of beef and white noodle wraps
Linau Balu
Pomelo thyme sorbet
Pla Sos Makham
Crispy sea bass pan-fried with ginger, spring onions, baby corn, cherry tomato in palm sugar and tamarind reduction
Rock Lobster
A straights favourite sautéed in our special sauce with sweet and tangy x.o. mushroom salad
OR Daging Goreng Istmewa
Beef tenderloin with fresh ginger and oyster sauce
Vanilla Crepes
With caramelized banana brandy snaps
All for a mere RM575++ per person - about £110 each without drinks.
We cancelled.
Tomorrow is a rest day, then off to Penang on Tuesday.
4 MARCH 2008 - ON TO PENANG Odometer reading at start: 2563 Waiting at the jetty for the speedboat to the mainland, we are lucky to find a pangolin as these are nocturnal rainforest creatures.
On the road to Penang
Some of the traffic lights are great - they have a countdown to the next change of colour:
The first few cars to arrive at the Eastern & Oriental, Penang, get to park in the entrance.
Tomorrow we have a heavy day - 250 miles across the border into Thailand and on to Trang. I hate to say anything, but so far the car has been as good as gold.
5 MARCH 2008 - INTO THAILAND Odometer reading at start: 2672
Excellent dinner last night at the Eastern & Oriental, and adorable staff yet again. We find the Malaysians to be absolutely charming. Another one to recommend - a shame it was only a one-nighter. Malaysia has been delightful - wonderful people, fantastic value (except for the rip-off Pangkor Laut Resort - we heard today that someone had discovered that a steak cost £60, which made the "Thai" menu look cheap - as a Malaysian helper commented, you could buy a whole animal for that), and immaculately kept countryside.
Yesterday the steering became quite stiff and I called P&A Wood for advice. They were surprised and suggested I check the steering box grease, which had been filled prior to departure. This morning while performing the daily checks (water, engine oil, leaks, and tyre pressures) I found the cause. I had replaced the tyre valve dustcaps with tyre pressure valves which show any loss of pressure at a glance. The front nearside tyre was down from 40psi to 15psi. We re-inflated and replaced the pressure valve to find that it was leaking, so discarded it and fitted the standard dustcap. Thankfully nothing more serious such as a slow puncture.
So off from the E&O
and on to the ferry for the mainland....
....and to the border 100 miles or so down the road. We got through in about an hour.
Into Thailand and the Malaysian spick and span is replaced with the usual Thai detritus and general untidiness.
We stopped by the roadside for a coffee only to realise that we had not yet acquired any Thai Baht. They would not accept Malaysian Ringitt, US dollars, or £s, but offered us coffee on the house.
Later when we had acquired some baht at an ATM to which a kindly petrol pump attendant had taken Greg on a motorcycle, we stopped again when we saw smoke arising from a roadside market. The barbecued pork with chilli sauce and cucumber, and cold Heineken, was absolutely fantastic.
And so to the Amari Trang via a rather rickety bridge.
Our first 500 mile service - top up the engine oil, deposit ¼ pint of ST90 into the differential, and check the clutch pedal slack, which is fine. Then strip and dive into the swimming pool with an excellent Singapore Sling on order.
The car swallowed today's miles with ease, and I am looking forward to the drive to Phuket tomorrow.
By the way, my web developer asked about the GPS. Well it's not like your SatNav with lovely pictures and a voice telling you to do a U-turn because you are off route. But it is pre-programmed with the waypoints and shows your track so that you can see if you have failed to follow the tulip route and the compass bearing to the next waypoint.
6 MARCH 2008 - CHICKEN FEET CURRY Odometer reading at start: 2896 Happy to leave Amari Trang - a third rate hotel in a third rate location, but a necessary halt.
At least the cars are parked in a way to provide some photos.
and on the way to our next stop, a green chicken-feet curry by the roadside.
The rally is staying at the Twin Palms but we have booked in at Amanpuri for our 2 night stay in Phuket. Amanpuri is now 20 years old and we haven't been there since 1997. We feared that it might have rested on its laurels somewhat and that the staff might have become complacent and jaded. Not a bit of it. Both the property and staff are as fresh as ever, and the product and service are unsurpassed. If you can afford it, do go. www.amanresorts.com
Ellen goes straight for a manicure on our terrace at room 105, the best on the property.
A number of friends, whom we have not seen for varying numbers of years, join us for an excellent Thai dinner, and we have a wonderful evening.
