DAY 59 - SHANGRI-LA DAY 2

Rhys in the Shangri-La snow

Today was to be the first day of skiing for us on the trip so far. We planned to hit the slopes of the new resort in Shangri-La while Dave organised a ferry from Bangkok to Calcutta, India. Kevin, who we had met the night before runs a ski hire shop and we called him early that morning to go get decked out with some ski gear we had forgotten to bring from home.

During the course of the fit-out Kevin introduced us to his business associate, a guy who was renowned as the ‘go to’ man for any questions in regards to the roads or tracks between Shangri-La and Lhasa. A native of Lhasa, he runs a 4WD club in Shangri-La and knows the mountain passes better than anyone. Naturally we peppered him with all our questions in regard to the feasibility of crossing into Tibet without the permit and in the treacherous weather. To be honest this guy seemed like a bit of a mad man, he was keen to take us and claimed he knew the military personnel well enough to get us through without the permit. He did also recommend that if we did go (and he would guide us) we would need a week’s worth of rations, chains for the tyres and shovels to potentially dig out parts of the road that may be completely covered in snow. Considering we are currently at 3,000 metres with snow piled all over the roads, the cover at 5,500 metres he said would be dangerous and substantial. After an hour of planning and with the reality of achieving what was previously thought impossible, a dampener was thrown on the plan by our current guide when he threatened to call the police if we gunned it through against the wishes of the authorities in Tibet and the Chinese military.

With the looming reality of having to head back to Bangkok becoming more and more inevitable we decided to hit the slopes in Shangri-La's newly opened ski resort. But yet again, the weather had other ideas and three quarters of the way to the resort we were forced to turn around and go back to town due to the extremely bad ice and snow forcing many of the trucks in front of us to stop. With 4 truck long blockades and the time necessary to organise the ferry to Calcutta running out we cut our losses and turned back. Check out the video....

This in itself however proved a near disastrous option. Ten minutes back towards town a tractor had slid off the icy road and lodged itself at a 45 degree angle on the road making it impossible for us to pass. During an attempt to move the tractor from the ditch the Hummer began to slide on the combination of the ice and the angle of the road only to be stopped literally centimetres from crashing into the tractor. Nonetheless the tractor was removed with our help and we set off again unscathed.

Rhys wanders through snowed-under Zhongdian

Upon return to town Rhys and Finto decided to try making the best of a so far disappointing day and go get a meal at a Nepalese/Indian restaurant they heard served great food. After a short walk they had a great meal despite not being able to translate much of what was on the menu. The restaurant had the last laugh however, with Rhys ending up sick later that night from what seemed a suspect lunch.

DAY 58 - TIGER LEAPING GORGE TO SHANGRI-LA

The Boys Leave Tiger Leaping Gorge

Despite the fact that we have to face the inevitable and head back to Bangkok, we all decided that we should make the most of our Chinese leg and take a small trip North to Shangri-La for a bit of skiing. After another sketchy drive out of the Tiger leaping Gorge with a brief stop to see some rapids, we set off towards the Himalayas. See the Tiger Leaping Gorge video below...

About 30 minutes into the drive it started to snow and the Hummer headed into its first stretch of icy roads on the journey. We were all surprised at just how heavy the snow started to fall as we climbed higher in elevation. Several road blocks along the way formed by cars applying chains to their tyres and stuck trucks did nothing but slow us down to a crawl. Some of the vehicles attempting the ascent really took the biscuit. We saw a handful of 3 wheelers, a few random old tractors and countless Dong Feng trucks laden with goods. Even the police cars were getting stuck!

2,500 metres later our ascent panned out as we reached the outskirts of Zhongdian (Shangri-La). The place was barely recognizable, completely covered in 4 foot of fresh powder! Nonetheless we parked the Hummer in the old town and kitted ourselves out in our warmest layers to brave the elements and find food. We heard about about a nice place called Noah’s Cafe so we slid in for some food and internet.

The Hummer in Shangri-La

In Noah’s we chatted to a few Tibetans and a locally settled American called Kevin about the remote possibility of attempting the drive to Lhasa. Despite their hesitations, they believed it could be done with a proper guide and a few border bribes. Rest was needed after another hectic days driving so we found the nearest hotel which was freezing and got some sleep before our day of skiing and organizing tomorrow.

