DAY 42 - BANGKOK DAY 1

The boys on the infamous Khao San Road

Since we didn't get in until 5am in the morning, we had a late wake up at 1 in the afternoon. Dave, Fintan and Paul headed off in the Hummer to brave Bangkok's hectic traffic and see some of the city while Chuck and Rhys, the two bedheads continued their beauty sleep! We realised we had landed on our feet with the cheap hotel, it was very clean and it's location was perfect.

Dave has been to Bangkok many times and one of the defining moments for him since the creation of the trip has been the image of driving up Khao San Road in Bangkok with the Hummer. Khao San Road is a mecca for backpackers travelling South East Asia. It is normally the first point where they arrive and organise their onward adventures to the rest of the South East Asian region. The place is an absolute hell hole full of fake goods, dodgy tour operators, low quality restaurants and dingy accommodation. Many a scam story has come from this street and it's even portrayed in the movie 'The Beach'.

The boys bribed a policeman with 100 Baht (2 Euro) in order to drive down the closed off road, stopping to buy some fake DVDs and take in the atmosphere of the place. When we parked, crowds of travellers were coming up asking questions about the drive and we met some really interesting characters and some promises for donations. We obviously didn't bribe the police officer enough so when we returned from a quick lunch, the car had been clamped! 300 Baht (6 euro) later, the car was unclamped. Who knows where this money went to but this puts rip-off Ireland into perspective!

An Image of the King on a Bangkok Skyscraper

After Khao San, we took a short drive to the Grand Palace which is a complex of intricately designed and detailed temples and monuments that served as the official residence of the King of Thailand from the 18th century to the mid-twentieth century. In Thailand, the current King, Bhumibol is the longest reigning monarch in the world (61 years in power) and is hugely respected for transforming the country to democracy in the 1990s and raising the overall standards of living. Portraits of the King appear all over the country, even in homes and shops where people show respect by displaying his image.

Fintan getting spiritual at a Temple in the Grand Palace

Before entering the Grand Palace we had a good laugh in the car park with a street kid who approached us looking for anything he could get. We gave him all the sweets and crisps in the car and a few Baht. The kid didn't speak a word of English and we spoke about 3 in Thai but we had a good laugh none the less. See our attempt at an English lesson in the video below.

In the evening, the lads regrouped and had dinner at the hotel. Before heading off, Dave had to do his weekly tradition of calling his beloved mother Caroline. He's been doing this without fail for over 4 years. We then headed out for a hectic tuk tuk drive to the hectic Patpong night market. Our tuk tuk driver came into his own and we were encouraging him to wheelie at every traffic light on the way. After Patpong we went back to Khao San in search of some busy bars. The place was dead and we were sad to see a tamed elephant so out of its natural environment for the entertainment of tourists who pay to feed it. See video below.

DAY 41 - LANGKAWI TO BANGKOK

MARATHON DRIVE AND SKETCHY BORDER CROSSING

The Boys Reach Thailand!

We all struggled to get up early and catch the ferry after a long night in Reggae Bar. We eventually made it to the port in time for the 11.30am ferry and got back to thankfully find the car on the mainland in one piece. From Alor Star it was only a short drive to our first sketchy section of the entire drive, the Malaysia/Thailand border. Southern Thailand and it's predominantly Muslim provinces has a history of separatist violence that has intensified since 2004. Since then over 2,700 people have been killed in the violence. There has also been kidnappings at the Malay/Thai borders. This was enough to give us the creeps!

Malaysian Customs Patrol

The border had three sections, first the Malaysian Customs, then no man's land and finally Thai Customs and Immigration. Things went smoothly enough although it did take a long time as most border officials rarely see anything of this sort passing through. At the Malaysian border, the head of customs looked after us and was having a good laugh telling us about other similar trips like ours which he'll never forget. In the office of the head of customs during the clearing process, Dave made an idiot of himself by falling off his chair while talking to the boss! See video below! The longest part was the Thai customs who couldn't get their heads around the Carnet for the Hummer which wasn't even necessary for Thailand in the first place!

Luckily all of the warnings and panic was not necessary as the drive went smoothly with no problems. We hit the road hard once we got through the border en route to Bangkok 1,400kms away. Other than petrol refuels, we only stopped once for a quick roadside feed. Dave put in a sterling effort with a 14 hour slog to get us to Bangkok. We finally arrived by 5am and took advantage of the city's tuk tuk expertise to find a suitable hotel in the popular Sukumvit area. Needless to say we were all out for the count the second we got to our rooms.

