After lots of problems with the truck and repairs, holdup robbery, hospitals and health a light at the horizon had occurred in the persons of David Goodchild and his friend Glenn Clements. They convinced Thai authorities to accept our truck into Thailand and transferred it to and stored it at Plodd Stop in Pattaya.
Our humble thanks go to Dave, Glenn and their families for their selfless help and care without even asking for any earnings. We also learned that overlanding provides positive and healing experience as well.
In December 2018 we decided to continue trucking the world for 2 months and flew back to Pattaya. We drove around 4.500 km through Thailand and Malaysia. We parked the truck in Kuala Lumpur in January 2019.
THAILAND
Dave picked us up at Bangkok Airport and we stayed in his guest house for truck check and final repairs, car wash and haircut. Meanwhile we spent time with Dave and his friends, all of them engaged pool players.
We Found our Truck Safely and Securely Parked at Plodd Stop | Pattaya…During the Day as Well as During the nights……Together with Friend`s Mercedes and Camper Making 1oo Countries on 5 Continents in Years……so we Greeted Glenn and other Old White Men in his Old Bill Bar……Two of them with One or more Beers……Some Playing some Pool……Ate One of the Best Bratwurst I ever Had at French Pum Pui’s Restaurant……Got Drinking Water at the Local Waterworks……Got Hair Done……the Truck Washed Outside and Inside……Picked up Anneli for a Drink……and Had Farewell Dinner with Dave and Leslie at Swiss Samis Restaurant with Steak, Bratwurst and Cheese Fondue in Pattaya | Thailand
We left Dave and Leslie for a visit of Northern Thailand and were invited to come back to Pattaya for Christmas celebrations. Surrounding Bangkok we headed North to Sukhothai Thani and Chiang Mai.
Way up to Ciang Mai in Northern Thailand MAN Drive Belts Made Squeaking Noises … …but Nice People Did a Great Job Under the Sun | ThailandWe Reached Romantic Sukhothai Thani Camping Close to a Stele Under Sun Down | ThailandBuddha and Ruins inside the Old City of Wide Spread Sukhothai……Temple Ruins in Sukhothai……not Pisa but Sukhothai……Hindu Temple and Altar in Sukhothai……Great Free Standing Shiva in Front of a Stele in Sukhothai……But Secured Shiva in Sukhothai, too…… Pupils Visiting Sukhothai Well Organized | Thailand On the Road again heading North | ThailandHaving a Drink in Chiang Mai | ThailandRemainders of the Historic Town Wall and Castle in Chiang Mai | Thailand Wat Chiang Mun Temple Made Ready for Christmas and New Year…… Monks Having a Hard Time with Temple Beauty…… Surveyed by Holy Crocodiles…… Golden Chiang Mun Temple Front in Chiang Mai…… But they Won’t Listen, Watch or Tell anything at Chiang Mun | ThailandWat Chedi Luang Temple in Chiang Mai | Thailand Wat Chedi Luang Temple in Chiang Mai | Thailand … Seating Buddha at Wat Chedi Luang Temple in Chiang Mai | Thailand Amphoe Mae Sariang Festivities…… Offering Sate…… Lots of Cabbage and Morning Glory…… And Fresh Fish at Amph0e Mae Sariang | Thailand We Continued West to Thai-Myanmar and Aligned this Border to Mae Sot Across high Montains with Wonderful Views | ThailandWe Arrived at Ayutthaya Pleasure Ground | Thailand…And Celebrated Annelis Birthday in Ayutthaya | ThailandWatched by Several Buddhas…… Together with Tourist Elephants in Ayutthaya | ThailandFor Christmas we were Invited Back to Pattaya…… Into Dave’s Guesthouse…… At the Pool…… And to David’s and Leslie’s House…… For Classic Turkey Christmas Dinner Prepared by the Owners…… And this was Christmas with Dave, his Daughter…… And Anneli in Pattaya | ThailandChristmas Repairs Included Bike Tires…… And the Pump of the Truck’s Vaccum Toilet in Pattaya | ThailandWe Continued South to Kaeng Krachan National Park, a Tourist Attraction Close lose to Myanmar Border | ThailandGreeted by a Golden Buddha…… And Snakes…… At Big Kaeng Krachan Lake…… With Hungry Monkeys…… A Suspension Bridge…… Among Thai Campers | Thailand We Continued South at the East Coast… | Thailand…Passing Coconut Harvest…… And Spent New Year’s Evening 2018 at Amphoe Bang Saphan Beach…… Surveyed by Buddha | Thailand… Celebrating New Year 2019 