Bon Voyage

So off to the vehicle compliance centre,another vehicle was hired,this time a trailer all at an extra cost still i could not drive the MG on the Newzealand roads...my bank manager must be having nightmares by now...i sat up front in the lorry watching the MG bounce about as we drove to the vehicle compliance centre....we arrived early(me and Kevin the lorry driver)...the car was put up on the ramp and inspected while i went out for some fresh air and a bag of chips...I returned 3 hours later to find that the car had failed its test...it was in need of some brake repairs,some rust treatment to the chassis(minor),a suspension grease up and a stop tail light.....all at an unbelievable price of $1290....I had no choice but to get the work done this was no ordinary test..it was an imported vehicle test and quite a sustantial one at that,the seats were removed and the seat belts....all the wheels and various removable panels.
another night was spent at the hostel and i returned to the train station the next day to catch the train back to Otahuhu to collect the car and get its new plates for NEWzealand....it was afternoon by the time i took delivery of the MG and it now had the black and white Newzealand plates on.It felt strange driving away from the compliance centre back to the hostel for yet another night in Auckland...It took 40 minutes to get back and i had difficulty finding a parking space near where i was staying.I hadnt driven the MG on the open road for 2 months and it felt good to be back in the driving seat.
I organised a last minute party with some friends at the hostel,Lloyd,Christian,Johnno,marcus,fabriggio...a few beers some food and off to bed,I would drive to lake taupo in the morning.....
The morning came around fast,I packed my back pack and departed before the warden could give me a ticket...It was raining heavily and the car kept steaming up but i got away from the city and onto the open road...steadily i made my way throught the beautiful countryside,winter and spring mixed,,,rain,but some growing shoots of life for the next season.The heater was working well and i felt nice and warm,its not often that my cars have heaters that actually work so this was luxury...
I found a youth hostile near the lake,booked a room and took a nap before heading downstairs to the undergroung carpark to wash and wax the car....2 hours later the MG was absolutely gleaming...this would be my last chance to make the car shine before i arrived in wellington.....I decided to crack open the whiskey ,a Talisker from scotland and a fine malt too.And would you belive it there were 5 scots in the youth hostile of varying ages from 23 to 72...the evening began well,the malt flowed,stories were told and memories of adventures felt....The quests were talented cooks and food followed as we drank till midnight....
the next day i awoke slightly dazed but eager to go and see a German ex flatmate of mine who lived just 1 hour outside of wellington...i would spend the night there and not have such a long drive to the party the next day,that way i could stay fresh for the excitement and savour the moment of return.....The MG had other ideas and 1 hour into the journey decided to stop on the desert road...it was freezing up there near the lake but i had to get out of the car and take a look at what was causing the trouble...it looked like fuel starvation again....i shook up the fuel line to try and clear any sediment in the fuel line leading to the carbhureter...and amazingly it started again ....i had to use the starting handle again,the battery was nearly dead....hopefully it would get me home...
I arrived at 5.30pm and Alex and Jessica greeted me and offered me food and some fine beers from Belgium which they got especially for me,and we caught up on news.I even managed to go and see some other friends around the corner in Paraparaumu,Sue and Anton.....they fed me too....i must be thinner it would seem...
THE SATURDAY came around and i set off for the big return,a 1 hour slow drive through Wellington to the regional wines and spirits liquer store,MY FAVOURITE...a sense of triumph returned...and in that hour i thought of all the wonderful people i had met who made the journey possible.....I took the last turn into the carpark of the liquer store,and there were all my friends,they had come out to greet me and i felt very lucky.I took a minute or so to exit the car,listening to the engine whurr for the last time on its long trip.I switched of the engine disembarked the MG,and stood there wearing my gold and cream paisley tuxedo that i got from Bangkok and the warmest of welcomes embraced me....I had returned safely,i had brought the car over from england against all the odds, dealt with the beaurocracy and had lived an amazing 6 months on the road.....and my friends were there to share the moment with me......
until next time
Bon voyage.....