Finally, we've managed to source a program that enables Dave and Finto to view and edit our camcorder footage that is being taken for the documentary. The video on this blog is our first attempt.

DAY 41 ROUTE MAP

DAY 40 - PENANG TO LANGKAWI

The Overwhelming stench of Pinang's Gurney Beach

We were up early to drive to Alor Star in order to catch the hour long ferry to the holiday island of Langkawi. One of our concerns about Alor Star was where we were going to park the car when we left on the ferry since it's not a very developed place. Upon arrival to the port we found a sign for a 'car park'. This place was not your average multi-storey car park but rather an unused space in a shanty town beside a rat infested stream. We offered double the 15 ringit (3 Euro) parking rate the next day if the car was still there safe and sound. The 'car park manager' was overjoyed with this offer. See video of the car park below.

After the hour long ferry, we arrived and organised ourselves seme cheap accomodation by the main beach on the Western side of the island. Langkawi is an archipelago of 99 islands in the Andamen Sea. We stayed on the largest island, Pulau Langkawi which is a duty-free haven attracting many Thai and Malaysian shoppers.

Chuck on Pantai Cenang, Langkawi

After settling in, a brief swim and some blog work by Fintan and Dave, we headed off for a cheap seafood dinner and an evening at Reggae Bar, the most popular club on the island.There were some very interesting Malay characters, especially one who was off his mond on something or other by the name of 'Captain Jack Sparrow'. The Malaysian Reggae band were great craic and played some classic Bob Marley and UB40 tunes.

The Boys and Captain Jack Sparrow!

DAY 40 - ROUTE MAP

DAY 39 - KUALA LUMPUR TO PENANG

The Hummer tries to get close to the Petronas Towers

After a late awakening, we eventually packed all our bags into the Hummer and hit the road bound for Penang with our guest crazy bloke, Paul from Glasgow who is now with us until Chang Mai. Due to a lack of space in the car, Fintan’s bodyboard finally got the boot, left behind in Ish’s much to the joy of the other lads who were on the verge of breaking it!

Before we got out of KL we tried to get back to the Petronas Towers to get some footage. But after a half hour trek through tiny traffic ridden back roads, we turned back towards the highway. Eventually finding our way to the highway we set off for Penang, a 4 hour drive to the north. Arriving into Penang that night we set out to find something to eat and somewhere stay. Unfortunately the meal we settled for proved to be tragic, without thinking we sat down at a winter tea and coffee place (in hindsight not a great idea considering Malaysia is a tropical country) and after a disappointing meal we set out to find some accommodation.

The Hummer tries to Negotiate through KL traffic

Without Ish to guide us we had some trouble finding our way around a place that was completely foreign to all of us and for the first time we got a taste of what will no doubt be a common sensation along the trip. Eventually with the help of a local taxi driver we found some accommodation and decided to settle down after a day spent mostly on the road. While Paul, Dave and Finto relaxed in the room Rhys and Chuck decided to go out for a few drinks and see what the island had to offer. It was a quiet night out and the boys returned reasonably early for the early start pending in the morning.

One thing has certainly become clear to all of us over the last week, just how friendly and helpful the Malay people are. Everywhere we have been we have been warmly welcomed and everyone has been extremely keen to help out wherever possible. Tomorrow’s trip to the island of Langkawi promises some great scenery and hopefully another white sandy beach to relax on for the day.

DAY 39 - ROUTE MAP

DAY 38 - KUALA LUMPUR DAY 1

The lads get ready for their Karting Race!

We were all up early with the intention to create our own version of the Malaysian Formula 1 Grand Prix at the local Go-Karting track. However, we were devastated by the arrival of torrential rain on the way to the track. We decided to push on none the less and persuaded the owner to let us out on the soaked track in all-weather tired karts. There was plenty of chat on about who was going to win and plenty of large bets being thrown around that would never be paid especially between Ish and Dave. After some fierce arguments over choice of karts, the seven of us eventually hit the track.

Ish won the mock Grand Prix after heated debates over the abilities of each kart especially by Dave who spent most of his time in a puddle with a conked out engine. The lads merely repeated the old slogan ‘A good tradesman never blames his tools’ much to Dave’s annoyance! Despite the torrential rain, we all had a great day on the track. See the video below for highlights.

After karting, we endured some of the worst rush-hour traffic KL had to offer. After finally making it home an hour later Rhys went off to get his stitches cleaned up while the boys got ready for the night ahead. Ish brought us out for Chinese dinner in the Kuala Lumpur golf club. After this the boys headed into the city for a night out in Zouk nightclub at the foot of the Petronas Towers.

