GizmoBKK

If you get a new street bike in Thailand, there is an 85 % import duty, right?

Now, someone told me if you are not going to register the bike for the roads (number plate), but you will use it as a race bike only, then you don't have to pay the import duty.

Consequently, you would pay for a new race bike maybe the same price as for a 2nd hand street bike (for which somebody else paid the import duty earlier, and you are now going to transform it into a track toy)...

True or false...?

Very nice and utmost informative report, AceCafe. Thanks for sharing!

I was also thinking about going to Cambodia, and you have reliefed my worries about the paper work. What about driving license? Do you have an international one, Thai, Western, ...?

Would also like to get a better understanding about the road conditions. I was around in Cambodia by car only in the Phnom Penh and Angkor area, and it was pretty ok there. However, I have heard that roads up-country can be quite disastrous.

Well, when you did the ride on a Harley which is not really an off-road bike it doesn't seem too bad. However, how do you think about doing the trip on a sports bike?

In particular I was dreaming of going from Bangkok to Angkor, and via Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville. What about the roads on this route? Comments any one?

And what is your opinion about theft? Higher risk in Cambodia than in Thailand?

Hi, what is the best gym in the Thonglor/Ekkamai area?

Had a look at ChiroFit on Thonglor near Soi 15. Looks very clean, very professional equipment, not crowded - but extremely expensive.

Heard that the new California Wow between Sukhumvit Soi 61 and 63 is rather cheap, around 1,000 Baht/month, but my concern is that it's very noisy and overcrowded.

What's your experience?

I have been a member for 4 years at Fitness First Soi 39. Was great initially, but suddenly they started to become greedy. Profits First: membership fee up, service level down. Totally fed up and will quit. Now looking for an alternative.

Let me know your opinion.

Thanks.

sad story.

reminds me of another post related to a similar topic:

IMO, the question is not how old you are when you are riding a bike, at what speed you travel, or if motorbikes in general are more dangerous than other means of transportation.

The underlying problem in Thailand is the complete lack of road safety education.

I took the theoretical and practical test for a driving license in Thailand. In the theory test, there was not a single question on braking distance or safety distance. And the practical test is the most ridiculous thing I have ever seen in my life; about 30 m of riding are required. As long as you are not completely drunk and will fall off the bike, for sure you'll pass the test.

Thus, possession of a completely legitimate driving license does not necessarily mean the owner can drive.

I even talked to some Thai friends who are well educated and usually quite fast on the road with their cars. They are completely unaware of physics, and they have never heard of any formula that gives you the braking distance in dependence of the speed!

So, the whole thing is not just about irresponsible parents. Education about road safety (and the physics involved) should be implemented in the schools, and PR is required to increase safety awareness. Who has ever seen "Der 7. Sinn" on German TV knows what I am talking about.

Have a safe ride!

Well, that's two votes for ACTION and none for Bush

Kanchanaburi it is!

...

Well, as representatives of the older generation (?), we'll be staying in Sangkhlaburi. Bike fun will have to compensate then for the lack of action...

Anyway, since apparently we will have no beer together then (unless we meet at night in the middle of nowhere between S. and K. ), sms me where you'll have lunch break. Maybe a possibility to introduce the groups to each other there.

Enjoy the ride. Careful and safe trip na. (My friend who proposed the ride has been taken out by a low flying Honda Click in BKK last week and cannot join!)

I am not sure but perhaps the dirt shop try google and have a look at their website or call. Where in Thonglor is the Diuaneses shop ?

Cheers

HH

If you ride from Petchaburi to Sukhumvit it's on the left hand side, about 20 meters before the Ducati shop. But don't expect much; it's a really tiny shop!

The Paddock in BKK stock Daienese I believe. Not sure of address but Im sure it will come up on Google.

No Dainese at Paddock's. Been there last Wednesday.

Does anybody know a shop selling Dainese stuff (boots, leathers, protectors...) in BKK besides the Dainese shop on Thonglor? 2nd hand would be ok, too.

The answer is simple: get as much as you can in Europe and bring it here! Not only is the stuff more expensive in Thailand, you don't have the selection either. Things might not be available in your size, desired color etc.

Btw, can you bring me some leathers and boots?

Well some of us are back. Rustic & myself.

Gizmo is coming soon. Will post some pics after download.

