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XMen Extreme Adventure

XXAV: Trans Amazon updates

by on Jun.11, 2010, under XMen Extreme Adventure, XMen Xtreme Adventure 6

06:02am, 24Aug2010, Local Time(Malaysia): Xmen4x4 crew ~Alyna Tai
Going home…arr Doha 23Aug 1am(local time) on transit 9 hrs to our next flight home.
Arrive in Doha at 1am.

11:32am, 19Aug2010, Local Time(Malaysia): Xmen4x4 crew ~Alyna Tai
Flying on TACA025 to Madrid for 3 days then to Dohar and back to Malaysia.

11:30am, 17Aug2010, Local Time(Malaysia): Xmen4x4 crew ~Alyna Tai
The Convoy of TA2 arrived in Lima at 10pm(local time). This is our final destination after travelling more than 6000km. All the way from Venezuela to Peru. Muchu Gracias.

05:40am, 10Aug2010, Local Time(Malaysia): Xmen4x4 crew ~Alyna Tai
Arrived in Cusco, the city of Inca

05:20am, 9Aug2010, Local Time(Malaysia): Xmen4x4 crew ~Alyna Tai
Arrive in Peru mountain. Start our 1st camp in d cold windy hill.

07:50am, 7Aug2010, Local Time(Malaysia): Xmen4x4 crew ~Alyna Tai
Hello Malaysia. After a great adventure tru BR319 of more than 700km without rain, we are back to civilization. Now just arrive in Brasileia. Car 3 John’s Ewing Prado driven by Alyna and Co drv by Wing have to change rear wheel oil seal half way after Porto Velho. It was done in such a short time manually in just 2 hours. We also welcome back Yamin who joined us in Porto Velho. We’ll be heading to d mountain in Peru.

04:31am, 30July2010, Local Time(Malaysia): Xmen4x4 crew ~Alyna Tai
3rd day of TA2. Left Comona beach and a night in Ciudad Bolivar stay in an ancient 150yrs old hotel. Yesterday we camp at Gran Sabana in d wild. All of us was attacked by d mosquitoes. We just managed crossing back to Brazil.Chaos. Convoy left Boa Vista 4 Lake Camp. Jauaperi checkpoint. Last nite dinner at water front. Rio Branco – famous goreng Tambakqui.

06:57pm, 12July2010, Local Time(Malaysia): Xmen4x4 crew ~Alyna Tai
Convoy Reaches Caracs midnight safely. After driving 380 km from Caimana in the rain. The participants will be going for city tour b4 flying back with some wanting to continue with their holiday adventure.

10:23pm, 9July2010, Local Time(Malaysia): Xmen4x4 crew ~Alyna Tai
Hi we are now in d border of Brazil-Venezuela. Q for our passport stamp and here we r in Venezuela. D group b flying to c Angel falls before heading Caracas today.

07:17am, 6July2010, Local Time(Malaysia): Xmen4x4 crew ~Alyna Tai
We now in d ferry barge to Manaus city after 2 days of boring offroad on d legendary BR319 track. I think it’ll be interesting if there’s some rain. B in Manaus 2 days b4 camp out again. Cheers xmen01

08:54pm, 3July2010, Local Time(Malaysia): Xmen4x4 crew ~Alyna Tai
Arrived in Jumaita 7:30pm local time. Dinner in a famous local cusine of fish and a hot shower b4 heading drinking hole. 2 day Harjinder Singh birthday so i think d boys going to have some wild party. Phts in a shot while.

08:54pm, 2July2010, Local Time(Malaysia): Xmen4x4 crew ~Alyna Tai
Brazil Brazil… d Malaysianflying d flag for Brazil in support. Brazil vs Holland

10:38am, 2July2010, Local Time(Malaysia): Xmen4x4 crew ~Alyna Tai
We arrive in Brazil hopefully to reach Humaita by 2nite. 2day adv begins with 1 participants putting wrong fuel. Then Aman’s broke his shaft. D convoy proceed while repair is being done. They’ll catch us later. Brazil’s trucks country.

11:43pm, 30June2010, Local Time(Malaysia): Xmen4x4 crew ~Alyna Tai
We arrive Porto Jefre port 8:30pm yesterday after 2 days on a barge. Cruising pass tru 3 rivers sailing d Patanal river upstream Moto Groso Wetlands. We unload d cars at 6am in d morn and nw offroad to Humaita.

