...The Lady and Her Cowboy...: February 2015

Saturday, February 28, 2015

.. Bagan to Yangon ..

Yes it's over, we are now in Yangon after a very long hot day that started with a fabulous balloon ride over Bagan, then a 650 kilometre drive in 40 degree heat to arrive in Yangon for a police escort through town to our hotel finishing off with a birthday dinner for Derk Degroen and of coarse closing the bar. up at seven off to the car wash and onto the dock to deliver the old girl to be packaged and shipped home, What an amazing adventure the Lady and her Cowboy have had? Tonight we have dinner with one of Montanna's school mates that teaches here and then off to Hong Kong for a few days of rest and relaxing before we saddle up and come home.

See you all next week

Laurie & Len

Well here is the old girl getting her final bath before being shipped home.

In front of our hotel in Yangon

A world rally champion, 83 year old Gerry Crown finally sitting in a real car enjoying every minute of it, particularly the dancing girl.

Check out Sugar Baby with this 1931 Desoto

This tree really doesn't know what it is supposed to do, but how about the size of the trunk

Street vendor selling the local equivalent to a hoot, banana leaf with some sort of paste, tobacco, and a ground root or nut. You chew sort of like chewing tobacco, spit everywhere, feel your teeth rot out, all for a mild buzz, yippee

Street side dining at it's finest

A flower arrangement for all my girls at home.

Going to be a great end to the holiday

Looks like the flight might be a good one

Monday, February 23, 2015

.. Naypyitaw to Bagan ..

Well here we are in Bagan our destination and yes we made it, to the finish line. It has been a truly remarkable journey. In my mind far more gruelling than the P2P both on you physically and particularly on the navigators and the cars. It is so surreal to be here after such an arduous adventure. Many people came by chauffeur driven cars or vans after having been eliminated due to car failure, 4 members of the entourage will not make it at all due to serious injuries sustained along the way. Our thoughts and blessings go out to them with the utmost sincerity. For those of us who have been lucky enough to make it, feelings of joy and jubilation all around. For me it was extra special because we did it together, Laurie and I along with a whole lot of special friends, both old and new. It will take some time too truly reflect on the whole journey, but I will do my best in the coming days to share more of with you all.

Take Care

The Lady and Her Cowboy - Laurie & Len

Part of the original wall around the palace in Mandalay, unfortunately the Palace doesn't exist anymore, due to man's infatuation with weapons and war. The wall is 2 Km's long on each side, truly remarkable

How about this for a temple in the middle of nowhere, just like in James Bond

A Bamboo stick bridge about 1 km long

Check out the size of this tree. They have some of the most interesting trees here, really big.

Gas Jockey

Modern Water Truck

A modern kitchen at one of our lunch stops

Goat Herder

Check this out, a toll gate arriving in Bagan

Christof's cousin Donna, finally a set of balls she could really get a hold of.

This gal is a star, she rode on a 1906 Italian all the way and now she's making out with a monkey

26 days of rally adventure and she's still beautiful, the gals all call her the rally glamour queen

Christof, in need of some womanly touch

Tony, one of the support mechanics, an absolute delightful fellow and a truly gifted make em go kind of guy

One of our superb support group

Our den mother, Nikki, she is one of the hardest working gals you will ever meet

Sunday, February 22, 2015

.. The Cowboys TV Debute ..

Click HERE to view the TV Coverage from a Local TV station in Thailand - featuring Our Cowboy Len

Saturday, February 21, 2015

.. Chiang Mai to Naypyitaw ..

Well we have made it this far, we are currently in Nay Phyi Taw the new capital of Mynammar until very recently a closed city. So far this has been the most interesting and enduring part of the journey. From Chang Mai we headed north over a highway that has 1872 curves and bends, extremely steep both up and down to the northern frontier of Thailand, a war was going on when we arrived apparently 50 people died overnight the day we arrived. From there we headed southwesterly straddling the Burmese border to the city of Mae Sot where we were stuck for an extra day waiting for the direction of the road into Burma to change. Gave us a chance to relax a little, see some remote Thia culture and get ready to enter Burma. There was a lot of concern by the organizers about how smooth the entry might be, but alas all went well. A somewhat difficult passage to Mawlamyine a river front city with a regional presence to the needs of the people. Extremely friendly people that still live in many ways the way they have for decades. The past few days have been extremely hot, driving in the most bizarre traffic and road conditions, while trying to take in all the sights, what a hoot. The fat old girl is doing us proud even though she suffers severely from fat ankles. Laurie and I are enjoying ourselves immensely amongst her new found rally friends, all the ladies have suggested she win the Glamour Queen award, which is just wonderful and she certainly gets my vote.

Take Care

Laurie & Len