Here | ThailandWe crossed Thailand East to West Through the Mountains and Camped at Kra Buri Waterfalls | Thailand…Wich Turned out to be Nothing but a Runlet at Comfortable Temperature……And Lots of Tropic Flowers in Kra Buri | ThailandWe reached Thai West Coast at Amphoe Kapoe and Camped at the Romantic Beach……Where the Boys Played……A Just Married Couple Celebrated their Honeymoon……While we Watched Fishermen……And Enjoyed Sundown After the Party Had Left Amphoe Kapoe | ThailandThai West Coast Was Severely Damaged at 2004 Banda Aceh Tsunami and Evacuation Routes were Built and Signs Put all over that Coast……This Coast at Ampoe Takua Pa Was Hit , too……And this Memorial was Built for Thousands of Killed People……In Commemoration of Some of them…A Policeboat was Found more than 20 km Inland……And was Left there as Memorial……And Buddha Watches Ampoe Takua Pa | ThailandWe Continued Down South to Kao Lak and its White Sand Beach……Parked Our Truck……Close to the Uncrowded Beach……But with Some People……And Myself…We Admired Holiday Mansions at Kao Lak but Left that Noisy Place for the Night……And Spent that Night at AmphoeTakua Pa Beach……And Repairing our Truck Next Morning which did not Want to Start the Engine and to Leave Wonderful Amphoe Takua Pa, all Together with a Friendly and Competent Local Mechanic | ThailandWe visited the Oldtown of Phuket, in Fact one Single Road with Restored Colonial Buildings……Like this one and Most of them Owned by Chinese……Or this One……But in General Buildings Look Like That……But we Preferred Tasty Breakfast in this Modern Cafe in Phuket | ThailandWe Left Crowded and Noisy Phuket and Found a Nice Beach at Amphoe Mueang Krabi for Rest | ThailandThe Next Beach Camping within Amphoe Sikao National Park Said Not to Litter……Accordingly we did NOT……Prepared a Cocktail……to Greet Sundown……And Got Waked-Up by the Local Anti-Littering Campaign at Amphoe Sikao | ThailandWe Took the Ferry Boat over Amphoe Kantang River……Met an Elephant on the Road……had a Final Sip at Amphoe La-ngu Beach in Sothern Thailand……Attaining the Thai-Malay Wang Prachan Border at Ampoe Khuan-Donin the Mountains | Thailand
MALAYSIA
Finally we entered Malyasia without Problem, our Passports got staped and Carnet de Passage was accepted and stamped by Thai and Malay auhthorities.
We Camped for the Night High-up in Titi Tinggi National Park at Kampung Wang Kelian with a Wonderful View over North-West Malaysia…And Got Malay Ringgit Money in Kangar | Malaysia Next Day the Truck Jumped over a Steep but Undetected Road Bump . Thereafter we Heard Scratching Noises from Under the Truck Booth for some Seconds every Time we Drove over Regular Bumps. Luckily Local MAN Service was Close and we Drove to Bandar Seberang Jaya also Known as Butterworth……During Inspection we found that the Front of the 2 Cross Memebers of the Cabin Bridge was Broken……We were Guided to a Workshop Closeby… …to Get Provionary Welding Done……And this Bandage was the Result. We Agreed to Spend the Rest of Holidays Driving Precautiously Avoiding Off-Road and Bumps as far as Possible. We made an Appointment to Deliver the Truck at the End of our Holidays to Ah Shang Motors, one of the Biggest Truck Body Repair Companies in Maylaysia for repair of the Cross Member. They would Bring the Truck for Maintenance and Overhaul to MAN Rawang Afterwards, see https://rahmenbruch.com/ for details……for Lunch we were Invited by MAN Manager Thaya and his Technical Director Gopi for an Indian Lunch……On Banana Leaves……And we Enjoyed it a Lot in Bandar Seberang Jaya | Malaysia Our next Stop was Penang at Malay West Coast ……With the View of Georgetown at Night……And with Fishermen During Daytime in Penang | Malaysia
Georgetown is an Old Colonial City Built by Brish and Dutch Colonialists. It comes lively and with a lot of history and those buildings, motly renovated, definitely worth visiting. Today Chinese and Hindu people are running the city and its business…