Leaving Auckland

Its been a difficult and tiring 13 days..Firstly the car being late didnt help matters, then having to organise times and places for the vehicle to be taken from the port to a designated area so that bio security could check the MG for animal and plant life..also customs work independantly from that department so i had to coordinate that check too and that used up another day and i had already lost 8 days with the shipment being late and because it arrived late on friday it had to stay on the wharfe until monday.And all this time i am in a backpackers waiting..actually it became too expensive so i moved to another place around the corner..then i moved from that one because it was full of drunks and Methamphetamine addicts...NICE...the place i have now is much better and a lot cheaper,which is marginally good news because of the way all the various shipping and customs and MAF and vehicle compliance and reregistering agencys keep charging me huge sums of money to get this car through the system.....anyhow i went to try and get some part time work in some bars and restaurants,but no-one was hiring...either that or the fact that I now look like a "bum' off the streets..my clothes havent fared so well...actually i shall need a new wardrobe after i get back....But today is the last of the checks ,and fingers crossed i get a warrant for the car..then i shall start my last leg of the trip back to wellington...and with NZ number plates...seems hard to believe that that 1967 MG Magnette built at the famous longbridge plant in Coventry England,where so many famous British cars were built...including the Austin Mini,should end its day on the other side of the world after a 6 month jaunt over land and sea.....
In the last 2 weeks i have approached TVNZ so that they might do a story on this journey and also contacted a well known advertising agency,their mission statement being"Nothing is impossible"...safe to say that apparantly picking up the phone to reply to me is actually "impossible",because i havent heard from them...it would be nice to gain an advertising deal so i can get my new wardrobe.......
Safe to say that after recieving the car and setting off for wellington,that if I should get pulled over by the Police they will instantly arrest me for stealing my own car looking like a homeless person...

Johnnie, the Walker

It was last night in Thailand and the aircraft beckoned for me to be flown back for the last leg of the road trip from Auckland to Wellington...What mysterys with the shipping agents and customs awaited me there I wonder?.....It was nearly midnight and I was having a last tincture in a bar off a pleasantly busy and bustling side street. I felt philosophical....I have had many experiences on this trip...a rollercoaster of a ride...and thats just my driving...I had several adventures in one really ...the road trip through Europe to the gateway of the middle east...the shipping (a feat in itself) of the MG Magnette which would ensure the survival of 1 very rare British Classic and reunite me with my Grandfathers legacy...the trip to Thailand and Bangkok and the beautiful trip down to Ko Tao.....and the final run in New Zealand down to Wellington.
I had been fortunate to meet many people from all over Europe and indeed other travellers from around the world, all with the same things in common.To see as much of the world as possible...It would be another 14 hours before I had to depart for the airport, hopefully with at least one decent item of clothing to return with...the rest of my clothes were now in tatters ...
The next day I awoke by 9am and packed my things for the trip back to Auckland. I set off for the taylors and there was a my suit, they must have been up all night tayloring away. I paid my bill and set off for my last Thai meal, a local Thai restaurant where no travellers, other than myself went. The food was truly tasty but quite hot. I wondered after if this was such a good idea after for a longhaul flight, it was too late by now....
I picked up my backpack and set off for the airport....4 hours before the flight was due, the traffic being so hectic in Bangkok....
On arrival I found the duty free shop and found that I could not take liquids over 100 mil into New Zealand so no malt whiskey for me....oh joy...I found a nice place to watch the world go by and spent my last few thousand baht on some over priced beer at the airport....before I knew it time had flown by and it was time to board, I would have to go via Sydney which would make the journey unecessarilly long, such was the case when I booked the ticket at the last minute. I could only hope that there wasnt a screaming child next to me on the plane....
I boarded the plane and sat down next to a screaming child...ahhhhh....what gives?..the mini bar would take care of that, I ordered a whiskey for me and the child and he got steadily mellow(only kidding)..actually I started screaming at that point...no malt whiskey...only bloody Johnnie Walker?!
The flight was pleasant enough and eventually I arrived in Auckland....took the airport taxi to the centre and found a backpackers...it felt like prison after my beach hut...I would rather have my lizard and rat back thank you please.....then decided to contact shipping to find out where the car was...it was to be 1 week late and I would have to wait in auckland. I thought I would spend the time wisely so contacted MAF and Customs...I would have to be at their office in the morning and then go to see shipping then see another agency to get the vehicle to and from the point of inspection and then take it to the Land transport agency for a rigourous vehicle test and only then could I get the MG reregistered...assuming it didnt need any work done to it? And after taking the shipping container back to the wharfe...I got all the info...and the expense projection and took a look at how long and how much my accomodation was going to be while I was here.....this wasnt going to be easy!!!