Had a great time. The ride was awesome. 2 miles at least of 2 abreast riders.

There are a shed load of Harley's in Chon Buri province.

Ride On.

Well, they should have called the bike week chopper week I guess; Rustic and I seemed to be among the very few representing the sports bikes. Was a bit disappointed since neither I wanted to buy Harley shirts nor cowboy hats. Think we have to organize our own event.

The HST-Pirelli Open Track Day however was GREAT and compensated a lot

The easy answer is Mesh jacket with CE protection, however beware and buy one where you can tighten the elbow protection so it does not slide if you drop. Also beware the protection in mesh clothing is not very high, the CE protection helps you in a drop but the mesh evaporate fast so don't believe it protects as leather. But it is bearable in the heat, and gives added protection which can save you a lot in a drop. Shorts and T-Shirt is not a good idea, just a slide in 10 km/h will pain you for a long time with scares so, mesh with CE should improve your protection a lot.

Cheers Bard

You put it right on the spot, Bard; couldn't agree more

Some people asked WHERE the event actually will take place

From the official TAT link

http://www.tourismthailand.org/festival-ev...ntent-5797.html

you can read that "On the following day [= Feb 13], the event moves to the grounds of Pattaya's Indoor sports stadium on Soi Chaiyapruk, off Sukhumvit Road."

Which I assume is here:

So, for those unable to make it to the meeting points on Thonglor or Bitec on Friday, see you THERE.

So, just to confirm, who will be at BITEC at 4.30pm tomorrow?

Will be there!

Still possible to meet earlier for me, but from what I read not possible for some others. PM me if you want to go for a coffee at Thonlor earlier.

See ya!

But if there's a consensus among most to leave earlier, then I may just take the day off work.

So, haven't heard anything about taking a day off (try maybe a half day as I will ), thus I assume we keep a.m. timing. Is it agreeable to target 4:30 as departure time rather than meeting time?

Might not be able to access the internet for the next three days, but back on Thursday which will suffice to do last minute adjustments.

...

Please join up for a blast of a trip guys and girls

Well, apart from the trip (which sounds great!), that reminds me that I have never ever seen a woman riding a big bike in Thailand.

Are they hiding or do they simply not exist?

Sounds good.

Okay! A tentative agreement. Anyone else want to join? Outside BITEC (Bang Na), next Fri afternoon 4.30pm, taking no3 highway.

So far, dotcom and myself with 2 other duc's.

Indeed, sounds good, whatever "tentative" means though.

Would prefer however to leave a bit earlier to avoid rush hour and driving in the dark (yes, I'm afraid of ghosts...). Let's be honest, if meeting time is scheduled for 4:30, according to Thai habits we will not leave before 5:30, will we?

Glad to join you guys then!

it started off well enough, including ummm... long shots of toaster, grannie with zimmer frame... but just what the f&*K is that ending about!!??

[...]

if anyone can explain the ending to me, and it's relevance to the rest of the movie, I'd love to hear...

Just came back from watching the movie and felt the same. Glad to find this one:

The assistant director is a friend, and after I saw SC, he explained how the two sections of the narrative related to each other. The second, colour part, represents the novel that the fat Dane is writing on his laptop (and discussing over the phone) during the first, b&w part. His real life is dull and routine, but the novel lifts himself and his girlfriend into a world of gangsters and debauchery.

Well that makes... umm... "sense" and will allow me to stop thinking about it and go to sleep

Thanks sabaijai

Hmmm... Thought initially there is no more day after work

What time will be "after" work approximately? I might not be able to leave before 7 pm, around Thong Lor. Means it will be dark already

You finish work quite late.

I hope to leave between 4 & 5 pm (earlier if I can swing it) but that's coming from across the river, Samut Prakan area.

Yeah, you are right. You're comment prompted me to reconsider about working long on a Friday afternoon, and indeed I managed to convince my colleagues to re-schedule a half-day meeting to Friday morning! Now I might take half a day off on Friday, he, he.

Anybody else leaving in the afternoon from Sukhumvit area (Thonglor/Ekkamai)? In that case leaving before 4 pm would be prefered to avoid rush hour.

Where is the Chonburi test center located?

