Category: PENNY TO HELSINKI

After 3 days on the road we have spent the night in Chiang Rai the capital of “The Golden Triangle”.

Upon arrival last night we received good news from the rest of the group that the cars will be cleared today Tuesday and they should get on the road in the afternoon and the plan is to meet us at the Chinese border on the 21st which is only one day late for our crossing.

After leaving the River Kwai area 2 days ago we headed north through vast areas of Sugar cane and Cassava (tapioca) farms and numerous roads stalls with people selling market garden produce. We then cross a range into the Chao Phraya River valley with rice paddies everywhere. It was flat. We finished that day heading over to travel along the Myanmar-Thai border area. Over there the farming was very intense with corn and sugar cane on the sloops and rice paddies built on the flat part of the gully where it was too wet to grow corn and sugar.

The main tourist attraction along the way seems to be caves and waterfalls as all the tourist signs are pointing to cave and waterfalls. It’s only natural when the country side is limestone ranges and mountains with tropical downpours everyday.

That night was spent in a nice little Hotel costing us $15 per room for the night with air conditioning. The weather had been so hot and humid, when we filled with fuel in the afternoon we stood in the 7-eleven store air-con for about 20 mins eating an ice-cream; just as a reprieve from the heat and to rebuild some energy for the rest of the drive.

The morning started yesterday with us following the River that divides Myanmar and Thailand. This road was very winding and rough in place with it taking 3.5 hours to do 120 k’s before we found a nice little road side stall for fried rice and egg for Breakfast. Lunch most days is we share half a bar-b-qued chicken from a roadside vendor and always picking the one that still hot on the fire.

As we head east toward Chiang Mai we crossed a high mountain range where all the cabbages are grown on the cool mount slopes. Once we reached the valley floor again we were back with the humidity and storms.

We stopped for a rest at a hot spring park where all the tourist soak their weary feet in the Hot spring water and visit the numerous shops surrounding the springs.

I have added photos to the post from the other day when I had technical issues.

Maurie and I got away from the Peninsula Hotel in Bangkok at 0900 with a little Fanfare from group we left behind to wait for their cars, and no real plan for the day except heading north towards China.

When we stopped after 10 mins to make sure Penny was full of fuel we came up with the idea of heading west instead and going to the Bridge over The River Kwai and Hellfire Pass on the Thai Burma Railway.

Just as we arrived in the town of Kanchanburri we stopped at a local roadside cafe for lunch.  Those of you on this list that know my eating habits of meat and carbs and I always make friends with the Vegetarians on a trip to get more meat will be shocked with what I ate. I chose what looked like a chicken dish but to my surprise when I started eating it I’m fairly sure it was some kind of TOFU dish, the protein in it certainly wasn’t meat. To use an old expression of my dad’s – it filled a hole.

We then went on to a most sobering afternoon of visiting the museums and sites along the Burma Thailand  Railway. I don’t know what else to say about yesterday afternoon then “Lest We Forget”.

We discovered the easiest way to park Penny in the town near the bridge was in the Town Square where everyone is and the Tourist Police were even happy to have us parked there.

The night was spent in a nice Hotel beside the River Kwai. And today we need to make kilometres North towards Chang Mai.

I’m sorry there  are no Pics today due to technical problems! Perhaps tomorrow.

Departure day is upon us. Due to trans-shipping problems in Singapore for the 4 cars coming from Australia they have not arrived and only left Singapore for Bangkok yesterday.  If all the Customs clearances go well the rest of the group will leave Bangkok on Tuesday for a hectic drive to the Chinese border. We are due at the Chinese border to meet our guide and do all the paperwork on the Thursday, so the rest should be caught up by then. Penny came to Bangkok from the UK so was not with the same shipping line and route so didn’t caught in Singapore.

We are still leaving as planed taking the scenic route up to Laos and will await at the Chinese border for the rest to arrive, as we are all required to cross as a group.

Yesterday was a day of a long tail boat ride on the river and canals in the morning plus a visit to a local market, then sorting the car late in the afternoon to get everything to fit ready for our departure this morning.

Just before Lunch yesterday Reg and I headed to the Customs house and port to collect Penny.

We arrive just before lunch to sign some paper work and promise to pay the Thai government 3,000,000 Baht if I didn’t take the car out of Thailand in 30 days. Just as the paperwork was signed we where told that we then had to wait till after lunch to come back at 1.30. The shipping agent took us to the port office staff canteen for lunch which was like a food market were we walked around and decided on our local lunch. Reg and I chose some rice and fried mackerel pieces which turned out to be cold. We were a little apprehensive but to our surprise it was a great meal – as we still had it 2 hours later!!

On return to the customs houseafter lunch there was more signatures and photocopying before we headed to the warehouse and port for car collection. We waited in the shade of a tree for an hour for a reason that became clear in the end. Our agent had to find the custom inspector that was to release the car. When he turned up I was expecting that we would need to unpack the car for an inspection, but he was only interested in a photo shoot and a couple more signatures. before we where on our way.  

When we where taken to Penny in the warehouse I was most relieved to finally be reunited with her and for her to start with the first push of the button. Even the customs inspector was excited with how well she started.

It was then a 7.2k drive back to the hotel! How-ever this became a 15.8k  trip with a couple missed freeway exits and poor instruction from the GPS.

Hopefully we will sort our Navigation before heading north on Saturday.