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Entering Myanmar- A country away from the Final Destination!

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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 East-West Economic Corridor Project, which connects India, Thailand, Myanmar, Laos PDR and Vietnam, 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.



We soon stopped for a tea-break, at around 2 in the afternoon, where after weeks, we had chai. The Indian in us was extremely pleased! To add to the hospitality, it was the celebrities from the Myanmar team who made it a point to serve all the teams piping hot chai! After this break, we drove to here, that is- to Hpa An.

Hpa An was just as gracious. Our flag off was hosted by the local chief minister and his official delegates. The performances this time were filled with Myanmar-style entertainment and with culture of this country.
Now, as we retire to our rooms, it amazes us that we have reached the penultimate country of our journey, and that soon- this too shall pass!

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