DAY 57 - LIJIANG TO TIGER LEAPING GORGE

THE ULTIMATE CHINESE MANUFACTURED SPANNER IN THE WORKS!

Rhys and Chuck looking stressed whilst contemplating our next move.

DEVASTATING! Just as we were about to hop in the car en route to Shangri-La, we received the shocking news from Jason that our Tibetan permits had been cancelled last minute due to the worst snow storms in China for 50 years. We were bunched as the road into Tibet was our only viable route into Nepal and India from China. This is the ultimate Chinese spanner in the works! See video below...

We decided to head North to Tiger Leaping Gorge anyway and think about our alternatives in the car. But other than frustrations at Chinese red tape, we didn’t really accomplish anything due to the lack of a detailed map. Nonetheless, we drove on towards the Chinese mountainside and finally reached the magnificent Tiger Leaping Gorge.

Around 25 km in length, the gorge is located where the river Yangtze passes between the 5,596m Jade Dragon Snow Mountain and 5,396m Haba Xueshan in a series of rapids below steep 2,000 metre cliffs. Legend has it that in order to escape from a hunter, a tiger jumped across the river at the narrowest point (still 25 metres wide), hence the name. Tiger Leaping Gorge is one of the world’s deepest river canyons.

Chuck at Tiger Leaping Gorge

The only route into the Gorge is a narrow dirt road that weaves its way along the mountainside 300m above the Yangtze River. We were all a little sketchy about this gravel track which is frequently damaged by rockslides. Our trust was placed with Dave who managed to navigate the Hummer 15kms into the gorge to our accommodation in Sean’s place despite having acute vertigo.

Sean’s Place is a BnB perched just above the dirt road halfway into the Gorge. Sean is a really friendly guy and offered us some advice on the weather conditions in Lhasa and our alternative routes. Chuck, Rhys and Fintan grabbed a feed whilst Dave got his game face on, hammering out all alternative routes for Crazyjourney. After 2 hours of brainstorming, Dave returned with a small sheet of paper filled with jotted notes. Our only feasible options were:

1: Kazakhstan into Russia and on to Europe.
2: Kazakhstan and the Stans into Iran.
3: Backtrack to Bangkok and organise a boat to Calcutta, India.

The 3 Alternative Routes. Click on image for a more detailed map

After a lot of deliberation, arguing and communication with the head of the travel agency in Beijing we decided that the only really feasible option due to our time frame and money constraints would be Route 3. It would have taken 3 to 4 weeks in order to obtain a permit for Kazakhstan and we weren't keen on ditching our guide and being chased by the Chinese military either. Although we have to backtrack, we intend on taking a different route in order to see some different places along the way. All in all we're not really loosing too much time with this option.

DAY 56 - KUNMING TO LIJIANG

The boys in Dali's old town

We hit the road at 7.30 bound for Lijiang with a stopover in the ancient city of Dali on the way. Dave had to be 100% aware due the incompetent Chinese drivers. We’ve never seen so many accidents on the road, including a large truck completely overturned on the way to Dali. We expect this to become even more common as the quality of roads and weather conditions deteriorates.

We finally arrived in Dali after a 3 hour drive. Dali is split between the old town with a population of 40,000 and the new town with 3 million people. We visited the old town which was established as the Capital of the Kingdom of Nanzhao in 738 and by 1000AD was one of the 13 largest cities in the world. Dali was also regarded as one of the major transit points for the introduction of Buddhism throughout the rest of China. With the snowy peaks of the Cangshan Mountains a short distance to the West of the Old Town (approx 4,200 metres at the peak) and Erhai Lake a few kms to the East, Dali has a perfect natural setting. The old Dali City was rebuilt in the early 1400s by the Ming Dynasty. What you see in Dali Old Town today is the rebuilt Ming town, laid out in a grid-like format and easy to navigate around. Check todays video highlights below.

So despite the freezing weather and our first sight of snow on CrazyJourney on the mountains in the distance, we got our winter gear on and entered the walled town for a quick look around. Our first impression of the old town was the annoyance of the innocent looking street vendor ladies who seemed to take a shining to Rhys offering him everything from cheap umbrellas to local marijuana. Not your stereotypical drug dealer! After a wander through the main streets we found a cosy spot called Cafe De Jack and sat down to lunch by the fireplace.

