|
|
|
|
As soon as we have time, we will add in all the useful websites, books, links and other information we have used to plan our trip, as well as places and things we've discovered en route! For starters...
This is an excellent website which is hosted by Grant and Susan Johnson, who put a tremendous amount of effort into maintaining it. It is aimed at motorcycle travellers, but is extremely useful for all overland travellers.
David and Katja were due to set off on their adventure along with us, but were unfortunately delayed, and we are very disappointed not to be travelling with them. We had great fun planning our trips together, and we still hope to meet up with them en route! They have a great website, colourfully written - www.duksjourney.net.
Robert Lehman has a wonderful collection of butterflies, moths, and other insects, which he has on show in Ceiba, Honduras. The collection includes some absolutely amazing specimens (like a moth with a 30cm wingspan!), and Robert's enthusiasm an expertise really make for a fascinating visit. His website is at www.hondurasbutterfly.com.
We dealt with Sue Collins and Paul Gowen at the RAC to obtain both our original Carnet de Passage and the subsequent renewal. They provided us with excellent service. We also got our International Driver's Permits from the RAC. The RAC website is at www.rac.co.uk. Their carnet-specific information page is at http://www.rac.co.uk/travelservices/carnet.
The Thai Burma Railway Centre is in Kanchanaburi, Thailand. The town is famous as the site of The Bridge Over the River Kwai, although the movie is a work of fiction in almost all respects. But the infamous Death Railway built for the Japanese by Allied prisoners of war (and thousands of other coerced individuals) does run through Kanchanaburi . We believe the museum deserves a mention as it is of world-class standard and tells the story of the railway in an extremely compelling, yet factual and unbiased manner. The centre's director, Rod Beattie, is an enthusiast and expert on all things to do with the railway and has dedicated many years to unearthing the facts and sharing them with others. He also manages the Kanchanaburi and Chungkai War Cemeteries on behalf of the Commonwealth Cemeteries Commission and both are immaculately maintained. If you can only visit one museum about the Death Railway - it has to be this one! www.tbrconline.com.
Thai Elephant Conservation Centre We did a three-day elephant Mahout course here, which was a unique experience. The Centre does very good work providing a safe place for elephants and Mahouts to work, as well as a small hospital where they attend to sick and injured elephants from all around S.E Asia. While encouraging tourism, they skilfully manage to avoid too much of a circus atmosphere. www.changthai.com
Gert and Miranda are a Dutch couple who have been travelling across Europe and Asia since September 2003 in their 110 Defender. We met them in Vientiane in Laos. Their website is www.overlandx4x4.nl. It's in Dutch, but they say they intend to translate it. The photos need no translation.
|
