Land Rover in Thailand, airport and being dad and stuff...

Stumbled upon this train coach, 1912 from Birmingham, England

On the front page of today's Bangkok Post there's a photo of some local businessman pulling his one year old Land Rover Discovery through the streets of Bangkok. It's a protest to the company because of the crap attention to build quality that has become their trademark.

I'm a huge fan of Land Rover and I've had three discoveries, two series III and one Defender. They're the best when it comes to off road and if you need to pull heavy loads (which is what I needed in the Welsh mountains, heavy loads up very steep hills).

Despite my love affair with the lumbering beasts there's no denying that the build quality and attention to detail is second to none when it comes to utter shittyness. As soon as you become a proud Landy owner you have to get used to hearing the same thing from mechanics, "ahh, you get that with a Land Rover". Yep, no matter what happens you'll be sure to hear this mantra.

Back to the guy in Bangkok. His gripe is the build quality and crap service. His Disco is only just a year old and already it's been in for servicing 20 times! Sounds about right, you get that with a Land Rover. It's a shame that someone back in the UK didn't think to make the same kind of protest years ago, then the vehicles might be better quality already. Not a good ad for Land Rover. How long before the pic is used by competitors I wonder.

Last day of a wifeless house today, just off to collect her from the airport. Poor wife, the daughter has hardly noticed that she's been gone. Never cried for her and never really talked about her. It seems that I have become the traditional role of mum and the wife is the dad. Manly pride aside it is noce to have such a close bond with my daughter and to see all the little bits of her life that most dad's miss out on. The teachers at school recently asked if her mother lived with us as she only ever mentions "daddy". Cute.

Yet another trip to the dreaded new airport. Hopefully the wife will be able to reclaim her luggage and it won't be lost in the great Suwarnabhumi luggage lottery.


Whole body aching from the last two days in the gym. My absence from gym life has left me out of shape. Hopefully won't be too painfull getting back in shape and prepared for the big cycling adventure.



Land Rover in Thailand, airport and being dad and stuff...