The 3 Pagodas

Next Jason recommended we visit the 3 Pagodas which are 3 towers built by the Ming Dynasty nearly 1,200 years ago. Despite surviving several severe earthquakes and wars through the years, the main tower was destroyed during the Cultural Revolution in 1986. Since then the Chinese government has invested millions in the re-furbishement and re-development of the site which now consists of over 20 gold leafed temples, surrounded by ponds and gardens, many of which are noticeably new with no historical value. It took us over 45 minutes to reach the top temple but the views over the Pagodas, Dali’s old town and Erhai Lake were incredible.

The boys at one of the many Temples on the 3 Pagodas site

We then set off towards Lijiang. As darkness fell so did the fog and Dave had to endure a 4 hour slog through windy cliff roads. We arrived into Lijiang late and after a quick feed, Dave and Fintan hammered through a few blogs till 5 in the morning.

DAY 56 ROUTE MAP - CLICK FOR DETAILS

DAY 55 - KUNMING DAY 2

It was an early start for Dave and Fintan who had to collect the Hummer from the garage while Rhys and Chuck lay in as per usual. After collecting the Hummer, the boys legged it to the nearest electronics mall to continue Finto’s search for his precious iphone. This has been ongoing saga since Bangkok so there was no hesitation when Finto eventually found one at the right price. Job done, we rushed back to the hotel to edit and categorize 2 months of footage to send back to Aussiebum.

Although we intended to leave this evening for Lijang, organizing the footage wound up being a 10 hour slog for Dave and Finto. It was 10pm by the time the courier came to collect the footage so we ended up staying for another night in Kunming in order to leave at the crack of dawn for Lijang.

DAY 54 - KUNMING DAY1

Fintan and Dave by the Flaming Bar in 'Nice Club'

One of our primary objectives in Kunming was to get the Hummer a full service and oil change before heading into the harsh conditions of the Himalayas. We sourced a GM garage on the outskirts of town so at 10am we braved Kunming traffic and eventually got there. Obviously the majority of the garage had never seen a Hummer before so as per usual, crowds of people flocked to see it. We eventually got the car into be seen and explained what was needed through a series of complicated translations between the service woman and Dave through Jason our guide. While we were waiting for a quote in the sales lobby, a well dressed Chinese man called Mr.Zhang who happened to be the owner of the GM garage approached us and told us through Jason how he loved the CrazyJourney idea and invited us to his new club "Nice' that evening. Needless to say we obliged.

Mr.Zhang outside his 'Nice' club. The guy was a legend!

Following the GM garage, the boys hopped in a taxi in search of an iPhone for Fintan and a new hard-drive for the documentary footage. After a mind-numbing 2 hour search through Kunming’s mobile phone malls with no luck, we eventually gave up and returned to the Hotel.

We’ve noticed a considerable change in climate since reaching Kunming with temperatures dropping close to freezing by night. That evening, the boys had to get out their winter jackets for the first time on the trip to brave the elements. We all went for dinner in a French Café near the hotel for a much needed change of cuisine. A few croc monsieur’s later, we bundled into a taxi and headed to ‘Nice Club’.

The Boys and Mr.Zhang hit the Hennessy

We weren’t sure what to expect from this place but as soon as we arrived we knew we’d be looked after when Mr.Zhang escorted us upstairs to this incredible club for free rounds of Hennessy and bottles of Tiger. The only trouble we had was communicating with Mr.Zhang who didn’t have a word of English. In fact the majority of communication was through drinking games of rock, paper, scissors which every Chinese girl seems to love for some reason! A few hours into the night, the curtains behind the stage were pulled and out came this middle aged man in a white suit. He invited girls up to the stage and began to sing and hand out DVDs to the screaming crowd. We eventually discovered through Jason that this guy was a famous Chinese pornstar, the Oriental equivalent of Ron Jeremy! After a cracking night and a 4am trip to Mickey Dee’s, we hit the sack.

Chinese Ron Jeremy Woos the Audience

AUSSIE LEGENDS

This blog entry is a collection of the biggest legends we met while in Australia. Due to the unavailability of our camcorder footage until very recently we couldn't put this clip up earlier but thought it was too good to leave out any longer. These are three blokes we met along the way and all are absolute charachters. We give 'Turbo' the number one Aussie legend spot. Check them out for a good laugh!