Tuk Tuk

After having a grand old time on the islands of Ko Tao and Ko pangjang I had to depart for the return trip to Bangkok...
I had really got used to island life, spending lazy days on the beach, hanging out in restaurants dining with strangers on local thai menus...enjoying the underwater adventures of Scuba diving at some of the worlds top dive sites. My total number of dives reached 50 and I celebrated with a large cocktail of Long island iced tea the night before the boat left for the mainland at Chumphon in the morning....2 hours on the fast catamaran and then onto the bus for the 7 and half hour road journey back to the centre of Bangkok to the famous Khosan Road....the bus finally pulled into town at 8.30pm in the middle of a monsoon drenching and I had to find accomodation fast, not wanting to stay out in the rough...I headed off to a place I found just before I left for the islands, but it was full...sooo off I set to find plan B. Sweet Thai guest house was the biggest flea pit I have seen but it was cheap and I was desperate so I paid my 180 baht and went to put my luggage into the room I had chosen...the larger of the 2 I was offered...the 1st one was without windows and I had to jump into the bed to get into the room and shut the door....this room was slightly bigger and had a window, but the fan was perilously loose on its fittings on the ceiling and looked as if it may come away and decapitate me at any minute.....I would find a better place to stay in the morning...
suprisingly I slept Ok, but found a better place to stay as soon as I awoke, moved in and enquired as to where I could get a taylor made suit for myself... the owner immediately dispatched a member of his staff to go get a Tuk Tuk and drive me 5 minutes to the taylors...this actually involved over an hours driving through town to see several "friends of his" to get a commision for the suit....but not after having to endure the suicide driving of my Tuk Tuk driver...only on 2 occasions were there all 3 wheels of his contraption on the road at any one time and narrowly avoiding cars buses pedestrians and head on collisions driving down the wrong side of the road did I struck up a rapport with my captureer, I mean driver...well after several near death experiences it was inevitable...I thought it best to keep the conversation down to a minimum because he would turn his around 180 degrees to chat leaving no-one seeing what the next potential accident may bring....after several tours of taylors...and on the last occasion when getting back into the back of the vehicle I noticed that not all the whell nuts were on ...only 3 when there was quite clearly another wheel bolt for another nut to go onto....by now I had decided to ask him to return to the Khosan road where I also knew of a taylor and I couldnt handle anymore of Bangkoks traffic pollution, in 1 hour it felt as if I had smoked 40 cigarettes and had 5 Cuban Cohibas.
I found my taylor and a deal was struck then I decided to steady myself after such a hairaising experience...5 locally produced Chang beers did the trick then I had another one and started to get unsteady again, where the whole unsteadyness started all over again....still unsteady I wandered off to look around town knowing that I had to be back for 7pm to get my second fitting for my suit at the taylors...