7 MARCH 2008 - LAY DAY
A rest day. An old friend, whom we haven’t seen for some years, is running a big marina development.
His boss, the owner, was fascinated to hear about the rally and invited us to come on one of his boats for a cruise and lunch, together with the organiser and some more guests of our choosing.
A wonderful, entertaining, amusing, and instructive time was had by all, together with a superb lunch on board. The man’s hospitality was more than generous and if there is a better way to spend a lay day, I do not know it!
8 MARCH 2008 - EXHAUSTED Odometer reading at start: 3048
Sorry to leave wonderful Amanpuri for the long drive to Chumphon through beautiful mountain scenery up the spine of Thailand.
and our usual roadside breakfast
The crew were kept a little busy in the evening with a replica le Mans Bentley.
The Tusita Haven Resort and Spa was a pretty hotel in an unfrequented location with charming staff, but lacking in English or service, but perhaps the best Thai food we have ever had anywhere.
I realise that this diary is rather sparse, but by the time I get to it I am absolutely exhausted.
9 MARCH 2008 - GRIT! Odometer reading at start: 3286
Up and away at 7.00 am for over 300 miles to the River Kwai. First, the obligatory breakfast. Despite the No Smoking Sign and warning of a £33 fine, we were immediately given an ashtray. As usual, a meal for 3 with drinks cost under £6.
10 gallons after a refuel the car started to stutter, lose power, and misfire. I initially suspected fuel vaporisation and switched from the autovac to electric fuel pump, but the problem persisted. We called on the crew who drained off some petrol, to find it contaminated with grit. We therefore drained the tank completely and refilled, checking through a filter first, and the car was restored to full performance, cruising comfortably at 60mph.
We arrived at the Felix River Kwai at 5.00 pm.
10 MARCH 2008 - BANGKOK Odometer reading at start: 3603
We won't bother to go into detail, suffice it to say that missing the Felix River Kwai will not spoil your life.
We set off from Kanchanaburi at 7.10 am for a 2 night stay at our old haunt, The Oriental, Bangkok (the group is staying over the river at The Peninsula). Our welcome is as overwhelming as usual.
11 MARCH 2008 - CONNIE
Rest day at The Oriental. I must stop calling the car the car. Her name is Constance – Connie for short.
I had a manicure, pedicure, and leg massage yesterday, and Connie had a good bath and polish by the hotel staff last night, and looked very spruce this morning.
Tomorrow we have a long day to Siem Reap. The diary will either become more interesting, or even more boring if I am too knackered to give it more than passing attention.
12 MARCH 2008 - UNMADE ROADS Odometer reading at start: 3691
Well, dear reader, its been a big day.
It started well enough with the luggage being loaded on to a beautifully cleaned Constance at The Oriental....
....and a police escort for the first 40 miles to see us well on the way to the Thai/Cambodian border....
....where everybody was friendly and efficient, waving us past the lorry queues.
Similar friendliness and efficiency on the Cambodian side....
....and lots of happy smiling faces, and my first Cambodian beer.
The road from the border to Siem Reap has to be seen to be believed, and unfortunately the pictures do not do it justice.
95 of the 100 miles were completely unmade and consisted of a variety of extremely challenging surfaces - mainly hard rock with ridges, ruts, corrugations, humps, and pock-marks, often with a layer of fine sand which, when disturbed, reduced visibility to nil. Imagine, if you can, driving over a cobbled road with every alternate cobble removed. That was one of the better types of surface.
I was rather worried that the car would fall to pieces, and that the luggage trunk would be lost, so I was constantly checking the mirror. Well, the car did us proud, and, while I will examine underneath tomorrow for loose or broken bolts and hangers, she seems to have made it unscathed. Unlike others.
You may imagine our horror when arriving at Amansara, and despite all the mirror checking, and seeing this:
We had lost ALL our luggage. The choice was to laugh or cry. We sort of laughed. At least now it really is an adventure.
13 MARCH 2008 - WHAT SERVICE! Odometer reading at start: 3926
Woke up to our beautiful private pool at Amansara.
Last night Amansara sent out the search parties on that wonderful 100 mile road back to the border, together with leaflets which they had printed.
Lo and behold, 35 miles back down the road at a village called Kralanh they tracked down our luggage!
Of course it was not complete, but anything was better than nothing and we probably have 80% back. Like the old Heineken ad, only Aman can do this!
Meanwhile the hotel had repaired the broken shackles - and the windscreen wiper, without even being asked.