The boys at the Petronas Towers

The Petronas Towers are some of the tallest and most spectacular buildings in the world, especially by night. The lads took a quick stop for some photos before heading into Zouk nightclub. Ish used his skills to skip the enormous queue and before we knew it, we were bopping away to 70s and 80s classics.

Malaysia is the first Muslim country on the journey and from what we have seen and read Malaysia seems like a relatively liberal Muslim society. Many women wear Hijab although there are many bars and nightclubs in plain view around KL. Mosques are a prominent part of the local architecture and there seems to be a incredible amount of effort put into their construction and design. From our knowledge these dramatic Mosques will become even more prevalent in other Muslim countries further along the journey. While on the internet in the morning in Ish’s we could hear the sounds of Muslim prayer in the distance.

DAY 37 - SINGAPORE TO KUALA LUMPUR

The boys say farewell to the Orchard Parksuites

The boys were up early in preparation for the drive from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur. But before they left Fintan arranged to meet a college friend Peter McFeely, who is now working in Singapore, for lunch in the financial district. The boys drove and it was a mission to find a parking space for the Hummer. To park in a car park with the spotlights and roofrack now re-attached is impossible so we managed to get ourselves into a supermarket loading bay for half and hour. This is a regular problem with a car like this, but because of our US reg plates, we're not too concerned with parking tickets...who are they going to send them to?!

It was then time to hit the road to KL but first we had to collect Ish from his uncle's house half and hour away. We thought this would be made easy with Google maps, but we ended up spending over 2 hours getting lost in Singapore's maze of highways before eventually finding it.

Then it was on to the Malaysian border, our first land border of the trip. Everything went smoothly and the Carnet was stamped with no hassles leaving Singapore and entering Malaysia. This was done on a very low tank because Malaysian petrol is over 5 times cheaper than in Singapore so we didn't want to fill up until we crossed the border. In fact, Singaporean cars must have at least a 3/4 tank when they leave Singapore to prevent 'petrol arbitrage'!

The Petronas Towers at Night

An hour into our Malaysian leg we hit a tropical rainstorm! Dave had to negotiate the car with extremely poor vision due to torrential rain. This wasn't helped by masses of crazy moped drivers who zip around like flies on the road. Eventually the rain passed and we cruised into Kuala Lumpur by night and were greeted by the incredible Petronas Towers. After a cheap feed and some shisha in Ish's local India haunt, we went back to his family home where the Singh family were kindly putting all of us up.

DAY 37 ROUTE

DAY 36 - SINGAPORE DAY 4

THE HUMMER IS BACK IN TOWN!!!

A delighted Dave is re-united with his Hummer at Singapore Port!

It was an early start for Dave who was collected by Ish and they headed off to tackle the best Singaporean bureaucracy had to offer while trying to get the Hummer from the port. At this stage we were all aware of Singapore’s stringent rules and regulations but what lay ahead in the attempt to release and drive a foreign vehicle on Singapore’s roads really took the biscuit!

The first stop for the boys was the Automobile Association of Singapore to apply for an International Circulation Permit which was necessary to get a foreign vehicle on the road. However to get the permit Dave needed to present the Carnet for the Hummer which was at the shipping agent’s office on the other side of the island. Off they went to collect the Carnet which is an essential part of the trip and acts as a passport for the vehicle to be stamped by customs when entering and leaving each country.

After collecting the Carnet and paying port handling charges with the agent it was back to the AA to organize the permit and compulsory insurance to cover Singapore and Malaysia. Dave was then informed that he would need to go to the Land Transport Authority to get an Autopass. This is a card that collects data from all the toll scanners throughout the city. Of course the Transport Authority was all the way over the other side of the city again! This was getting ridiculous, especially since the port itself was another big drive through heavy traffic from the Transport Authority.

After leaving the apartment at 9am it was 4pm by the time the boys even got to the port. Needless to say it was another ordeal to obtain temporary entry passes to the port and then locate the car in the busiest container port in the world! Eventually Dave reached the correct wharf, then the wharf’s correct section and then the section’s correct warehouse to see his long lost girlfriend at last! See video below)

Customs and police inspection were all very friendly and interested when they saw the Hummer and the trip map on the side, so the boys got through smoothly enough. Leaving the port we were surrounded by massive container trucks and all the drivers were looking at us like we had 2 heads! We can’t imagine there are too many boyos collecting Hummers for world trips among all the cargo that is moved here! This entire day was red tape like we’ve never seen before and we’re sure that there is plenty more of this to come with border crossings through much less organized countries. A massive thanks is due here to Ish for putting up with the whole ordeal and driving Dave around all day, the boy is a legend!