Let there be a show

I awoke 2 minutes before the alarm clock - 6 o'clock. Tiny shards of light broke through the wooden shutters and across my mattress - the alarm clock sounded - I stabbed it out immediately and lay in the humid beach hut despite the efforts of a fan on 3-speed.
A 3 minute shower got me ready for departure...A dive to "Champhon", with the promise of a whale shark. Excitedly I threw on some shorts and a faded T-shirt and off I set...it was a 15 minute walk from the hut, through the palm trees. A new dawn fades - the memories of the night before... Down across the lush grass still walking through the mountain mist - the early light cascading across welcome palms. Dogs still coiled up for warmth throughout the night didn't stir, save for the odd nightmare still deeply sleeping. I walked past the restaurants and bars, the sounds still echoing from the last nights revellry.
It didnt take long for me to arrive at the dive shop which lay right on the beach. I could see the boat bobbing up and down that was going to take us to the dive site. I got my bouyancy device, wetsuit, flippers and a mask - my weight belt and regulator were already on the boat. We had a 5 minute briefing and off we set across the sand towards the "longtail" boat that was to take us to the bigger vessel. Most of us got a soaking as 20 of us crammed into the large rowing boat that had a 4 cylinder engine and a 3 meter propeller shaft attatched to it. The exhaust bellowed out black smoke and within 5 more minutes we boarded the bigger vessel, a wooden ex fishing boat, the rusty nail marks dripped down the sides of the hull over old and flacky paint.
The sun rose higher and higher as we headed out to the "Champhon Pinnacle" and we organised our rigs for our 2 dives. The air was checked and our BCD loaded over the air cylinder, air attached to the regulator and our safety checks done. We finned up and stepped into the sea. Down we all descended by the bouy line and into the big blue and the unknown. We levelled off and took in the beauty of all the shimmering coral, deep greens and purples, sea anenomes sheilding orange spotted and beige clown fish. Enormous bat fish came into view and sea slugs moved slowly across the sand bars on the ocean floor. Rabbit fish glided by and seargent fish with their large eyes and red and black markings hid behind large volcano sponges. 3 eels half hidden under a ledge vied for position while awaiting their next prey. And 2 Titan trigger fish came into view darting in and out, their 40kg mass a constant threat to other fish and the dive team. Taking care to keep one eye on the trigger fish we followed the reef taking in the sights of this watery playground. A group of Angel fish well over one and half feet in size swam past in the opposite direction as did a shoal of juvenile Barracuda, smattered with with tiny damsel fish.
Before I knew it the time had come to do a 5 minute safety stop and re surface. Air was low and we had been down for over an hour.
The days diving couldn't have been better and I returned to the dive shop with the team to fill out the log book then got some lunch from my favourite Thai restaurant. I strolled up the beach and found "The Sairee Cottage" and ordered a mouthwatering Red Thai curry. The tasty sauce and aromatic infusions soaked into the rice and I cooled my mouth on an ice cold glass of mango and coconut lassie.....
I felt a little sleepy after my diving and lunch so decided to take a nap under a palm tree overlooking the pier. The afternoon turned into early evening and I returned to my beach hut whilst the spectacular sun set over the golden sand of Ko Tao beach.
This evening a show was to be put on by a dance chorus of ladyboys, and I was eager to see it after several recommendations by the locals and the crew of the dive shop.
I arrived at the venue with half hour before the show and ordered a "Cosmopolitan" with enough alcohol to sedate an army and before long the spectacular show began. The lights dimmed and the music started, an operatic piece from "Carmen" and then slowly the "girls" came on stage one by one, their faces made up and wearing the most outrageous costumes. The crowd was loving it, and so was I. I ordered another "Cosmopolitan" and sat back and listened to 15 song and dance routines. At the end of the show the leading ladyboy introduced everyone of the chorus by name and hat' came around...Everyone was pleased to contribute to a first rate show.
It had been a busy day and was late now and I still had another 2 dives set up for the morning, so set off once again for my beach hut under the light of the moon.....the lizard would be waiting stuck to the ceiling...but I would tackle him when I got back...