04:43am, 27June2010, Local Time(Malaysia): Xmen4x4 crew ~Alyna Tai
Hi… we arrived in Pantanal yesterday evening, 7pm with a sighting of beautiful sunset. D Caimen, Herons, egrates ,ibis diff colorful parrots etc. Capibara d biggest rodent. No in Carumba to shop then load into barge tonite. Dave and Rose from Nessie Scotland is already here waiting 4 d convoy.

12:18am, 20June2010, Local Time(Malaysia): Xmen4x4 crew ~Alyna Tai
We are now moving from Asuncion  to campsite for 7 Nights before we enter to another twn in Humaita
Laguna Baca – Paraquay
Jardin-Brazil
Bonito
Carumba
Porto Jorfe-Ferry Camp
BR 070, Br 174
BR 364

11:05pm, 21June2010, Local Time(Paraguay): Xmen4x4 crew ~Alyna Tai
We arrived in Paraquay with honking of celebration of the World Cup Goal. Border crossing fast, thanks to Roberto Recalde, Paraquay coordinator. We managed to see Iguazu falls before heading to Asuncion Hotel. Be there for 2 nights for washing, service and repairs. It’ll be busy for crew and opportunity for the rest of the adventures to see interesting places.

11:40pm, 20June2010, Local Time(Eldoro): Xmen4x4 crew ~Alyna Tai
We are in De Gido Virasoro refuelling before proceed to camp. Will be morning before we reach.

11:30pm, 20June2010, Local Time(Eldoro): Xmen4x4 crew ~Alyna Tai
Hi, we are just out of Eldoro. Offroading for 170km now. Continue to second campsite. Another 400km to go. Dinner was Maggi cup noodles on the go. Is cold and sky is gloomy. Convoy pushing on. Cheers.

6:30am, 11June2010, Local Time (Buenos Aires): Xmen4x4 crew ~Alyna Tai
Arrive in Buenos Aires airport. Weather 11 deg. Celcius.  More photos added in the following link: http://www.xmen4x4.com/cpg149/index.php?cat=27

9.59pm, 10Jun2010, Malaysia Time: XMen4x4 crew ~ Alyna Tai
Finally arrive in Madrid. Boring flight but food is good. Eat and slept on route.

4:21pm, 10Jun2010, Malaysia Time: XMen4x4 crew…
Good morning,
…We are in transit in Dohar, cold la very long flights for us.
Everyone tired after all the past few weeks of rushing and clearing our work. Now all bungkus in the plane.
B.A going to be cold 5 C i think . Brr….
Thanks and will keep u feeded with info and phts whenever we can.
thanks and take care.
Alyna

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Trans Amazon 1-Write Up by Ewing Chow John Michael

by on Jun.10, 2010, under XMen Xtreme Adventure 5

I am happy to have completed writing captions for the photos I took on my recent Trans Amazon 4×4 road trip. Hope you enjoy reading them and looking at the photos. I have written quite a lot and even gave reference links because unlike previous trips, this trip was through areas less frequently travelled and I believe most will not be so familiar with it, at least for us in the far east.  For example, I had never heard of the Pantanal till I got there. It also took me a long time to complete my caption writing because I took fewer pictures and hence I had lots of memory gaps to fill. The short circuiting of my inverter (the machine that converts DC into AC current) soon after the start of the trip prevented me from charging my camera battery along the way (compounded by the few hotel stays for the nights). So I was very frugal in snapping pictures.  I therefore have to use more words to fill in the blanks. If you have the time and the interest, following my journey on google earth enables you to also view other people’s input such as photos, youtube videos, etc.  It will give you a fuller perspective of the area I went through. In summary, it was a tough back to basics trip but having survived it, it was most enjoyable and memorable. I am glad and proud I did it, especially for my age but I will most probably not want to repeat it!  :)
Cheers.

http://picasaweb.google.com/jmec38sr

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My next driving adventure by John

by on Jun.10, 2010, under XMen Xtreme Adventure 5, XMen Xtreme Adventure 6

I have survived!  :)

Driving adventure journey has successfully ended at Caracas, Venezuela last night.  All’s well.  Apologies for not being able to send out updates as I did before on previous trips.  As earlier stated, this trip was totally unlike my previous ones where we were constantly close to civilization and stayed in civilized modern accommodation.  This trip was back to basics and nature, camping and roughing it out in far from civilzation places.  Hence we had no internet nor phone signals for days.  3 photos to accompany this message – the begining, the “suffering” and the ending.  I will then fill out the details in my next post.