I do not have the proper address, but when you leave the Bangna-Trad Expressway, you pass the Amata Nakorn Industrial Estate on the left. Continue straight direction Chonburi, and you'll find it on the left hand side before you actually enter the city.

that might depend on where you take the test. i did it in chonburi, and sursprisingly they had modern computers on which you do the test. multiple choice in english.

for preparation, i even got a book with some basic rules in english and japanese.

good luck.

Was it hard to do the test theoretical ?

And the practical part ?

The multiple choice test is similar to the German test. If you have a driving license already from another country and/or are an experienced rider, you should have no problem with that, as Thai traffic rules are not that much different from other countries (I am talking about rules, not habits...!) I am sure I got one question wrong because the translation into English was simply incorrect.

The practical test is hilarious (or should I say scary?!): get on a scooter (wear helmet!), look over the shoulder, turn on turning light, start moving, turn off turning light, circle around three (3!) cones (no worries, they are placed so far from each other that you would manage that even completely drunk), ride 20 meters straight. Come to a full stop, look over the shoulder, turn on turning light, turn right, done.

Nothing about emergency braking, narrow circles or anything! No wonder most of the accidents during New Year involved motorbikes. (Well, I don't think that the car driving test is more demanding either...) I don't know what this test is for, but carrying a Thai driving license does not necessarily mean you can drive.

that might depend on where you take the test. i did it in chonburi, and sursprisingly they had modern computers on which you do the test. multiple choice in english.

for preparation, i even got a book with some basic rules in english and japanese.

good luck.

PLENTY of dealers on Patong on the road everywhere, but probably not all bikes in the best condition.

Road conditons are quite ok on Phuket, so especially with your experience that will not be an issue at all.

Personal suggestion is just to ride along the (west) coast. Wonderful views across beaches and (small...) mountains.

(But are you aware that Phuket is not THAT big? In 5-7 days you can go around the island a couple of times...)

Enjoy the trip.

[...]

I followed a 250 Ninjette on my fire spitting Ninja ZX10R all the way to CM. And would classify that ride as neither slow or fast. Just enjoyable.

Though I haven't met you guys in person (yet!), I have an idea who that was on the Ninjette

It's really something hard to define. Sometimes I ride at 120 sometimes it's 80, 400CC bikes can't do much more if it's not a sports bike. Depends on the roads I'm on. to me that is a slow rider

[...]

Still, I have a slightly different view here: 80 to 120 (no matter whether km/h or mph...) can be way TOO fast depending on the circumstances. (How many people can REALLY do an emergency braking at 120 km/h?)

[...] If thier abilties get better then they can go up to the next level.

[...]

If this is supposed to mean "fast = skilled", I cannot agree: a skilled driver will adjust his (her) speed according to the environment.

Reminds me of this pilots' saying: "There are many bold pilots. And there are many old pilots. But there are only few old bold pilots."

Safe riding guys (and girls)

Interesting reading, ray23.

First thing that comes to my mind: cannot help it, but think that "fast" and "slow" are not the only criteria to distinguish riders. What about "high risk" and "low risk"?

Second thing: the slow ride concept fits nicely to "Sport Riding Techniques" by Nick Ienatsch which I recently added to my bookshelf. The author is a professional rider who recommends to keep the speeding for the race track, and instead promotes finding joy on the road by bringing your riding skills to perfection. - And let's be honest, speeding alone is no skill; every idiot can open the throttle. But this perfect cornering or getting the bike to maximum deceleration under control are different stories...

So, enjoy the slow ride.

how was the trip on your R1? comfortable enough?

Come on, man, of all people you know the answer

[...]

Ok, thanks for your input, and I will let you know the outcome.

Here's to keep my promise:

The Bangkok-Pai Loop

First of all, thanks for the helpful comments!

Second of all, I don't get it why copy paste from word always give me triple paragraph spacing, but I am not going to correct this for a five pages document. (Sorry.)

For those in a rush, and just to answer my own question from above:

Confirm: Bangkok - Mae Sariang (about 750 km) can be done more or less "easily" in one day on big bikes. For this however, one should leave Bangkok early in the morning (say 7 a.m. or earlier in order to arrive MS before dark, and any major delays should not occur. Mae Sariang - Mae Hong Son - Pai - Chaingmai (about 430 km) can be done on the second day, too.

BUT if you can afford to add at least another day, do it, because you will enjoy the ride and the scenery so much more!

