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Owner Stories
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News From The Road
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Owner Stories
International Travel
News From The Road
Tips & Tricks
Blog

Disaster Relief in Kota Bharu – Day Two

Building a House Day Two As day two starts time is short, all the volunteers have day jobs they need to get back to on Monday. Work continues though through to early hours Sunday morning! With the roof on, running power was possible! A deal was struck with a neighbor to purchase power for a few Ringets a day (one Ringet equals about $0.25 USD). DIY home building is normal for much of rural Malaysia. It is typical to see partial finished homes. They build what they can afford and as funds become available one buys more materials and continues

Read More +
Blog

Disaster Relief in Kota Bharu – Day One

The Road to Building a House After the Rainforest Challenge, 4×4 RELIEF MALAYSIA let us tag along on one of their many relief operations.  The crew is made up of off road enthusiasts with a network of skills they put to good use. In this case building a house for a family of nine in Kota Bharu, who lost everything in the monsoon floods. Kota Bharu has a very special history in World War II – the house is about 2 km from where this happened in 1941. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_invasion_of_Malaya Briefing Briefing! It always starts with a briefing on who is doing

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Blog

Bagan Myanmar Part 7 – River Life Line

Life on the River in Myanmar Rivers are a life line in Myanmar and are well worth spending some time exploring.  In all, Myanmar is a country with a long and proud history, one which has a lot to offer an over-lander. NOTE: Access through land borders in Myanmar change every day.  Friends recently waited 19 days for clearance to transit, even though their paperwork was in order.  There is some unrest in Rakhine province and should be a no-go zone.  Information is also difficult to find and verify.  Check in with other travelers at places like the Overland Explorer shop

Read More +
Blog

Bagan Myanmar Part 6 – Home Made Moonshine

Moonshine Making! The ever useful Brahmin cow!  This one is grinding palm for a home made moonshine.   Making Jiggery at the same moonshine facility.   Distilling the palm “wine” slowly over a wood fire.   The final products,  guaranteed to knock you socks off!  

Read More +
Blog

Bagan Myanmar Part 5 – Transportation

Transportation in Bagan In Bagan Myanmar roads have a variety of transportation. Even in the middle of town cattle get moved.   Horse drawn carts are very common.    For larger loads bullock carts are also common, and the next one, well, that must be the best expedition vehicle.  It can run on anything and run anything!    

Read More +
Blog

Bagan Myanmar Part 4 – Buddhist Temples

Buddhist Temples Bagan is a very important Buddhist temple site for the Burmese. These are all 11th– 13th century pagodas and represent a variety of styles.  Well worth a trip!  A male monk in his traditional scarlet robe. With 89% of the population being Buddhist, there are many monks (male and female) seen everywhere.  Even monks need to shop for souvenirs! Teak was a major commodity of Burma and there is still an active wood working industry today.

Read More +
Blog

Bagan Myanmar Part 3 – Traditions

Bagan Myanmar Part 3 – Traditions WARNING! This is not firewood!  Burning it may cause an international incident. These trees are a very traditional type of “make-up” and sunscreen.  You grind the tree on a stone, add water to make a paste and then apply in an artistic way!   Men, women and children all use this Thanaka.  It supposedly has curative powers and is an anti-fungal. Long necked women are traditionally weavers.  They live in remote villages but can be found at many tourist places peddling their wares.

Read More +
Blog

Bagan Myanmar Part 2

Bagan Myanmar Part 2 In Bagan Myanmar rural roads are repaired by hand, yes by hand! These ladies carry and sort the gravel for road maintenance. Here is a good example of some of the various vehicles on the road.  In transportation many small trucks are used to carry both goods and people. Most times they are frequently overloaded.  And lets not forget overtaking is always an adventure!   Driving tip: keep honking as you overtake! Remember, all are unpredictable.  Cattle, carts, motorbikes etc can be taken over on both sides of the road.