DAY 53 - MENG LA TO KUNMING

We spotted this farmer surveying his land on a windy road to Kunming

We were up early to go back and get our the license plates and Dave's Chinese drivers licence. After waiting at the station for about half an hour, a one armed police chief emerged to tell us that the car had to pass a roadworthiness test. We reckon he just wanted a go in the Hummer but agreed regardless, lucky its an automatic car. The car passed with flying colours and we were finally on our way.

Not long out of Meng La the roads took a serious turn for the worse. These were by far the worst curving roads we had seen in our lives and to add insult to injury there a nearly completed expressway in constant view as we weaved our way along the mountainside. Dave had to be in full alert at every bend as crazy truck and bus drivers who seemed to have complete disregard for their own lives and others on the road drove right in the middle of the road, cutting off the road at corners. There was therefore a fine line between dodging them and keeping away from an acute 6foot high drainage verge. This ordeal ended up being a 13 hour slog which Dave endured the whole way to Kunming while the lads sat back and enjoyed 6 hour long episodes of Sopranos. Chuck wasn't feeling well all day and with about about 3 hours to go, he hit the emergency exit button and had the first of 2 chunders! This is a milestone as the first puke on the road so far.


Finally for the last hour of the slog, we were all relieved to hit a two-lane expressway but coming into Kunming, Dave suddenly had to swerve as out of nowhere came an overturned truck in the middle of the road directly in front of us. We've seen this a few times in China, but we think this had just occurred. Arriving at 4.30am, Dave claimed that this was the most punishing drive of his life. Our guide Jason then calmly informed him that much worse road conditions lay ahead in the Himalayas. Needless to say we all went straight to bed in a cheap hotel in the city centre.

DAY 52 - LUANG NAMTHA TO MENG LA, CHINA

The Chinese flag at Mohan

We got up early and hit the road to the Chinese border at Mohan. The border ordeals are becoming hilarious at this stage. Things went smoothly enough with our passports on the Laos side but to our amusement, everyone had to leave the car and walk a mere 10 metres across the border into no mans land while Dave crept through in the Hummer. Then we just jumped back in the Hummer and drove on not even bothering dispute this useless formality.

The Chinese side of the border was a different ball game. On approach to Mohan you immediately notice the concrete development in complete contrast to the straw Laotian huts only a stones throw away on the other side of the border. It's become standard for us to film border crossings but on this occasion were immediately told to put the camera away, despite the fact that only a few minutes later the same border officials were taking photos of themselves with Hummer. We were greeted by Jason, our obligatory Chinese guide and were relieved to find out he was our age. The need to have a tour guide with us at all times during our Chinese leg is just one of the many stringent regulations when driving a foreign vehicle through China. We also need to get a Chinese license plate for the vehicle and Dave was required to obtain a Chinese drivers license and insurance. Luckily, Jason had organized all of this in advance. This would have been impossible for us to do as none of us have a hint of Mandarin or local knowledge with these matters.

Jason, our new guide with Rhys

After having our Visas checked and passports stamped, the head of customs thoroughly inspected our car and sent us on our way. Our first port of call was to the licensing office in nearby Meng La where the registration plate and driver's license were to be organized. As expected a large Chinese manufactured spanner was put deep in the works and we couldn't get the documents organized until the next day so we were forced to stay in Meng La for the evening. We found a cheap hotel, grabbed our first Chinese dinner and went to bed, only to be woken up at one in the morning with a phonecall to our room from a woman speaking in Chinese. We presumed this was reception but Jason told us the next day that's its common for prostitutes to call every room in Chinese hotels late at night to offer their services!

DAY 51 - LUANG NAMTHA DAY 2

JUNGLE TREK TO HILL TRIBE

Our Native Guide with the dyed teeth shows us the way

We were up at 8am to meet Mai, our trekking guide for the day. He told us we were going to embark on a 6 hour jungle trek to visit a remote Hill Tribe. After a 45 minute drive we were dropped off at our starting point and met by another native hill tribesman. Off we set deep into the jungle and were introduced to the native flora used by the hill tribe as food and medicine. There were plants to treat stomach illnesses, sinus problems and malaria. We found hard to comprehend how these people could have first established the benefits of these plants for particular illnesses, a lot of trial and error we presume!