For all others, here's the long version:

Finally, after a couple of discussions, we (riding a BMW K 1200 S, Honda CB 1300, and a Yamaha R1) agreed to do the trip over three days.

Day 1 (Sun, Dec 28, 2008)

Since we decided to do it sloooow, two of us start with breakfast on Thonglor at 7:30 a.m., picking up the third guy at 8:30 at BTS Ari.

Well, with the usual delays, the needs of lots of caffeine in the morning to get brain and body working, we don't leave the Starbucks before 9 a.m. Traffic at that time is heavier than expected for a Sunday morning, and leaving town via Vibhavadhi is not that much fun.

Anyway, the first tank stop after 220 km is reached in less than 2 hours thanks to sufficient horsepower and excellent roads.

From Kamphaeng Pet onwards, however, the road gets a bit bumpier, but still manageable. Then, finally we get into the mountains; GREAT canyon roads, lots of cornering. Feels like home!

A pity that this great experience is messed up once more by the driving style in Thailand: apparently it does not matter how many lanes are available for one direction, you always have to be prepared to have someone coming straight towards you on what you might think is your lane. Scary!

We reach Mae Sot earlier than expected at 4 p.m. Or should I say we almost reach it? My fuel warning light has been on for a while, and the moment I enter the roundabout, the engine shuts off and attempts to restart are in vain. Keeping the bike rolling as long as possible, I come to a final halt right in front of the gas station - just on the opposite site of the road, with the next two u-turns blocked so tightly, that even a bike cannot get through. What a <deleted>!

Luckily my mate with the CB 1300 sees my misery (he's already on the other side of the road) and helps me out with some pushing.

Well, at least I know now exactly how much gas fits into my tank, and I do not have to try anymore how far I can go after this little yellow light turns on... (In fact, I realize how lucky I am that this thing did not happen 10 km away from the next station!)

After the thirst for gasoline is satisfied, we start another discussion: two of us find Mae Sot rather boring, and having come so far already, we wonder if it's really such a good idea to spend the night here as originally planned. And Mae Sariang doesn't seem that far. We are aware we are entering deeper into the mountains, but it's only another 230 km, and at least the first half of the remaining distance seems pretty straight, so we assume it should be possible to reach M.S. by riding maximum half an hour in the dark (initially we agreed not to ride after sunset at all...). Then we should still have sufficient time to find a hotel, have a hot hot shower, a 2 hours Thai massage, a nice dinner with maybe one or another beer, and yet go to bed early to be fit for the next day. And so, with a 2:1 vote, we keep the motor(s) running.

With 20 minutes wasted on this discussion, we are leaving Mae Sot at 4:25 p.m.

We have seen a couple of road accidents already on that day, but the bicycle run over by a truck and a sandal left on the road puts a knot into our stomachs.

Anyway, our decision to depart is rewarded with wonderful, empty roads, and the landscape submerged in the colors of the slowly setting sun. Close to the Myanmar border, numerous police check-points slow us down once in a while, but at least none of us gets stopped. We also pass a huge refugee camp, but with a tight schedule, there is no time to stop and take a closer look. (However, much information about this interesting topic can be found here on the web, just for instance one link here: http://www.unhcr.org/country/tha.html )

This ride is a dream...

...with a slight taste of a nightmare: the well built road abruptly ends. Apparently we have reached the end of the road extension; all ahead of us is under construction. We have to do a couple of kilometers just on sand, slowing us down tremendously. As the sun sets further, two of us have to do an extra stop in order to exchange the black face shields against transparent ones.

The good news is that the construction area ends soon. The bad news is that the road is now tiny and not in a good condition. And soon the twilight turns into dark. Pitch dark. We have done more than 600 km already, and things are getting really exhausting. We are on these roads for the first time in our lives, and we have no idea what to expect behind the next corner, and there are many of them. Shadows turn out to be leaves, birds, stones, or whatever. One of us thinks he has run over a snake...

The job for the front rider gets really nerve-racking, and once in a while he will wave one of his followers to take the lead. Muscles in the back, arms, and legs are getting tighter on my sports toy, and the fun part seems to be over. For the first time this day I see the brake lights of my friends flickering in the middle of corners, adjusting speed or lean angle, or just tipping the pedal in a moment of feeling insecure for no real reason. Kind of fear detector rather than a brake light.