Read More +
Blog

Next stop…Bagan Myanmar

Bagan Myanmar The next stop on Lance and Michelle’s adventure is to Bagan Myanmar! There is a new toll road from Yangon to Mandalay making for a quick-ish 400 mile journey.  Tolls seem to be paid in some places and in others one just waves their ticket.  Not sure about the system yet.  More than adequate height for any model EarthCruiser. Dual lanes each direction with a 100 kmh or 60 mph speed limit.  Slowing down on gentle curves and when overtaking seems to be standard procedure.  People, children, dogs and motorbikes cross at any point. Roads are shared with

Read More +
EarthCruiser Community
International Travel
News From The Road
Tips & Tricks
Blog

Disaster Relief in Kota Bharu – Day Two

Building a House Day Two As day two starts time is short, all the volunteers have day jobs they need to get back to on Monday. Work continues though through to early hours Sunday morning! With the roof on, running power was possible! A deal was struck with a neighbor to purchase power for a few Ringets a day (one Ringet equals about $0.25 USD). DIY home building is normal for much of rural Malaysia. It is typical to see partial finished homes. They build what they can afford and as funds become available one buys more materials and continues

Read More +
Blog

Disaster Relief in Kota Bharu – Day One

The Road to Building a House After the Rainforest Challenge, 4×4 RELIEF MALAYSIA let us tag along on one of their many relief operations.  The crew is made up of off road enthusiasts with a network of skills they put to good use. In this case building a house for a family of nine in Kota Bharu, who lost everything in the monsoon floods. Kota Bharu has a very special history in World War II – the house is about 2 km from where this happened in 1941. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_invasion_of_Malaya Briefing Briefing! It always starts with a briefing on who is doing

Read More +
Blog

Bagan Myanmar Part 7 – River Life Line

Life on the River in Myanmar Rivers are a life line in Myanmar and are well worth spending some time exploring.  In all, Myanmar is a country with a long and proud history, one which has a lot to offer an over-lander. NOTE: Access through land borders in Myanmar change every day.  Friends recently waited 19 days for clearance to transit, even though their paperwork was in order.  There is some unrest in Rakhine province and should be a no-go zone.  Information is also difficult to find and verify.  Check in with other travelers at places like the Overland Explorer shop

Read More +
Blog

Bagan Myanmar Part 6 – Home Made Moonshine

Moonshine Making! The ever useful Brahmin cow!  This one is grinding palm for a home made moonshine.   Making Jiggery at the same moonshine facility.   Distilling the palm “wine” slowly over a wood fire.   The final products,  guaranteed to knock you socks off!  

Read More +
Blog

Bagan Myanmar Part 5 – Transportation

Transportation in Bagan In Bagan Myanmar roads have a variety of transportation. Even in the middle of town cattle get moved.   Horse drawn carts are very common.    For larger loads bullock carts are also common, and the next one, well, that must be the best expedition vehicle.  It can run on anything and run anything!    

Read More +
Blog

Bagan Myanmar Part 4 – Buddhist Temples

Buddhist Temples Bagan is a very important Buddhist temple site for the Burmese. These are all 11th– 13th century pagodas and represent a variety of styles.  Well worth a trip!  A male monk in his traditional scarlet robe. With 89% of the population being Buddhist, there are many monks (male and female) seen everywhere.  Even monks need to shop for souvenirs! Teak was a major commodity of Burma and there is still an active wood working industry today.

Read More +
Blog

Bagan Myanmar Part 3 – Traditions

Bagan Myanmar Part 3 – Traditions WARNING! This is not firewood!  Burning it may cause an international incident. These trees are a very traditional type of “make-up” and sunscreen.  You grind the tree on a stone, add water to make a paste and then apply in an artistic way!   Men, women and children all use this Thanaka.  It supposedly has curative powers and is an anti-fungal. Long necked women are traditionally weavers.  They live in remote villages but can be found at many tourist places peddling their wares.

Read More +
Blog

Bagan Myanmar Part 2

Bagan Myanmar Part 2 In Bagan Myanmar rural roads are repaired by hand, yes by hand! These ladies carry and sort the gravel for road maintenance. Here is a good example of some of the various vehicles on the road.  In transportation many small trucks are used to carry both goods and people. Most times they are frequently overloaded.  And lets not forget overtaking is always an adventure!   Driving tip: keep honking as you overtake! Remember, all are unpredictable.  Cattle, carts, motorbikes etc can be taken over on both sides of the road.

Read More +
Blog

Next stop…Bagan Myanmar

Bagan Myanmar The next stop on Lance and Michelle’s adventure is to Bagan Myanmar! There is a new toll road from Yangon to Mandalay making for a quick-ish 400 mile journey.  Tolls seem to be paid in some places and in others one just waves their ticket.  Not sure about the system yet.  More than adequate height for any model EarthCruiser. Dual lanes each direction with a 100 kmh or 60 mph speed limit.  Slowing down on gentle curves and when overtaking seems to be standard procedure.  People, children, dogs and motorbikes cross at any point. Roads are shared with

Read More +