Rat

I boarded the bus at 7pm 3rd september, I was the last on and got the broken chair with no arm rest sitting in the isle......when I finally fell asleep I lost my balance and nearly fell on to floor which was then occupied by another passenger attempting to sleep...fortunately I stayed in my seat... The bus pulled into a truck stop at 2 am and we all piled off only to be shouted at by the bus driver to be back on board in 30 minutes...the passegers headed for the shack they called the restaurant an ordered warm beer.....I gave it a miss, instead opting for a dry biscuit....mmmhhhh.
No-one was left behind and we finally made it to the southern gulf of Thailand, where we had to wait in the restroom for 3 more hours until the sun came up to get the boat...what a beautiful sunrise as the waves lapped the small wooden craft filled with backpackers....
On disembarkation I was gathered up by a local Thai and taken to a beach hut a price agreed and then I caught up on some well earned rest after such a long trip across the country, only to be rudely awoken by my hidden flat mate...some kind of a lizard. Bloody hell they can make a racket cant they...on closer inspection I found the cheeky chap in the bathroom stuck to the wall..if he carrys on I thought he will be stuck to my foot....
I got up in the afternoon and decided to smarten myself up a bit so showered and headed off to get my haircut at a barbers I saw on the way through. I entered the shop and local Thai Girl asked what cut I wanted and sat me down and got to work...She put the nylon cloak over me and started cutting away and when she came around the left side of me...because my elbows were hanging over the arms of the barbers chair (enjoying the sheer luxury after the bus ride) the girl brushed against me, I thought it strange to be wearing a money belt when there was a perfectly good cash registar in operation. I then looked down and realised there was no money belt and my hairdresser had enormous hands and an Adams apple...is there nowhere I can go without being harrassed!? Hahaha, anyway at least I didnt get chased by her? Him? Like the wild dogs in Turkey...
The following days I explored the island on foot...only a few motorbikes touring aroung the exceptionally hilly terrain, but otherwise great views and lots of tranquility......the sea was a perfect turqoise and super clear...
I returned after some swimming and a lovely fresh thai cooked meal of "Pad Thai"
The bars are packed to the rafters of an evening and happy hour seems to last until the early hours...I found a quieter hut on my second day to avoid all the drunken teenagers, but I now have a new lizard even bigger than the last one and a rat that woke me up at 2am trying to eat my morning croissant that I left next to my wardrobe russtling the packet....
I picked up the lizard and threw him at the rat...no problem now...(only kidding Brett and Jaro)...

Thai soup

After returning to istanbul I new it was going to be a mission to organise the MG shipping...
I spent 3 days in all returning to the port with the car...first the car had to be completely cleaned throughout and I had to drive to the special cleaning works for this...inside the engine compartment ,under the bonnet,inside the boot everything had to be removed then washed with high pressure steam and a strange chemical they use for cleaning...then it had to be heat treated and signed off by a customs officer...
the petrol tank had to be emptied of fuel for the journey,which was a complete fiasco as the guys doing this task didn't have a syphon so decided to try and suck the petrol out..1 poor fella must have drank half a litre of the fuel(must have thought it was Rakki) they got most of the fuel out eventually and I reversed the MG into the container that was up over a ramp that was next to the lorry...8 Turkish chaps then had the task of choking up the wheels and lashing the car to the inside of the container with carriage belts..
the MG would have to be transported to the port of Haydapasa and I would have to spend more time with the customs officers in 2 buildings across town 1 mile apart to and throw..I must have been to several different offices in these 2 buildings collecting paperwork and signing documentation......finally I had all the documents and proved the vehicle was mine etc and filled out customs declarations....all I had to do was take all this paperwork to another officer to prove that the car was indeed leaving the country and that I could be allowed to organise a flight out of Turkey...It is illegal to leave without proof that I have not imported the vehicle.....
By the end of the week I said farewell to the MG and with my paperwork all in order I went to look for a flight ........But I have to be back in Auckland by 3rd october at the latest to recieve the car and finally import the vehicle, get it road legal and drive to Wellington.
I find myself in Thailand in Bangkok. Its a crazy place, hawker stands selling their wares, fruit I have never seen before octopus kebabs for sale on the side streets.
The golden temples are simply wonderful to look at, I had to go get the battery charged again for my camera. The streets smell of fish most of the time mixed with the fumes of the cars, vans and tuk tuks....it would seem that anything can be purchased here, I dont wear branded clothes anyway but if I did they would all be fake although I couldnt tell...
There is usually a downpoor of rain everyday, so far I have missed getting a drenching...
I will be heading down south to Ko Tao an island near Ko Samui...I have to book the overnight bus today and head to Chumphon to catch the speed boat to get there.....it is a 12 hour journey all in 452kms...hopefully I will be doing some scuba diving and get to see a whale shark...NICE.