That evening Dave and Paul went to play 5-a-side soccer with Ish and his cousins while the other boys went for a meal and indulged in the Discovery Channel at the apartment. We’re all ready to get back in the car and hit the road again tomorrow to Kuala Lumpur.

DAY 35 - SINGAPORE DAY 3

We all had a late start on Sunday morning. Fintan was up first after being rudely awoken by Dave's usual sleep talking. This was particularly interesting as Dave was pulling out all the stops to get an imaginary girl's phone number! Where's the video camera when you need it?

We then went off to the pool for a recuperation session only to be greeted by a legend Mongolian businessman who without saying a word, threw cans of Heineken at us into the pool. We could hardly refuse and were surprised by his knowledge of Irish Nationalism. We were also told all about the famous Mongolian Genghis Khan! After the pool Dave, Fintan and Paul had a gym session before being collected by Ish who was bringing us out for dinner in little India.

Upon our arrival in Little India, we were overwhelmed by the sheer number of expatriate Indians. The busy and hectic district was an eye opener of what is to be expected when we reach the actual country but Ish informed us that this was nothing in comparison to the sheer chaos of cities such as Delhi.

Cafe Del Mar, Sentosa, Singapore

After a cheap but delicious Indian feed we ventured off to Sentosa, a huge reclaimed land development near the port with man-made beaches, bars and clubs. We chose Cafe Del Mar and were overwhelmed by how slick the venue was.

DAY 34 - SINGAPORE DAY 2

Orchard Parksuites...Our home for the next few days

After a mammoth sleep and lie-in at our 25th floor penthouse, we ventured out to see some of the city. Our accommodation is right beside the main shopping district of Orchard Road. We all found the city incredibly clean and Ish who is a former Singaporean Police Officer informed us of some of the interesting laws and restrictions in the city, including the 500 dollar fine for spitting or littering in public.

We've noticed a massive obsession among Singaporeans with retail therapy. Orchard Road alone has over 20 large shopping malls and all seem to be continuously jammed. We also found that beyond eating and loitering around the malls there isn't a great deal to do in the city. That in mind, Ish organised a 5 star dinner that night in the Equinox Bar and restaurant, an establishment which harbours perhaps the best view of Singapore in the city. Perched on the 73rd floor we enjoyed a class meal and drinks before heading out to the Ministry of Sound nightclub in Clarke Quay.

The Singapore Skyline From Equinox Bar

Finto and Chuck decided to bail out on the trip to Equinox and stay behind to have a few drinks at the apartment. In their haste to get a head start drinkwise due to the exorbinant drinks prices in Ministry of Sound (20 dollars a drink!), they wrote themselves off and lasted about an hour in the nightclub before they were home in bed! We were issued with Ministry of Sound Press Passes and Rhys and Dave got plenty of footage inside the club, necessary for the upcoming documentary. All in all, a great night was had.

DAY 33 - PHUKET TO SINGAPORE

A 6.00 am start heralded the day we had all been waiting for since the 1st of Jan; the flight back to Singapore and to many of the comforts we had been ill-afforded over the past two weeks. Upon leaving Phuket Town for the airport it was sad to say goodbye to Dave Hickey, our mate who had been with us for the last week and contributed to many great times and memories for the trip.

Warning on the Singapore Immigration cards

On arrival at the airport it was a no-nonsense check in and we set off for Singapore with no dramas at all. The scariest warning signs in Changi Airport stated 'Warning: Death for Drug Traffickers under Singapore Law'. Of course none of us had any drugs but it was enough to send shivers up our spines after hearing horror stories of drugs being planted on people.

We were welcomed by our old mate Ish upon landing, on holidays home from Uni on the Gold Coast where we saw him last, and as a Singapore local he kindly took us back to his house for lunch. We then we set off for the luxurious Orchard Park Suites Penthouse thanks to the Garling family who have given us the privilege of their apartment once again. Staying here for the next few days will truly be a welcome change to our last two weeks in Thailand with clean beds, bathrooms and safe water from the taps. The prospect of some rest and recuperation in this environment has been something we have all been looking forward to.