We noticed our native tribesman chewing something all day and hocking up massive red spits every few minutes. On closer inspection his teeth were all red and it looked like he had just done a Dracula on someones neck. Mai explained that this was a native chewing drug taken from certain bark, leaves and the ash of a particular burnt plant. Rhys and Dave plucked up the courage to give it a go and a few chews and red spits later, the taste was described as wooden flavoured toothpaste, in other words disgusting! Check the video below for the day's highlights.

We took a break for lunch in a makeshift hut in the middle of the jungle where Mai served lunch on plates created for everyone from local leaves. We ate native hill tribe dishes including 'SA' a minced pork dish which was eaten using our hands by shaping sticky rice like a spoon.

After lunch we trekked on and in a few hours we eventually reached the hill tribe on top of a mountain. It is hard for us to imagine that these people exist in an environment so far removed from everything and with no electricity, running water or communications. We were all brought to a locals hut and were made drink two shots each of the locally brewed Laos equivalent of Irish Poitín. We had a good laugh playing with some of the local kids who came in their droves to say 'Sawat Di' or hello to us.

Fintan with the 'Joust House' in the Background

Another interesting facet of hill tribe life was what we dubbed the 'joust house'. These are tiny huts elevated 20 feet in the air but still connected by a stairway to the main hut. We wondered what the purpose of these were and Mai explained to us that local tradition dictates that its taboo for unmarried couples to have sex in the main family hut as it angered the house spirit. So they have developed these elevated huts for the sole purpose of allowing unmarried couples to get busy.

A local kid carries his baby brother

We left the hill tribe for our pick up destination and were waved off by a group of local kids. Mai explained to us that there is a new road being built to this hill tribe. Laotian tribes are under threat from extinction due to the creation of rubber plantations bought from them for as little as 1 US dollar a hectare by predominantly Chinese investors with a huge need for raw materials to fuel the Asian Tiger's growth. On the way home to Luang Nam Tha, we stopped at the local stupa which had been recreated brick by brick after it was bombed during the Vietnam War. Laos was the most bombed country during the Vietnam War and it's airport served as hub for opium smuggling in this region.

The boys beside the old bombed Stupa in Luang Namtha

We went for a nice dinner in the Boat landing and hit the sack early in preparation for the Chinese border tomorrow.

DAY 51 SLIDESHOW

DAY 50 - CHANG KONG TO LUANG NAMTHA

CRAZYJOURNEY ARRIVES IN LAOS

The Hummer touches down on Laos soil.

We were up early to catch the first river barge across the Mekong which acts as the border into Laos. After another ordeal with customs and emigration officials over the Carnet, we finally boarded a river barge and ten minutes later we were in Laos. After driving for about 5 minutes, Dave finally realized that he was driving on the wrong side of the road when a girl on moped was coming straight at him. The historic French influence on Laos means that we now drive on the right hand side which suits the Hummer's left hand drive orientation perfectly.

Before we could go anywhere we had to check in with immigration. There were absolutely no formalities with the Hummer which was a nice change from the usual red tape so all we had to do was get our own personal visas. On the way back to the Hummer in search of water we found one of the local shops selling an interesting concoction of dead cobras bottled in alcohol. Red Bull eat your heart out!

Two Laos woman carrying firewood pass the car

Hitting the road towards Luang Namtha, we immediately recognized a contrast in the standard of living between Laos and Thailand and we really felt we were in a third world country. We passed through villages containing nothing but wooden huts. The roads were the worst we've come across by a long way and coming towards villages they were strewn with pigs, cows, hens and wandering semi-clothed children. We had to reduce our speed to avoid them as well as the random holes on the road. In fact, our average speed has plummeted from 120-130kmph in Australia, 90-100kmph in Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand to between 60 and 70kmph in Laos. However, infrastructural development is evident in the construction of a new main road to Luang Nam Tha.

Local makeshift car in Laos. There were hundreds of these!

About a halfway into the 5 hour drive to Luang Namtha, we started ascending into a mountain range with windy roads. Towards the top of the ascent we stopped the car and took in the spectacular sunset.