Performed the third service of the trip and decided to take a look underneath in view of yesterday's buffeting. The hotel has its own workshop and up the ramp she went.
No less than 5 mechanics crawled underneath cleaning, checking, and tightening.
They discovered a broken damper mounting and removed the damper to send off for welding....
....only to return to say they were worried that the welding heat would damage the gasket and it would leak oil - how intelligent of them. I called Andy Wood for advice and he said to leave it off - we wouldn't notice the difference!
Meanwhile I had been provided with a chair and fan while the car was worked on, and cold towels and water were sent over from the hotel. What service!
14 MARCH 2008 - HAVING A BALL
Second rest day in Siem Reap. I briefly considered making history as the first foreigner to come to Siem Reap and not go to Angkor Wat, but what the hell.
We were joined yesterday by our good friend Tracy, GM of Amankila, who will drive with us to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon).
An early start to Angkor Wat, where we have to get photo IDs to enter.
On the way, we stop by the enormous moat to negotiate special entrance for Connie, as tourist’s vehicles are not normally allowed to drive up to the temples....
....but we are successful and take lots pf photographs - here are a few:
Later we visit Bahn Tai Siri with its incredibly intricate carvings.
After lunch it has been suggested that we visit a monk for a water blessing, and, for reasons which will remain shrouded in mystery, off we went, accompanied by pristine fluffy white towels from ‘sara.
First we had to change into sarongs....
....and then get water thrown over us for what seemed an age while the monk chanted.
After that was done, the usual string was tied around our wrists.
Tea was then served in the ruins in timeless Aman fashion....
....watched by Chelsea FC fans.
We got back to find that six more pairs of shoes (Ellen travels light), four shirts, a belt, and some sundries had been returned. This is very pleasing but our estimate of 80% back is rather optimistic as we are still missing a number of good pieces. However, much much better that we could have hoped for. We are alive, well, and having a ball.
See you tomorrow.
15 MARCH 2008 - THIRTY SIX YEARS Odometer reading at start: 3938
Our 36th wedding anniversary.
Early start and off to Phnom Penh. Amansara has been completely up to Aman standards, and the staff have been absolutely delightful and so helpful.
45 minutes from Siem Reap we get a call from the hotel to the effect that we (for we read Ellen) have left Connie's documents behind. More praise to Amansara who might just have assumed that it was waste paper to be thrown away. The papers are the Carnet - the car's customs passport - and they are harder to replace than a passport; we can't cross borders with or without the car without them. We wait by the road while the hotel sends them on to us.
A few miles further we are pointed at by an overtaking car and stop to find that we have a puncture. While I am fiddling with the jack, a bus stops and the driver offers to help, leaving his passengers waiting! We can't quite get the wheel off but a call to Andy Wood (2.10am UK time) points us in the right direction. Meanwhile, three passing rally cars have stopped to help as well.
While all this is going on, Ellen is happily snapping more smiling Cambodian faces....
....and eventually we cross the Mekong to Phnom Penh.
An old friend, Peter Wynne, arrived here a few days ago in charge of the Cambodian Raffles, and laid on a superb dinner for us. It was fantastic to see him again and amazing how many friends we are seeing on this trip.
16 MARCH 2008 - HALFWAY Odometer reading at start: 4120
Away from Raffles, Phnom Penh by 7.30.
We enjoyed Cambodia - its people are friendly, charming, helpful, and intelligent.
On the way, we had another ferry crossing:
Just before the border, huge Las Vegas style casinos are mushrooming.
Then Vietnam, and the halfway mark of the rally:
Almost immediately, the barren landscape of Cambodia changed to lush greenery. All on the same plain, so rather a mystery. Very tidy and well-kept villages and suburbs.
Driving into Saigon was stressful to say the least. The thousands of motorcycles are like a river which just flows where it likes. Far too busy driving and navigating to take photographs, unfortunately.
Rest day here tomorrow, then up the coast to Da Lat.
17 MARCH 2008 - CONVOYS
Wake up to a vibrant bustling city,
and Ellen as usual sampling the local breakfast.
Great shopping - got some Tod’s to replace some lost in Cambodia, and great 100% linen superb quality trousers at US$58!
Lunch at the Temple Club was excellent,
as was dinner at Square One at the Park Hyatt - Vietnamese food has been a delicious revelation, with a separate identity from the four other cuisines so far experienced. This is a sticky rice bowl containing a fantastic seafood concoction:
Our charming waitress:
This evening's briefing contained some surprises.
