Transland Journey : Kuala Lumpur - Mandalay - Tehran - Dublin [ 2016 ]

Peng, Bab and friends,

Peng and Bab, I know you guys are still sore with me over the cancelled 'Silk Route Adventure' that we are supposed to embark August 2015. Kuala Lumpur - Xian - London route.

All of us suddenly become more busier, I reckoned,. Bab had new job commitment then, Peng had etc and etc and most importantly, actually Nik Howk just 'chickened out!' at the last minute. Actually, dato sidiq's [ of TNB ] scenario of broken down vehicles in the Gobi desert of China littering the Silk Route, as he saw it from the air, did the mind change for me!

I am just toying with a possible new trip this time , kiv start in may or april  2016,ex Kl via Burma and Dhaka, planed for 3 months ie to be in Europe during the summer, then shipped back our vehicle ex London or better still, Ireland, since Ireland is probably the last place in our mind to go visiting.

I  know burma has not open its borders to traffic yet but , I am sure with some diplomatic give and take , Burma could open its door. There was A Sinapo- Mandalay extravaganza mid this year, involving our Selangor HRH.

Our  tentative route may take us via BurmBangladesh, India, Nepal , then the Karakurum suicide highway, thru to Iran. We may do Syria , if by then things quietened up a wee bit more.

Throw in a possible umrah mid way in June, to get both the 'dunya' as well as the 'akhirat'.

Probably do a month or month and a half , camping out in Europe tour , avoiding the big towns and cities . Bruge, Sarajevo, Bosnia Hezagovina,  etc etc and  all the UN heritage places would be our targets all the way..

Once we reach Dublin and finish with our Ireland tour we have two choices. Either pack everything and ship back our vehicles to KL or keep them in storage to resume our journey back the following spring in 2017. Since most of us have  still are actively employed. I am not about to give up my job at SJMC!

I suggest we open this up to non Macoba members and friends as well.

Say an eight to 10 vehicle convoy.

Boy scout style plus vip as well.

mix and match.

I need input from you guys please!

I am still at the toying stage , juggling with possibilities.

your feedback, even negatives and positive.

Even negatives are welcomed because I need someone to shoot me down, since staying home is always the better option.

....yes, i am already hearing mumrmurs from my friend , nadzru azhari,

' Nik howk, at his boys scout antic again ! '.

'' it is ok nadzru, it is ok for you to think this way, that is what make this old  man tick!.''

dr nik howk

ps : if we have the numbers, i will host the 1st meeting at my house over briyani syed after raya haji

.................................................................................................................................................................

Date: Mon, 17 Aug 2015 22:51:11 +0800
Subject: Re: transland journey : april to august [ 2016 ]
From: wanariff@um.edu.my
To: drnikisahak@hotmail.com
CC: jublintan65@yahoogroups.com; 

hawk

i think you got your year all mixed up.  unless you do time travel as well it is just not possible to kiv start april of may 2015.

it would be better to start after raya, ie mid july 2016

anyway i thought the idea has been abandoned by everybody! hence i consoled myself to by reading ewan mcregor's and charley boorman's "long way round - chasing shadows across the world" .  go and read it,  it would rekindle your dream and at the same time give you some realities on logistics etc

another problem: pitih kita doh dok laku weh!!

salam, w.peng



..............................................................................................

from dato hamzah

Doc Nik,

It sounds an exciting trip!! Had l heard about it 20 years (and 1 CABG) ago l would have joined you.
At 79 now, l am planning an adventure far less arduous. With my wife and a group of friends, we are planning to go on the Trans-Siberian railway trip. From St. Petersberg to Vladivostok. We'll let the train drivers do the driving, and we just enjoy the changing scenery! 
Pity youth is wasted on the young! Right?

Salam.
H.

...................................................................................................

Peng,

I also  think so, Peng.

But let us sleep on it and dont just give up this crazy idea whole sale.

I seriously doubt there will be enough quorum for the trip.

We need the numbers since we collectively at this age of 63 and above cannot differentiate between a spanner and a screw driver. We need a Mcgyver who can change fork and spoons into carburetors if the situation arise!

It seemed I have to limit my adventure with my old Mr Toyo to just Krabi, Chengmai and Siem Reap. If I have problem, I still can call AA!

Nik Howk

.....................................................................................................................................................................

Dato' hamzah,


once in a while i have crazy ideas coming up dato'

but my oncological consultant friend peng is right...... we are all above 63, myself and my classmates, and cannot differentiate between a  spanner and a screwdriver.

that is why i chickened out from our 1st 'world trip' thru the silk route.

but a boy scout is a boy scout , even at 60 plus.

i still enjoy camping out rather than stay in a hotel room.

i suspect for this current trip i may not be able to get the necessary quorum, which is necessary, to share cost. What with our depleting ringgit.Thanks to your good friend NTR!!

The upside to my trip is this :

It is only open to SYT's and 2nd wife club!

if you dont have one , we will help you find one along the way.

that is why we are passing thru iran and if syria is dowable , even syria!

I am just pulling your leg, dato!

Come June 2016, you will see me still selling 'panadol' in SJMC....

Dr Nik Howk

..............................................................................................................................................................