Author Archive: Barry Armstrong
How Do I Describe China?
Monday, 8th June 2015 China… I really don’t know how to describe it, beautiful scenery, crazy drivers, cooler weather (now), and mountainous. People are so intrigued by us and our cars. We get the funniest looks all over the place. It can be difficult to communicate due to our language inability. Saturday we drove into […]
Laos then into China
Friday, 5th June 2015 Laos was a delight, people were so nice and a pleasure to meet. We had 2 nights camping in Laos the 1st night was in an open area next to rice paddies. We all slept ok. Pete (5th wheel) slept on the ground under our awning between the 2 vehicles. The […]
Waking to Torches in a Rubber Plantation
Monday 25th May 2015 – Batam to Thailand Leaving Indonesia and heading to Singapore was a relief and sad. Relief because Indonesia was a disappointment as far as infrastructure goes. Sad because the people were so lovely and friendly. We made some great friends and leaving them was very sad. When we arrived in Batam […]
Fun and Games Getting from Kuala Tungkal to Batam
Sunday, 17th May 2015 Kuala Tungkal to Batam (Indonesia) On arrival at Kuala Tungkal we discovered there were no car ferries to take our care to Batam our last Indonesian Island before reaching Singapore. We immediately commenced searching for a boat/boats to take us to Batam. The Hotel owner Mr Allen negotiated on our behalf […]
Waiting to Leave Indonesia
Wednesday, 13th May 2015 Driving in Sumatra has been interesting – usual dodging of bikes, trucks, cars and people. Most villages are the same. People are generally the same – very friendly, backward and have nothing but still smiling. Our car is going very well and has all we need in it. The work we […]
Meeting the Chief in Java
Wednesday, 6th May 2015 Half way into Java. Roads are pretty bad with lots of road works today. These people are 100 years behind westerners. Road building by hand very little machinery. Plenty of labour available from one end of the country to the other. Very little or no road rules, pass where you can […]
Got the Cars Back!
Monday, 20th April 2015 Have our cars now and on the road again off towards Kapung on the western end of West Timor (Indonesia) took 2 and a bit days drive to reach Kapung, camping along the way and cooking our own meals. That afternoon Alan arranged a Police escort from down town Kapung to […]
Thoughts on the Trip
Sunday, 19th April 2015 Arrived back in Dili to organise collection of cars. Have some time to kill so thought this would be a great time to put my thoughts down in writing of what I feel this trip is all about and what it means to me. About a year ago when Alan suggested […]
Fun in Dili
Hi it’s now Thursday the 9th of April… and another hot day in Dili. Yesterday we tried to book a water taxi to go to Atauro island 36km north of Dili. Water taxi did not run today so we asked Caesar (Rina’s brother) if he could rouse up a boat for us to get to […]
Days 6 to 14 on PMF Motor Challenge
21st March (Day 6) Waiting for Taylors to catch up (always slow!). It is soooo hot. Rooster crowed all night as well as lots of heat. Taylors arrived at about 5pm – had a couple of beers and dinner. As night fell a party across the river began to emerge. As the night went on […]
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