We are in desperate need for a break. Since the road is tiny, we need to avoid collisions with following cars and stop the bikes as far on the left as possible. I underestimate the slope on the banquette, I feel my right foot stepping into the nothing while I'm getting off my bike, and then I realize my 200 kg baby moving towards me. With the limited remains of energy I cannot prevent the fall, but slow it down at least. I hurt my arm badly, but the bike falls onto grass only, and there is no damage at all. But without the help of my friends, I would never have got it up again. Thanks na!

Facing a moment of pure horror when the bike cannot be re-started, the engine warning light is on, and the display shows some error code. Would I leave the bike here in the middle of nothing next to the Burmese border? Or sleep in the roadside ditch with whatever animals might be there? Luckily the beast starts roaring again after the key is turned off and on. ....!

Finally we make it to Mae Sariang, arriving around 8 p.m. Instead of riding half an hour in the dark as expected, it became more than two hours.

I did some Internet search earlier and remember some hotel recommendations, but what a disappointment to find them all fully booked. I don't know what this little village has to offer that attracts such a number of tourists, but it seems we cannot find any reasonable hotel or guest house at all! After another hour of search we give up and take the 300 Baht hotel. The beds sag, the bed sheets and towels are covered with stains, but at least there is a private bath room. We are forced to skip the Thai massage and have dinner instead. With enough beer to find some sleep. After that, I'm looking forward to get at least my hot shower which my back needs so urgently. But - oh my God! - the water in the shower gets barely warm. How am I going to survive the next day?

Lessons learned day one:

- Even on a Sunday morning, leave Bangkok before 8 or 8:30 a.m. latest

- The tank of my R1 holds 17.3 L, which suffices for 290 km max., and within less than 60 km after the first flashing of the fuel warning light I seriously need to look for a gas station!

- The 750 km BKK-Mae Sariang can be done in one day, but if you want to arrive before dark (highly recommended!) you better leave Bangkok at 6 a.m. and take no breaks for photo sessions.

(This applies for the current road condition and might change for the better once construction is completed. Let me know when this will be.)

- Hotels in Mae Sariang should be booked in advance during peak season!

Day 2 (Mon, Dec 29, 2008)

After we have made so many kilometers more than expected on the first day, we take it slow on the second one. After a big breakfast we leave Mae Sariang at 9:45 a.m. It's a cold but wonderful morning, roads are excellent, and despite the high season there is hardly any traffic. What a perfect ride!

We reach Mae Hong Son at noon time already (about 250 km in 3 hours) and decide to continue to Pai instead of staying in Mae Sot overnight. I have stayed at the wonderful Pai River Corner Resort before (see www.pairivercorner.com) and I call the owners to book rooms for the night. But the next hotel challenge seems ahead: not only the Pai River Corner is fully booked, the whole village of Pai is apparently over-booked! Thus they can only give me some recommendations to check upon arrival in Pai; nothing to be booked in advance. As it is still early, we don't worry too much.

Mae Hong Son almost ran out of non-gasohol-gasoline, and we are lucky to find another gas station a little bit out of town. We continue along amazing roads with stunning views. (No pics posted here though since they would be merely copies of the wonderful photos to be found in the other threads already.)

Since we take more time this day to enjoy the scenic views, we arrive Pai not before 6 p.m. - and indeed we find ourselves confronted again with the problem of finding a hotel.

Luckily, the staffs from Belle Villa turn out to be extremely helpful, and finally we manage to get one room in their resort and another one a bit out of town. Glad we are not forced to continue to Chiangmai throughout the night!

The Belle Villa is a very cozy place with a number of nicely styled cottages. For details see www.bellevilla.com

From my previous visit, I remember Pai as a bit strange place for a kind of foreign Hippie folks, but it looks like this place takes a 180 degrees turn in this season: the town is absolutely crowded with mostly young Thai people, many of them from Bangkok, and hardly any Farangs. A nice bustling atmosphere, and we spend the evening making new friends, and consuming a couple of more beers than the night before. Lucky the bar we are in offers an open fireplace as it's getting f***ing cold by now.

Lessons learned day two:

- Amazing roads of Thailand!

- During that time of the year, it can be rather cold in the mountains. Prepare clothes accordingly!

- Hotels in Pai should be booked in advance during peak season!

