First 30 hours of the trip

This episode took place on the 30th November and 1st December.

Plans Do Go Wrong...

So the plan was done, to the minute details - although just in my mind.

How wrong can it be....

Here was the plan.
Leave Muar on the AidilAdha evening to reach Kangar on the evening.
Drive leisurely, and does not exceed 5pm before finding a place to sleep.
Reach Bangkok latest by Monday, the 1st Dec. Route on maps were planed.

So what went wrong?

To start, the misses had a fever the day before Eid. And driving back to Muar on the eve of Eid was a challenge by itself. It took a good 5 hours, of what would normally takes 2 hours. We reach Muar at 3 am. That gets me a bit drowsy the next day.

Next, I underestimated the power of NurKasih. Half the crew insisted on watching the final episode.....

So we were already a day behind schedule before we even starts.

What a plan....

Why trouble with the Road Trip

I too am puzzeled why we took the trouble to do this road trip. There are reasons.

As mentioned, our eldest daughter will be on her last semester once the new semester starts. After that, I would expect she would have a totally different calender, which would be harder for us to manage.

Then it was because I had been working extra hours, that I had almost negected the kids, had only seen them on weekends. Some quality time required. The long journey, locked inside a car would certainly encourage that.

And driving is almost second nature to us. With our second already got her license recently, she would be too eager to try it. Trying it in another country would certainly be a thrill. And we have our fair share of driving in other coutries. We toured half the western europe countries in 2003, and again in 2004 and covered the whole of the British Isle.

And finally, it's economics. It's cheap.

Reasons not necessary in that order.....

Planning a Road Trip

So we decided to go away on a holiday. Our eldest will be on her last semester before graduation, and it's the only time the whole family are available for a holiday. So it's decided that we take a road trip. And the destination: Thailand. Bangkok, no less.

The planning starts early. The vehicle will be the family Proton Exora- fully services, with the gear oil changed. Documentation obtained from the bank for release, in case required by the authority. Annual leave application applied; and approved.

The plan was to leave on 1st day of EidulAdha, right from Muar; to reach Kangar on the evening, and cross the border the next morning.

That WAS the plan.....