ASEAN - India car rally, 2012

[KTMphil]

To mark the 20th anniversary of the ASEAN-India dialogue partnership and the 10th anniversary of ASEAN-India Summit-level partnership, India is hosting the ASEAN-India Commemorative Summit in New Delhi on December 20-21, 2012.

Two flagship events being organized as part of the commemorative year events are the Shipping Expedition of INS Sudarshini to ASEAN countries and the ASEAN-India Car Rally, 2012.


On the occasion of the 20th commemorative year of India-ASEAN relations, the 2nd edition of the ASEAN-India Car Rally has been proposed to take place from 26 November - 20 December 2012. It will kick-off from Yogyakarta, Indonesia, with a ceremonial flag-off in Singapore and wind its way through 8 of the 10 ASEAN countries before finally ending in New Delhi, India. The proposal is for the Heads of Government of India and the ASEAN nations to receive the rally in New Delhi.

 

[KTMphil]

You can follow the rally in this link



Car Rally | ASEAN India




[h=3]Car Rally LIVE Mapping[/h] LAST FETCHED GPS LOCATION OF ASEAN-INDIA CAR RALLY 13 Dec, 2012:



Naypyitaw Union Territory, Burma 1 hour ago

 

[KTMphil]

[h=1]Entering Myanmar- A country away from the Final Destination![/h] Posted on December 12, 2012 by ASEAN India Team
The ASEAN-India Car Rally set off to Sukothai in Thailand on Monday morning- all 31 Mahindra XUV500s with the teams ready to take on the road back to Thailand, through which we'd then progress to Myanmar.
Entering Thailand was amazing, as the Thai had been great hosts. Once again, we had the experience of being greeted with much warmth and excitement. Even in the wee hours of the morning, their welcome astounded us. A long journey that usually wears our happiness off was rejuvenated with the welcome we received at Phitsanulok, as we hugged and celebrated with our Thai hosts. It's in these moments that the true spirit of ASEAN-India Car Rally 2012 shows itself- when countries rejoice together! Phitsanulok, which was the capital of Thailand for 25 years during the reign of King Boromma Trailokanat of Ayutthaya, is where the Great Eastern Highway Project starts. We then made our way to Sukothai.

The heritage park at Sukothai is truly exquisite. The dinner reception was set in the middle of several historical monuments. The dais for speeches and formalities was decorated uniquely and when the Governor of Sukothai along with Indian Ambassador gave their speeches to cheer the Rally, it was a splendid sight to behold. We then were guided to one of the Buddhist temples' lawns, where mats were laid besides the lake. In a setting as spectacular as this, the participants of the ASEAN-India Car Rally 2012 had dinner.

Then, we were shown around the temples, and to add to the splendour of the evening, the Thai folk had put up a great show with children dressed in bright, colourful costumes about the history of Sukothai. Before we knew it, beautiful fireworks and wishing lanterns were up in the air. An experience like this cannot be forgotten. What an evening!

We left Sukothai at 5.45 am on Tuesday morning, this time, without Renuka Kirpalani and Neerja Bhatia, who have returned to India for the further events surrounding the ASEAN-India Commemorative Summit.
The terrain to Myanmar was mountainous. We entered Myanmar and were received beautifully. A special thank you to all the people lined up along the roads for our reception. They made us feel so special! The tunnel of citizens gave us a glimpse into their eagerness to see and welcome us. Four of the participants in the Myanmar team were celebrities, including Saw Nyan L. Kyaw and Su Pen Htwar, and it was partly the enthusiasm to see them that had the crowds on the roads! But truly, the tonnes of little kids and an amazing number of people welcoming us so warmly into their country had us amazed.

 

[KTMphil]

[h=1]Breakfast in Vietnam, lunch in Cambodia, dinner in Laos- A weekend on the move![/h] Posted on December 10, 2012 by ASEAN India Team
Friday was a day of roads. A Rally signifies plenty of travel, and by how the itinerary went for the day, we've completed that one criterion in large doses!

Breakfast at Vietnam, lunch at Cambodia and dinner at Laos- three meals spread over 3 countries! The ASEAN India Car Rally 2012 left Vietnam after a short and low-key flag off at the Independence Palace early in the morning, heading to Cambodia again, to cross over to Laos. The Vietnamese convoy of bikes that earlier guided us to the city now helped us out of it. The drive up to lunch was relatively smooth, and somewhat familiar, as we had spent quite a while on the Cambodian road. Before the crossing formalities, we stopped for lunch. Lunch was a short affair, as we had to drive a long way ahead.

What is a Rally without a few bumps? 'Few' is quite an understatement. A little while before we crossed the Cambodian border, the roads got a little bumpy. But while we could see it, the Mahindra XUV500s made a smooth drive over them. We entered Laos late last evening. The countryside passed us and soon we were at our hotel of reception.

After a formal welcome and a good night's sleep, we set off on Saturday morning to visit the famous temples in Wat Phu, Laos. The site once again took us to another era. It was after that, that the AICR headed for Savannakhet. We were greeted in traditional Laotian style at the Hotel Daosavanh. A beautiful arrangement of flowers, and a great dinner swept part of the tiredness away.

We had an early start on Sunday, to Vientiane which is 464 km away. All those of you planning to vacation should really consider a road trip to South-East Asia. Known extensively for the cities like Bangkok and Phuket, the roads too are a drive to remember if you're in sturdy vehicles like a Mahindra XUV500, which takes on a variety of terrains like cakewalk!
Pha That Luang greeted us on Sunday, where the flag down was hosted by the local ministerial dignitaries. They gave the participants of the rally a privileged tour of the site, telling us more about the culture of Laos! With these dignitaries honouring the officials from the Rally, including India's Neerja Bhatia of Rally Partners CII, our day was made! After our flag down from there, we left for Vientiane, the capital city of Laos! We stopped at Hotel Paksan for lunch, our last in this country.

We were all excited about our drive to our next stop- Don Chan Palace hotel at Vientiane. A ceremonious stage was set for our welcome. As the convoy lined up, and the formalities started, we were greeted warmly. An evening of entertainment, including performances by Indian dancers and Laotian gymnasts followed, leaving us spellbound and a little sad that we should be leaving behind another country.

This flag-off we shall remember not only as our last in Laos, but because it was our last with Renuka Kirpalani and Neerja Bhatia- who were among those who formed the backbone of the Rally. It's with their support that we've come this far, and now that the team has spent more than 2 weeks together, we'll definitely miss them!

 

[Lone Rider]

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