We Parked and Camped next to the Beach and Historic Christian Cemetery at an Old Kindergarten/Nursery……the Old Cemetery with Colonialist Graves……Georgetown Big Ben was Close… …Nice Pubs and Bars like „Baby Vodka“……Museum and Art Gallery in Ruins……Colonial Museum……The Town Hall……And its Modern Cafe……Great Mansions……And Balconies……Wonderful Art Deco Doors……Modern Wall Paintings……And Typical two Storage Houses of Old British Colonies……The Chinese Waldorf Hotel……Wedding Party just Next to the Hotel……And the Red Garden, a Tourist Place with Local Food in Prepared in 100 Small Shops……Where we had DInner with our British Friends Sonia Ennals……Jim Wintour and Bruce, Canadian Friend and Tasty Halal Ice Cream Later……And the Evening in this Bar Accessible through a Fridge……Next Day we Visited Famous Campbell Warehouse in Georgetown……And Blue Mansion Built by a Chinese Tradesman 100 years ago……Inner Courtyard of Blue Mansion… …Another Courtyard of Blue Mansion……Its Second Floor……Blue Mansion Restaurant……And Romantic Lunch in Blue Mansion Restaurant……Restaurant Balcony of Blue Mansion..…Next Day’s Dinner in LaksaLicious……Looks Like this……Time to Say Goodbye to Geogetown like this Cruise Liner | MalaysiaTime to Visit the Pulau Orang Utan Resort Island | Malaysia…Where the Human Visitors are Imprisoned in a Big Cage……And The Orangs Practice Freedom in Trees……Or Go Easy on the Ground……Feeling Amazed on Caged Tourists in Palau |MalaysiaOn our Way to Kuala we Camped Next to but NOT Underneath a Durian Tree in Teja……And in Shah Alam for a Visit to Ah Shang Motors who Agreed to Replace the Cross Member with a Handmade Design, see https://rahmenbruch.com/ for Details……At Night we were Surprised by Heavy Tropical Rain Turning our Ground into a Muddy River Vanishing Completely Next Day under Tropical Sun of Shah Alam | MalaysiaWe Continued to Kuala Lumpur and Camped Next to this Muslim Cemetery Next to Petronas Towers in the Centre of Kuala……One of the 2 Petronas Towers……KLCC Leisure Park Behind the Towers……Petronas Entrance……Bank Buildings all over Kuala Centre……Petronas Towers from a Distance at Night……KLCC Park at Night……Preparing Chinese New Year all over Kuala Lumpur Meaning Total Standstill of Everything for a Full Week in Kuala Lumpur | MalaysiaMalaysia and Kuala Develop Quite Fast and one May Regret that Just a Few Colonial Buildings are Valued and Wait for Renovation Like this Train Station of Kuala Lumpur | MalaysiaOn our Way to the Coast South-West of Kuala Lumpur we Ran into this Poor Oil Palm Harvest on its Way to the Mill……And Spent a Day at Morib Beach Together with British Overlanders who Had Crossed China together with us in 2016 | MalaysiaWe Met Sue and Ted at Morib Beach and I Brought Anneli to KLIA Airport because she had to Go Home for Work | MalaysiaI Drove Slowly Back to Rawang MAN Rawang and Ran into Thousands of People Celebrating Prime Hindu Holiday at Gombak | MalaysiaI Enjyed a Refreshing Bath Close to Rawang | MalaysiaAnd Spent my Last Day at Bentong with Enough Space on the Huge Bus Parking of Gunung Highlands……A Mega Tourist Amusement Park High Up in the Mountains about 1800 m above Sea……Farewell Drink with Sonia and Jim Again……in our Truck Next to their Toyota Camper at Gunung Highlands | Malaysia…Saying Goodbye to Malaysia
THAILAND
On the Way to MAN Rawang, however, the Truck Ran Downhill without Braking. So I Jumped off at a Speed of about 25 km/h and Broke my Right Foot. Diagnosis at Gunung Hospital Said Nothing Broken, I asked for X-ray but the doctor did not make it.
Since the Foot Ballooned and Hurt very much I communicated with Dave and he advised to Return to Pattaya for Medical Care and treatment. I agreed, left the trck with MAN and took a flight to Bangkok where Dave picked me up at the Airport.
First x-ray at Bangkok Royal Hospital in Pattaya diagnosed Lisfranc Luxationfracture Middle Foot Right | ThailandDoctors Recommended me to Fly Home for Treatment and with Hanse Merkur Insurance we Negotiated my Transport Taking a Full Week with Lots of Discussions… Hanse Merkur definitely not Recommended, Pattaya | Thailand…While we Played Pool again……Attended British Expats‘ Garden Parties……And Said Goodbye to Leslie and Dave with a Big Thankyou for Help and Support……And Finally Flew Home with Lufthansa Business Class from Bangkok | Thailand
To be continued… See next Post on Truck-the-World Leg 8