Sunset over the Laotian Hills

We arrived into Luang Namtha quite late and luckily found a place to stay at the Boat Landing Hostel which was recommended to us by John from Anantara for the eco-tours and hill treks it runs. Before we went to bed Dave, Fintan, Rhys and Walshy booked a hill trek for the next morning. Chuck opted out of the trek since he has already done one and fancied a day of solid Internet use instead.

DAY 50 ROUTE MAP

DAY 49 - GOLDEN TRIANGLE DAY 3 WITH THE ELEPHANTS

IN CAHOOTS WITH THE MAHOUTS!

The boys pose for a photo with the Hummer

It was the earliest start on the trip so far for us, getting up at 6.30am to get a quick breakfast before heading off for our day with the elephants which John Roberts from Anantara Resort had kindly organised. The view over the Golden Triangle was spectacular at that time of morning with a layer of mist covering the valley below us. We knew we would be riding the elephants to some degree but could never have imagined what lay ahead of us for the next 7 hours.

Breakfast of Champions in Anantara

At 7 we met Olivia who works at the sanctuary as well as all the mahouts who are the riders and care takers of their own specific elephant. These guys are paired with their elephant from a very young age and grow up training them. The strong bond between the two is clearly visible and the mahouts are incredibly good at commanding and controlling their elephant with precision. We were then brought to the elephant grazing area and paired off with a mahout who took us onto his elephant for a walk to the elephant riding training area. Below is a video of the day's highlights.

At the training area, we were given a run-down on the different commands to control the elephant and the different techniques to mount and dismount. One mounting technique really demonstrates the intelligence of the animals where they give you a boost up to their back with their leg. After being put through our paces for about two hours, we got to feed and play with some baby elephants.

After doing brunch for an hour, the chaps reconvened for a jolly good session of elephant polo! We weren't expecting this at all and were a bit nervous since none of us had ever touched a polo stick in our lives. We headed down to a small polo pitch and were given four elephants with Mahouts who would steer the elephants during the game. Naturally, being as patriotic as we all are, and Irish team of Dave and Fintan was teamed up against the Aussies of Rhys and Chuck.

Dave and Rhys go head to head

From the off, the Irish dominated with long spells camped down on the Aussie line. After some spectacular one-touch polo by the Irish, they began to run away with it and the game ended in a whitewash 5-0 victory to the boys in green. Needless to say, it will be a long time before the Aussies live this one down!

Jenny the Elephant Parades the Irish Flag after the 5-0 Hammering!

We all needed a cooldown after this Irish 5 goal rout, including the elephants so it was straight down to the Mekong River at full time to bath them. We were fully under the impression that we would all be safely watching from the shore as the elephants were getting a once over in the water but to our surprise, the Mahouts continued straight into the water with us all still on the elephant's backs! Next thing we knew, the elephants were dunking us under the water and spraying us with their trunks. Even though the thought of the elephants chucking us off and squashing us was a bit scary, we all had a great laugh in the end.

The boys go swimming with the elephants

A massive thanks has to go out to John Roberts, the director of elephants and Mark, the manager of the resort for organising our time at Anantara. John is doing sterling work with the Asian Elephant Foundation by setting up a safe haven for abused elephants and those that cannot work. Altogether they look after 27 elephants at the resort. For more information on what they do, visit http://www.helpingelephants.org/ .

We literally took 300 photos of the day with the elephants, so we created a slideshow below so you can look at some of the rest!

After all the elephant activity it was time to leave the Golden Triangle and hit the road for Chang Kong, the border crossing between Thailand and Laos situated on the Mekong River. Its necessary to get a barge across the Mekong River but unfortunately we missed the last barge and ended up spending the night in the small town with the intention of catching the first barge crossing in the morning.

DAY 48 - GOLDEN TRIANGLE DAY 2

The Hummer speeds by the Giant Buddha in The Golden Triangle

We woke up reasonably early today to head down the road and visit the Hall of Opium, a museum which outlines the intriguing history of the drug in an area famed for the harvesting of poppy, the raw input for the substance. Conveniently located next door to our hotel, we were immediately impressed by the scale of investment and effort that had been put into it. We had a laugh upon entry having been charged at a higher rate due to the fact we were foreigners and not Thai.