The authorities have now decided that we are to travel in three convoys of 12 cars each throughout Vietnam, for our "enjoyment and security". Quite what happens if a car breaks down, or when different cars need to be refuelled at different times, or if one cannot keep up, and many other questions, remains to be explained.
This will be interesting.
5.45 wake-up call, so goodnight.
18 MARCH 2008 - OUT OF TOWN Odometer reading at start: 4282
Well, getting out of town was fun. The only way to keep together was to close your eyes, keep your hand on the horn, ignore the lights, and just keep going. We managed to keep close together for the first 18 miles and 2 hours, and then heavy traffic and traffic lights finally split us up.
Some of the girls have frilly shades on their crash helmets.
It was good to get out of town and stop for lunch.
A floating village was interesting.
and we pass from motorcycles to bicycles.
Connie didn't like mountaineering much, but we got over the 2500 ft range.
Great interest as usual when filling up, from charming and friendly people
and on into Da Lat.
Some were unfortunately not so happy
but we notice that we are warily welcomed and enjoy a drink with the tour guides and our excellent representative from the Ministry of Tourism.
The hotel is quaint and the staff are charming....must find a synonym.
Tomorrow is a rest day, but I have a big lube to do first.
19 MARCH 2008 - SACRIFICES
A major lube for me this morning, and a delightful surprise when a tray of drinks arrives.
Da Lat is an enchanting colonial town and well worth a visit. This is the view from the hotel, built in 1922 and overlooking Xuan Huong Lake.
and a corridor.
We take a trip out to the hill tribes - there are 54 ethnic minorities in Vietnam, 5 of them in this area. The one we visited was 60% catholic - here's the church, and a villager
although I didn’t know that animal sacrifice actually still plays a part in that denomination.
There is some evident prosperity here - many crops, well tended fields, and new houses, in this case next to the old:
Inside the old house:
The horses are very small
and the people still weave traditionally
On the way, we stop at a Buddhist temple
very different from anything we have encountered in other countries. Apparently, when Buddhism spread out from India it did so in two branches; one to Sri Lanka, Burma, Thailand, Indonesia, the other to China, Japan, and Vietnam etc., and the two forms are very distinct.
It contained female Buddhas, and guardians we have never seen before.
And finally, every workman should have a Louis Vuitton copy bag for his tools.
So long for now.
20 MARCH 2008 - HIDEAWAY Odometer reading at start: 4454
Across the mountains and along the coastal road with glorious scenery to Nha Trang.
The amount of cultivation and fishing is incredible, and there are numerous signs of the wealth generated.
Here are a few pictures from the drive:
We arrived at a place called the VinPearl Resort and Spa, on an island a short way offshore and accessed by speedboat or cable car. One glance at the shore-side check in was enough and we were immediately on the phone to our dear friend Henry Gray in Thailand to see what could be done. Unfortunately, Ana Mandara, a fine Six Senses Hotel on the shore, was full, but we could go to their island hideaway, which we did. And very nice too, with the most amazing seafood you have ever seen.
However, with an hour's transfer to get back to Connie for the next day's 300 mile drive, this meant a 5.00 wake-up.
21 MARCH 2008 - 12½ HOURS Odometer reading at start: 4580
Arrive at Connie to find a tyre half-deflated, so first have to find air at 7 o’clock in the morning. This done, and a refuel, we leave by 7.30.
More stunning mountain and coastal scenery – as good as anything we have ever seen.
Lunch was not for the squeamish:
With tyre deflating again, I decided to use our second and last spare. Thankfully, we ran into a support crew who took the dead wheels off our hands, and got them repaired and replaced on the car.
Traffic conditions were indescribable. Thousands of motorcycles who just pull out and do what they like with taking any notice of other traffic, and buses and lorries thundering down either side of the road, horns blaring. After dark, with many of the motorcycles unlit, it was even worse, and we were nervous wrecks by the time we reached the Nam Hai hotel at Hoi An after a 12½ hour drive. This magnificent new hotel has to be seen to be believed, and is as stunning as you will find anywhere. With fantastic scenery, fabulous food, and friendly charming (that word again) people, Vietnam's coast is surely a tourist boom waiting to happen. Go before it is over-run.
Tomorrow is a rest day, which we badly need after today. There will be no diary.
23 MARCH 2008 - la Residence Odometer reading at start: 4883 so over 2500 miles so far.
A gentle 80 mile drive to the old Imperial capital, Hue, through yet more stunning mountains and views.
A funeral on the way:
We often saw hoses spraying water aimlessly 3/4 meters into the air, and were to discover that they were to attract passing traffic for washing!