Clinic Bar, Clarke Quay

Later that day we were met by Paul, a mate of Dave and Ish from Scotland who plans to do a leg of the journey with us. We set off to Clarke Quay for a Mongolian BBQ dinner. Clarke Quay is the heart of Singapore nightlife with many bars and clubs including; Ministry of Sound, Hed Kandi, Fashion TV Bar and Clinic Bar. Clinic Bar gave us all a great laugh as it is set up entirely like a hospital with wheelchairs for seats and cocktails served from a drip! (see photo above) After dinner we went home to get some well anticipated rest.

DAY 32 - KO PHANGAN TO PHUKET

Our 'Luxurious' Bus from Dunsak to Surat Thani

After 2 days of recovering from the New Years Full Moon Party, it was time to head back to Singapore to collect the car and get stuck in to the Asian leg of the journey. However we first had to endure a day of travelling back to Phuket in order to catch a plane back to Singapore. Expectations of a quick trip were low considering our last journey from Phuket to Ko Phangan but we were promised that we would be put on a ‘fast ferry’ this time. So we reluctantly paid the tour operator 700 Bhat each for our fare to Phuket.

As usual, our trip to Phuket began with a tuk tuk taxi from our resort to the ‘fast ferry’. Unfortunately this ferry was all but fast, especially considering there was some swell in the sea from a New Years storm. The ocean waves made the 20 year old boat’s long and narrow structure sway like see-saw much to the disdain of the 200 or so hung-over travellers onboard.

We arrived at Donsak at what we thought was an hour ahead of schedule only to be shown to a bunch of chicken buses and hauled off on an hour long drive to another bus station at Surat Thani. Heads sunk as shoddy Thai food was rolled out on makeshift counters. At this point we realized that we were in for the same ordeal again.

After a two hour wait at Surat Thani, a tuk tuk arrived to take us to yet another bus station/ restaurant/ internet café/newsagent for another 2 hour wait. Patience was running seriously thin at this stage. It was now 7.30pm, we had now been travelling for over 8 hours and we still hadn’t even gotten to the West side of Thailand! The 50+ travellers in the station were either going to Phuket Town or Patong Beach so the arrival of a single 25 seater coach prompted mass commotion. The tour guides truly had us by the balls and charged an extra 200 Bhat to anyone who wanted the privilege of catching this first bus. We were too tired and concerned about being stranded to argue this 200 Bhat/4 Euro charge and chinned it to the delight of the Thai chancer.

4 hours later our coach finally arrived in Phuket. It was now midnight and we were all knackered and smelly so we bailed to the nearest cheap hotel for a few hours rest before our early flight to Singapore tomorrow.

DAY 29 - NEW YEARS EVE ON KO PHANGAN

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Haad Rin Beach, Full Moon Party, New Years Eve!

New Years Eve was all about preparation for the Full Moon Party. Dave started his partying earliest, buying his first bucket at 1 in the afternoon while everyone was still chilling on the beach. The rest of the lads took it easy before the big night ahead. After eventually finding Dave who was spraying innocent bystanders with party spray in the middle of town, we all headed off for a Nepalese dinner.

Hickey and Dave take Full Moon Dress Up to a New Level!

Over dinner we discussed dressing up for the party. Most people get well and truely involved with fluoro body paint and an array of strangely themed costumes. Dave and Hickey randomly decided they should take this tradition further by doing something completely different. Walking past a local fish restaurant on the way home from dinner we noticed 2 sharks on display amongst the other fish on offer. 'Who buys a shark?'....Dave Foran and Dave Hickey apparently do! After 10 minutes of bartering with the restaurateur, the lads had two sharks with a view to scaring the living hell out of the revellers on Haad Rin.

Rhys is not happy!

On arrival to Haad Rin beach we were greeted by a neon-lit beach crammed with about 10,000 fluoro painted travellers! The night was great fun to say the least. Partying with people from the world over, all of whom were out to celebrate and welcome in the new year. 'New years Day' by U2 was the first song of the New Year and despite many of us getting separated in the crowd we were reunited after a brief rain storm on the beach. Rhys ran into a bit of trouble; inadvertently stepping on some stray broken glass during a brief blackout that occurred early on new years morning. As a result he was helped to the (extremely busy) Haad Rin Hospital by Dave and Hickey where he was given 3 stitches to the bottom of his foot. This didn't stop the festivities however, the guys returning to the beach to welcome in the first day of the new year. All in all the night was amazing; great mates, great times and plenty of stories to tell.

Partying on Haad Rin Continues on into New Years Day

The guys want to wish everyone a Happy New Year and thank all those who have shown us constant support during the inaugural period of the trip. Now the trip will start to get really interesting as we plan to head back to Singapore to meet the car and plan for the Asian leg of the journey.