ASEAN-India Rally Saturday, December 1: DAY 4

According to the trip meter, we have covered 2381.1km since the flag-off at Singapore. It was a 800km-plus drive from Phuket to the city of Bangkok. The 31-car convoy started rolling at 0630hrs from the hotel. The police, along with the Thai support team had us flying through the countryside.

The roads were fantastic, and we felt like we were part of a presidential convoy. It was evening rush-hour traffic by the time we reached the outskirts of Bangkok. The Thai police put a police car after every 10 vehicles in the convoy to escort us through the city to our hotel. The drive was surreal. The convoy speeding through Bangkok’s crowded roads, bumper to bumper, trying not to let the locals stray in between the cars in the convoy. We needed all our attention and focus to keep close enough to the car in front not to let any vehicle in, but far enough to be able to stop without hitting the car in front. And squeezing through the narrow gaps in traffic the police escort opened for us.

We received news that India’s former Prime Minister IK Gujral had passed away, and that a six-day mourning period had been announced. Therefore there would be no official celebrations for the rally during this period.

The convoy reached the hotel at 2000hrs, an hour ahead of schedule. The average speed worked out to just under 80kph. It’s fantastic timing when you consider the size of the convoy.

Tomorrow we stay in Bangkok. But tonight, everyone wants to go and get a massage.