To la Residence
and a box room in the modern wing too ghastly to contemplate. The proffered substitution in the old part was little better and looked out over the car park. Thankfully, a suite was available to which we upgraded.
Then off in a hotel car for a little sightseeing.
First, stunning views from a Vietnam war US bunker position:
and then to Tu Duc’s tomb.
Past the citadel
to a seemingly private house and garden which apparently had something to do with the driver’s family (his English was very poor). It had the most amazing arboretum with an incredible variety of trees. These are the ones we can remember (yes, all trees, including the tea):
Tomorrow, 225 miles to Vinh, and hotel described as "there is no alternative". Should be interesting.
24 MARCH 2008 - AMUSEMENTS Odometer reading at start: 4961
A remarkably boring drive to Vinh, with just one short scenic mountain pass. We finally crossed the 17th parallel which separated South Vietnam from North Vietnam before the end of the war and unification in 1975.
A couple of amusements from earlier days which I forgot when writing the diary:
A waiter asked what we were doing and I told him we were driving from KL to Hanoi. He asked why we did not fly. I thought this an extremely astute question.
One or two hotels had a habit of sending hot milk with coffee, and even with tea, so it was necessary to be specific. One morning I found myself asking for white milk and cold sugar – and watched the waiter write it down!
The hotel is clean and adequate for a night. Tomorrow is a new day and a new country. We will be up at 5.00 again. 285 miles, partly over mountains, and with a border crossing, is not going to be an easy day.
25 MARCH 2008 - GLORIOUS MOUNTAINS Odometer reading at start: 5172
Leave at 6.05am and even at that time have to fight our way through miles of hordes of pedestrians and cyclists. We are told the population of Vietnam is now 85 million and there must be a huge population explosion going on as most of the people around are young. But do change your light bulbs.
Eventually the humanity gives way to glorious mountains
and the border crossing to Laos at about 2200 ft.
On the Lao side, the climbs become steeper and the scenery even more spectacular.
Once on the plain, the traffic contrast with Vietnam was glorious - civilised, courteous and disciplined, and an absence of constant horns, and reckless trucks, buses, and two-wheelers.
We reach the Don Chan Palace at Vientiane at 3.00pm.
PS You may be wondering how Connie has been performing in the mountains since her first poor day. Well we had a heart to heart, and I gave her a few tips and hints, and I am delighted to tell you that she took it all on board and has climbed up and down the mountains faultlessly since.
26 MARCH 2008 - BORROWED FUEL Odometer reading at start: 5441
Well I spoke to soon yesterday, but we had not been warned of over 150 miles of steep mountaineering up and down to nearly 5000 ft.
Connie decided she definitely didn't like this, and decided to overheat her carburettor and vaporise her fuel. I switched from autovac to electric pump, but this did not cure the problem, so then doused the float chamber with cold water to cool it and strapped the bonnet open. This solved the problem...
...except that the organisers had not thought to warn us of the long distance between fuel stops, and only three other participants kindly providing us with their spare supplies saved us.
Meanwhile, having exhausted superlatives for previous mountain crossings, I am at a loss to describe today’s which far surpassed any previous. Quite extraordinary climbs, drives along high ridges, and astounding views down into valleys with rivers and lakes. Unfortunately, as I said before, a small camera cannot do landscapes justice, but here are a few pictures.
After 10 hours, we finally arrive at our ghastly hotel at dusk. Tomorrow is a rest day (rest? I have a major lube to do) and we will be joined by our good friends John and Chrissie from Bali for the last three stages in to Hanoi. They have some surprises awaiting them.
27 MARCH 2008 - REST DAY
While I was lubing Connie, Ellen went to the museum in Luang Prabang.
John and Chrissie arrived
and in the afternoon we took a hotel car into town, saw the local weaving (and bought a couple of pieces of course) and had tea at an excellent patisserie.
28 MARCH 2008 - MINES ADVISORY GROUP Odometer reading at start: 5668
At at 5.00 for what we know will be a tough mountain drive. Learning from experience, I lash open the bonnet before the climbing begins, and experience no problems.
to Phonsavan on the Plain of Jars - read about this fascinating place at Wikipedia or google it. Unfortunately, Ellen had been so promiscuous with both our cameras that she ran out of battery at this key visit! However, John took these with his mobile phone:
and we continued into the sunset
Another dreadful hotel and in the late afternoon down to the MAG Office (Mines Advisory Group).
