Hot News - December 2005 (December 5, 2005)
- Website statistics: In November we were able to welcome on our website 31'584 (= record) visitors
- from 114 different countries who did 531'544 hits
- (October = 30'039 visitors - 111 countries - 535'946 (= record) hits)
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- Already a month ago we mentioned that a language problem might appear in Thailand. This feeling intensified
- in the meantime and we have the impression that this barrier rather increased since our first visit
- in 1993. What for sure didn't change, are the numerous beautiful and exotic temples, of which Bangkok offers
- a huge range. It wouldn't pose a problem to stay here a long time without getting bored, if the incredible high
- air pollution wouldn't exist. While the police is wearing nearly without exception protective masks, more and
- more people living or working along the streets try to cover their respiration with some frazzles too. The traffic
- in this 8-million-city of Bangkok is phenomenal and - although public transport by waterways, skytrain and
- subway is slowly improving - the car is still dominant. Like the pollution factor, the level of noise in the
- capital of Thailand is surpassing those of the other recently visited Asian mega towns.
- Our "struggle" with the bureaucracies in some of this region for a temporary entry of our LandCruiser shows to
- bear slowly some progress. Said so, the governement of Myanmar sent us a few days ago the delightful
- message that a permit to visit the former Burma with our own car has been granted, but only by entering and
- exiting the country in Kawthoung - the former Port Victoria opposite of Thailand's Ranong - and shipping
- from there to Yangon (Rangoon). This involves another time a nervous and risky loading of our heavy car by
- crane, besides the not yet known costs of the freight. The second possibility of an entry into Myanmar via
- the Chinese province of Yunnan is made impossible by the astronomical costs of US$ 5'500 for the
- compulsary guide while driving an own personal car anywhere in China. A weak "dawn" is visible for Vietnam.
- Thus the foreign ministry in Hanoi didn't deny yet any entry, but referred to the minstry of interior to obtain
- another range of permits - how wonderfully easy are border crossings in Europe! Different countries -
- different customs, that's what we actually are looking for, but not always in such an imposing way!
- Coming week we are continuing to Cambodia - regardless of any Vietnamese permit - which as a new
- country will become No. 151. The first call will be at the famous temple of Angkor Wat - one of the world
- wonders. Christmas and New Year will be celebrated at our 152nd destination, being either Vietnam (in case
- we shall get a permit) or otherwise Laos.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ASIA: Las Vegas (Millennium change) Pictures
from Yemen (May-June 1996) Pictures
from "all the continents" (Oct. 84 - April
97) Encounters resp. "Ups + Downs" with Toyota Companies
since 1982
New Reports/Pictures
+ added from a
earlier visit to the USA:
+ added from our Arabian
Peninsula round trip:
+ Flashbacks of
our Worldrecordtour:
+ Follow-ups
about Toyota-Experiences:
