London to Singapore in an S I Landy

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Roger - 16 Oct 2006 10:45 GMT

Old news but still a great listen

SINGAPORE OVERLAND
Fifty years ago travelling overland from England to Singapore
was a journey waiting to happen. Nowadays, because of the
political situations in the countries in between, it is a trip that
can no longer be done. But two expeditions did complete the
journey in the nineteen fifties, one from London to Singapore
in Land Rovers and, a couple of years later, a second in a
Jeep in the other direction.

Roy Follows and Pat Murphy, members of each expedition
talk to Shyama Perera about the difficulties and dangers of
the travelling through bandit country, driving heavy vehicles
over bridges designed for donkeys and through the already
virtually closed country of Burma.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/excessbaggage/

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EMB - 16 Oct 2006 12:11 GMT

> SINGAPORE OVERLAND
> Fifty years ago travelling overland from England to Singapore
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
> in Land Rovers and, a couple of years later, a second in a
> Jeep in the other direction.

More than 2. My late mother and 2 other women did the trip in a S2 at
the end of the 50's, followed by a boat trip to Australia, a good look
around the GABA (Great Australian Bugger All... the red bit int middle
of the continent) and then on to NZ. And I'm fairly certain there was
another group (of Pommie lads) did it shortly afterwards in a 2a as well.

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EMB

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Steve - 16 Oct 2006 14:17 GMT

> More than 2. My late mother and 2 other women did the trip in a S2 at
> the end of the 50's, followed by a boat trip to Australia, a good look
> around the GABA (Great Australian Bugger All... the red bit int middle
> of the continent)

And here was me thinking that it was called the GAFA, which is similarly red
and hasn't got a lot in it either.

Steve

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Teeafit - 18 Oct 2006 13:55 GMT

With my obvious interest in 'First Overland', I wish I'd heard this.
Unfortunately, the lack of broadband in this neck of the woods - we
don't even have DRAINS here at the farm! - it's not practical to
download it from the Beeb.

If anyone has it recorded, and could perhaps let me have it on CD, I
would very much appreciate it. Contact me off list.

GRAEME ALDOUS
firstoverlandDELETETHISBIT@teeafit.co.uk

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