Cheers

John wrote:

Of the many places I have been to in Central and South America, I rate Panama City as among the best.  I feel comfortable, safe and am enjoying myself with the clean, green, modern and friendly city.  Am very surprised with my find as I’ve only heard of Panama when I was a school boy known for its canal and locks linking the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans.  More than 50 tears later, here am I happily looking at the Canal and the locks system. Also watched World Cup football at a restaurant with the locals.  GGGOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!

Am now at the Panama City Tocumen Airport waiting to catch my flight to Buenos Aires to join 34 other adventurers.

When I arrived from LA, I had 5 hours to kill as the hotel would not let me check in till 4pm.  I must say I spent it efficiently by ringing a contact posted on the internet.  He is a free lance tour guide and I had a lovley city and canal tour all to myself while waiting to check in.  I saw all that I wanted and more.  Attached are a few photos of my pre-adventure adventure.

Cheers.

John wrote:

Flying off tomorrow morning to start the next driving adventure.

I fly to LAX to Panama (will go and look at the Panama Canal) and then on to Buenos Aires on Fri 11 June.  Back on 18 July.

Here is my driving itinerary in google map. (Argetina, Paraguay, Brazil, Venezuela)

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF&msa=0&msid=109853480000927765601.0004840c494f194f78611

Will send the usual photos with GPS co-ordinates as I travel along.  This will be the most adventurous and tough driving trip I’ve made thus far.  Where in previous trips I camped out 2 or 3 nights and stayed in luxury hotels the rest of the nights, this time it will be 17 nights of camping in the jungles of the Amazon etc.  Toilet?  Bath?  Aircon?  Mosquitoes etc etc?  Food?  wifi?   Also, to lower the cost so more people can join, the hotels will be budget Ibis Hotels.  To be able to returnn home, I must first escape the piranhas, jaguars, pumas, anacondas, fire ants, Amazonian women, Malaria, Yellow Fever, etc etc.  We shall see.  Must not forget the tiny catfish, candiru.

Candiru???  hahaha

From wikipedia:  ”… the candiru “jumped” into his urethra as he urinated while thigh-deep in a river.^[8] <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Candiru#cite_note-cecil-7> It was also once thought that the fish was attracted to urine (as the candiru’s primary prey emits ammonia from its gills, a chemical found in urine),  … Bathers in the region are, however, warned not to urinate while swimming, out of concern that the expansion of the urethra during urination will allow the fish to enter the otherwise closed orifice.” <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Candiru#cite_note-cecil-7>

Amazonian women kidnap me?  Just discovered that they are not in the Amazon jungles but come from Greek mythology and in outer space.  Phew!

————————————————————————

z

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XXAV: Trans Amazon 2010 is a go!

by on Jun.09, 2010, under XMen Extreme Adventure, XMen Xtreme Adventure 5

The Adventurers taking off…

Wing forgot to tapau her boy boy.. hahaahah!

more on the following link

http://www.xmen4x4.com/cpg149/thumbnails.php?album=173

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Trans-Amazon 2 / XMen Xtreme Adventure VI

by on May.16, 2010, under XMen Xtreme Adventure 6

Maps and Application Forms: (Click to View & Download)

4X4 WE Application form SA3

TA 2 Peru Sector

TA 2 Venezuela & Brazil sector

Dear Adventurer

Thank you for your interest to join us on this TransAmazon 2, an Overland 4×4 Adventure Expedition this coming July.

As with our previous trips, over the last 18 years, this adventure of a lifetime is a no frills expedition, where everybody have to chip in to help the driving to transfer the 8 trucks from Caracas, Venezuela to Lima, Peru over about 6,000 kilometers of the Best of South America.

The trip will start from Caracas, the capital of Venezuela, heading south-east to the Cainama National Park, passing through Santa Elena, the gateway to the highest Waterfall in the world, called Angel Falls. We cross into Brazil to drive south into the Province of Amazonas, where the Mighty Amazon Jungle is found to reach Manaus, the heart of the Amazon. Here we cross the biggest river in the world at the confluence of the Amazon, which spans over 15 kilometers by Ferry.

We will be travelling along the famous BR 319 for about 2000 kilometers on a gravel offroad track passing through Humaita, Porto Velho, Rio Branco, before we reach the border of Brazil and Peru.

We cross the Andes Mountains at about 5,000 meters at Maldonado to enter Peru, bringing us to the Inca City of Machu Picchu, where we will stay 3 days visiting the Sacrad Valley of the Incas and Cusco. This is the perfect opportunity to see the Andes in Winter with day temperature between 5 – 10 deg C. After Machu Picchu, we descend down to Nazca to see the mysterious Nazca Lines believed to be made by the Inca for the Gods, as to date, no scientist could explain what they were used for as they could only be visible from the air.