Hall of Opium Admission Fees

In what promised to be a day that could go one of two ways (Chuck decided he would rather get his tan on at the pool than torture himself in a museum!) we were amazed to find how blissfully ignorant we have been to a whole side of history that ties very closely to the story of ruthless English imperialism. A series of interactive videos and recreations explained many issues such as; the vice-like grip chronic opium addiction had on a huge proportion of Chinese people in the 17th Century, the Opium Wars, the development of the East India trade company, history of drug smuggling, drug lords in the area and the dependence on the English to sell Opium to the Chinese to fund purchases of Tea from India. We left with heads packed with knowledge and a new found respect for an area that has played such a pivotal role in the development of the both the Eastern and Western world.

After the tour of the museum we relaxed for a little while before heading to dinner with John, Mark, Olivia and Amp from the elephant sanctuary at Anantara in a local Thai restaurant on the shore of the Mekong River and close to the town's giant Buddha.

DAY 47 - CHIANG RAI TO GOLDEN TRIANGLE AND ANANTARA RESORT

The boys at the Khun Kon Waterfall near Chiang Rai

Most of the lads got up early to for a short 25 km drive to the Khun Kon waterfall. This was a refreshing way to wake ourselves up with a 1km uphill jungle trek from the car park to the falls. Rhys certainly wasn't the happiest getting up at this hour claiming in his words... 'this is like being in the army mate!' When we finally got there, we all got in for dip under the waterfall. Check video below...

After heading back to the hotel, we got a quick lunch and headed further North to the Golden Triangle where John Roberts, the head of the elephant sanctuary at the Anantara Resort had organised to look after us for two nights during which he plans for us to do some elephant trekking. John had seen our article in the Sydney Morning Herald and kindly organised for us to stay 2 nights at this incredible 5 star resort. When we checked out the website we were blown away by the accommodation that lay ahead of us. Click on the link below for details of what is no doubt the jewel of the Golden Triangle:

http://goldentriangle.anantara.com/

When we eventually got to the resort, we were greeted at reception by two massive water buffalo! Walshy nearly got rammed trying to pet one! We met John who organised to meet us for beers later on that evening. After check in we had a swim in the most amazing pool we've probably ever been in with views of Burma and Laos separated by the Mekong River as a backdrop.

The view from the pool at Anantara Resort overlooking Burma and Laos

Later that evening, some us went for a quick gym followed by a few beers with John and Mark, the resort's manager where we had some interesting conversation about elephants and their trainers locally known as mahoots. We also talked about the elephant polo world cup, held in this resort every year and especially one epic match between a New Zealand All Black Rugby Team and the Thai Ladyboy. Supposedly the Thai LadyBoy team gave them a good run for their money right to the death!

DAY 47 ROUTE MAP

DAY 46 - CHIANG MAI TO CHIANG RAI

Chiang Rai Night Bazaar

Dave had to get up very early to drop Paul off to the airport who is heading off to Ko Phangan on our advise for taste of the madness we all went through during the Christmas and New Year period. Its sad to leave Paul who has made such a positive impact to the trip. But Paul will be with us for a large part of the journey and will be meeting up with us again in Katmandu for the Nepal and Indian leg as well as the glory run for the whole of Europe back to Dublin.

We checked out of our hotel in the afternoon and a had a brief wander around the town catching up on emails before heading off in the evening for a short two hour drive to Chiang Rai.

Arriving in Chiang Rai we were pleasantly surprised by this beautiful and compact town. The city is the capital of the Chiang Rai Province with a population of 40,000 people. It was a change to see many older western people who were on organised tours rather than the backpackers we've become used to. As the gateway to the heart of the golden triangle, the town was packed out with tour buses and 4X4 tours, making the task of finding a cheap hotel more difficult. We eventually found a lovely spot off the main road with secure parking for the Hummer. After dropping our bags in the room we had a nice dinner whose menu gave the Euro price equivalent,which really brought home how cheap it is here.

After dinner we went for a wander around the night bazaar. This market has an array of stalls selling home made items from opium pipes to back scratchers. We called it a night with the intention of getting up early to visit the Khun Kon Waterfall.