Day 3 (Tue, Dec 30, 2008)

One of us apparently enjoyed partying too much the evening before, and we do not leave Pai before 11 a.m. - which turns out to be a mistake: apparently all of the folks in Pai have decided to leave at the same time, and we even have to cue up at the gas station. Unbelievable.

Accordingly, we face rot tit maak on the roads, and this is no fun. Lots of cars forcing us to speeds of partly below 50 km/h. And overtaking is quite risky.

Anyway, the road is still fascinating, and we finally make the only 150 km to Chiangmai. With a loooong lunch break with lots of coffee we arrive in the late afternoon, this time with the hotel booked in advance from Bangkok! The choice is the Shangri-La (http://www.shangri-la.com/en/property/chiangmai/shangrila). Perfect hotel, perfect service (well, forget about this NYE buffet...), and finally I get my perfect massage. (Thanks Khun A.) What a wonderful life!

The bikes get a wash and a rest for two days

Lessons learned day three:

- Leave Pai early in the morning during peak season

- The Shangri-La is probably the best hotel in Chiangmai

Day 4 (Fri, Jan 2, 2009)

After the NY break with family reunion, two of us decide to go back to BKK in two days with a stopover in Sukhothai for some history lessons.

We choose to take the route 11 direction Phrae and leave Chiangmai at around 11 a.m. with quite some traffic all along the way to Lamphang and partly further. But what a reward once we are on the 101 (be careful not to miss this small right turn at the junction a couple of kilometers before Den Chai!): the road is small but with good tarmac, no cars at all, amazing mountain views, green all over. No speeding, just cruising, and the conviction that life simply cannot be any better.

"So don't stop me now don't stop me

'Cause I'm having a good time having a good time

I'm a shooting star leaping through the skies

Like a tiger defying the laws of gravity

I'm a racing car passing by like Lady Godiva

I'm gonna go go go

There's no stopping me

I'm burning through the skies Yeah!

Two hundred degrees

That's why they call me Mister Fahrenheit

I'm trav'ling at the speed of light

I wanna make a supersonic man of you

Don't stop me now I'm having such a good time

I'm having a ball don't stop me now "

Ok, good you cannot hear me singing in my helmet...

We arrive Sukhothai in the late afternoon and check in at the Ruenthai Hotel as recommended by the Lonely Planet. A cozy boutique hotel that suits our needs. (www.rueanthaihotel.com)

Then we still want to have our cultural lessons at Sukhothai Historical Park. But what a disillusionment. First of all my frustration on entering the park: my mate has paid already our entrance fees when I realize something strange: next to the price of 100 THB per person I find some Thai writing, apparently with a different price, which prompts me to ask the lady at the counter some questions, which prompts her to show me another sign, this one completely in English: Thais 20 Baht, Foreigners 100 Baht.

WHAT?

I work in Thailand and pay a hel_l lot of taxes and now you still want to charge me five (!) times the normal price? I pull out my Thai driving license and start an useless argument with the lady who suddenly doesn't speak a single word of English anymore. With my limited Thai language skills, this discussion leads to nothing. (There are some other threads with regard to this topic, so what should we foreigners conclude? Boycott? Officially complain to the new PM who has no other problems to solve?)

The second disappointment are the ruins themselves. More destroyed than Ayuthaya, and some concrete reconstruction might impress some historians but not me. Anyway, the day is saved by a nice sunset and some good value for money food at the "Coffee Cup", another recommendation from the Lonely Planet. (http://www.thecoffeecup.biz)

Nightlife on a Friday evening is as disappointing as anything else in Sukhothai, so we just have a couple of beers and go to bed early.

Lessons learned day four:

- The wonderful 101 is worth a detour on the way back to BKK.

- Sukhothai however is not worth an extra stop

- Farang discrimination IS an issue in Thailand.

Day 5 (Sat, Jan 3, 2009)

Nothing much to say. Another 450 km on more or less boring roads just to bring us home, a necessity, not more. On the road I am wondering if I should not look for a job in Chiangmai...

Traffic is getting heavier with every km that brings us closer to Krungthep, and I admit the last hour of the ride is no pleasure. At home, I almost fall of my bike, get my hot shower, have a great Thai massage at my favorite Mie Massage, and start dreaming about what tour could be next... Maybe Malaysia during Songkran...?

Lessons learned day five:

- These 2,000 km were the best trip ever!