The final leg is along the Pan- Americana Highway along the Pacific Coast to the mega 15 million people, Lima, capital of Peru. Home to the Quechuas, Aymara and Saipans Tribes of more than 1000 years.

We will be camping most of the journey, and at campsites, everybody will have to chip in to set up camp, do cooking, cleaning and also Night Guard duties on rotation while the other members snore away. Only when we are in developed areas and cities where locating a suitable campsite is not possible will we find a safe budget hotel for the night.

The whole group will be as “1 group” and decisions will be on “one for all & all for one” . Camaradie will be the key to the overall extremely enjoyable experience. Eventhough, the members will be from different age groups, backgrounds and personality, all will have to be totally co-operative and have perfect common sense. The group size will be between 20 – 25 people.

(continue reading…)

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XXAV: Trans Amazon I

by on Apr.13, 2010, under XMen News, XMen Xtreme Adventure 5

Rebranding XXAIV into XXAV as ‘IV’ as it is not really ‘good’ in chinese! :)

Xmen Xtreme Adventure VStay tune. More to come.

Our video, in collaboration with 4×4 World Explorer….

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eNqzlkXvYpw

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XXAIII – Postponed

by on Mar.08, 2010, under Announcements, XMen News, XMen Xtreme Adventure 3

Dear all Adventurers and Participants,

Please take note that due to unforeseen circumstances that have occurred to XManOO, XXAIII has been postponed till he recuperates. However XXAIV will still proceed as plan.

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XXAIV 2010- TRANS AMAZON

by on Feb.14, 2010, under XMen Extreme Adventure, XMen News

As you have read from New Sunday Times, this adventure of a lifetime is a no frills trip, where everybody have to chip in to do the driving to transfer the 7 trucks from Buenos Aires, Argentina to Cartagena, Colombia. However, we also want to experience the Amazon Jungle, so the trip will have time to absorb all the beautiful wonders of God’s creation.

We will be camping most of the journey, and at campsites, everybody will have to chip in to set up camp, do cooking, cleaning and also Night Guard duties on rotation while the other members snore away. Only when we are in developed areas and cities where locating a suitable campsite is not possible will we find a safe budget hotel for the night.

he whole group will be as “1 group” and decisions will be on “one for all & all for one” . Camaradie will be the key to the overall extremely enjoyable experience. Eventhough, the members will be from different age groups, backgrounds and personality, all will have to be totally co-operative and have perfect common sense. The group size will be between 20 – 25 people.

(continue reading…)

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XXAIII 2010: TIGER TRAIL Pahang

by on Jan.29, 2010, under XMen Extreme Adventure, XMen News, XMen Xtreme Adventure 3

Confirm Adventurers
Rambeer Singh – Chucky Def 110 with portal axle
Stuward Garrow – T3 6×6
Wing Lim
Collin Webb

****

Dear Adventurers,

Here is it, the eagerly awaited XXAIII.

The adventure begins again for 2010 in the Tiger Trial – Pahang and this is going to be an adventure of a life time.

SCHEDULE

Date: 9th April, 2010(Friday) – 16th April 2010(Friday)

Place: Pahang , Malaysia.

COST

Entry Fees: RM1,300.00 per vehicle of (Driver and Co Driver)

Extra Passenger: RM700 per pax.

Jumpers: RM1000.00 per pax (Food,Camp bed, Mosie net provided)

Food package: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner RM300 per pax. (Lunch will be light lunch or walking lunch)

Limited to 12 cars only. Please make ur reservation asap and pay your deposit at XMen hideout in KG Baru Subang or bank in to Jungle Expedition & Explorer, Maybank Account no. MBB 5121 5650 3739

or contact the below for further inquiries:

alynatai@gmail.com hp 012 3295 993

sesat88@gmail.com hp 012 2188 361

Be prepared for this adrenaline heart pumping adventure. Machine and Man will be put to the ultimate test.

Cars must have fully modified and able to withstand the ultimate forces Mother Nature has to offer. Be fully equip. All adventurers must be mentally and physically prepared.

Pahang is one of the oldest and most challenging rainforest in the World and we will be there to conquer it!

Following are the necessary entrance document. Please download, sign and pass back to Alyna.

Indemnity Form                                   Entry Form

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