DAY 46 ROUTE MAP

DAY 45 - CHIANG MAI DAY 1

Dave, Fintan and Paul at the shooting range

Finto, Paul and Dave got up at 1 to get some lunch and checkout Chiang Mai town while Rhys and Chuck stayed in bed. Chiang Mai is the largest and most culturally significant city in Northern Thailand. The city acts a gateway for travellers into Northern Thailand, Laos and Burma. The heart of the town is confined within a mad-made square canal and has the same hustle and bustle feel to it that we've become used to in Thailand. Driving around town we couldn't help but notice an abundance of middle aged and old western men usually on their own with young Thai ladies. It is evident that sex-tourism is rife in this region and to be honest we found it difficult not to be disturbed by it.

The sighting of a moto-cross rental shop was enough to set Dave's petrol head desires in motion and he decided to get himself a bike for the day. Paul and Fintan followed Dave home in a tuk-tuk which had a sign advertising a shooting range, so we all decided to head there for an hour of 'harmless' fun! The tuk-tuk driver was a great laugh and on the way to the shooting range he was racing Dave's bike and doing wheelies for us at every traffic light. The shooting range was an extension of the local army barracks and as you would expect in Thailand, wasn't very regulated. See video below for highlights.

We all got together in the evening and after a useless dinner in the hotel, we all went to the night bazaar to have a wander. A mate of ours, Walshy who we had previously seen on Ko Phangan came to meet us for a few days and went out with the Aussie boys to a few bars while Dave, Finto and Paul stayed in to get footage together for our first documentary release.

DAY 44 - BANGKOK TO CHIANG MAI

The Hummer gets a well-earned wash!

We were up at 12 after our night in Bed Supperclub to check out of our Hotel. Before hitting the road to Chiang Mai in Northern Thailand we decided it was time to give the Hummer a well and truly deserved wash as he hadn't gotten one since the start of the journey. Conveniently only a block away from the hotel was the best car detailing and valet business in Bangkok, WAC Detailing. These guys had a menu of things to get done bigger than most restaurants and for about a quarter the price of any place in Dublin or Sydney! We chose the full works due to the dire smell inside the car and the layer of scum on the outside. An hour and a bit late the car was like new and it was time to hit the road for a long drive to Chiang Mai.

To our surprise there was a great highway leading directly there and the drive was made short by our pirate stash of all 6 Sopranos seasons on 30 DVDs. Not bad for 2,000 Baht (40 Euro!). We eventually arrived into Chiang Mai at 4.30am with Dave nearly falling asleep at the wheel. Chiang Mai was noticeably cooler and we felt a tiny chill for the first time since leaving Sydney. There'll be plenty more where that came form heading towards the Himalayas!

We eventually found a cheap hotel with a secure car park for the Hummer and went straight to bed.

DAY 44 ROUTE MAP

DAY 43 - BANGKOK DAY 2

Chuck, Rhys and Fintan with the Hummer at the Grand Palace, Bangkok

Dave and Paul were up early to hit a nearby gym for a few hours while the other lads got some rest. We set off in the Hummer late morning for a brief trip back to the Khao San Road so Paul could bring back his fake DVDs that didn't work properly. This wasn't too surprising given the quality of Khao San Road goods.

We all grabbed a quick lunch on Khao San and then legged it off in the Hummer across town in search of some floating markets. Unfortunately this trip was to no avail but we did manage to find a collection of small stalls near the Grand Palace. We all had a good laugh driving through Bangkok, seeing all of the madness it has on offer.

Pantip Plaza, Bangkok

On the way home Chuck and Fintan were dropped off at Thailand's largest electronics mall, the Pantip Plaza near Sukumvit. This vast mall contains hundreds of small electronic stores that sell everything from water-cooled hacker computers to unlocked Apple iPhones. Chuck and Fintan immersed themselves in the chaos in search of a digital camera and eventually found one at a steal for 6,500 Baht (145 Euro), about half the price of the same camera at home.

Bed Nightclub, Bangkok

We all reconvened at the hotel in the evening where Fintan met up with a friend of his from Uni Sam Middlehurst who is working in Bangkok. After a few drinks in the hotel we all headed off to Bed Nightclub for the night. This incredibly stylish club is regarded as one of the top bars in the world and was packed out with Thai and Expat 'Glitterati'. The manager Goy knew about the drive and looked after all of us really well. Check out the club's website: http://www.bedsupperclub.com/

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