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BY OUR FEATURES EDITOR
 April
2: Tuk-tuk, tuk-tuk tuk-tuk! That is is how French adventurer Didier Vacher will explore the lonely planet in his rickety journey from Thailand to France. Didier Vacher has never driven a tuk-tuk, the Thai equivalent of an Indian rickshaw, but he is confident that he will make it across the continents in this little transporter.
On Friday, April 1, websites reported from Agence France Presse, which quoted Didier as saying: "Everyone tells me it’s crazy."
The 44-year-old Frenchman is making his trip across 31 countries and 24,000 kilometers in the piddly little Thai taxi. The journey starts from Thailand’s capital Bangkok.
"I divorced in September, and I haven’t been feeling very good," he said, revving up the tuk-tuk."I told myself, "You need some fresh ideas."
Didier Vacher left Thailand on Friday, bound for Malaysia and Singapore. From Singapore, he will be crossing the sea, by air to India. This is the only stretch of the journey where Didier Vacher will be travelling by air.
From India, he will be tuk-tukking to India, Bhutan, Nepal, Iran and Turkey, until finally arriving in Europe.
On reaching Europe, Dider Vacher will be driving the tuk-tuk to his hometown of Saint-Emilion in South-Western France, which is renowned for Bordeaux Wines.
Didier is planning some sight seeing on the way: In India, he will be visiting Taj Mahal and in Iran, Persepolis. That’s not all: Didier hopes to drive around with messages to create awareness about the dangers of AIDS and child abuse.
Every day, Didier is planning to be in the tuk-tuk driver’s seat for eight long hours, planning to cover 400 km per day. He expects to reach his hometown on July 1.
Self-promotion is part of the package: Didier says unabashedly that he plans to "make himself known", by trying to publish a lengthy guide to cruises. Didier has also set up a website.
Most of the expenses for the trans-national trip will be funded by Didier himself. Estimated at about $20,000, Didier’s journey bill will be part-financed by a US-based cruise group. His efforts to find sponsors for his journey came up against roadblocks. Most of the corporates had the same refrain: the trip is too risky.
There are of course dangers of kidnapping, armed attack or theft.
The tuk-tuk is an unavoidable part of Thailand’s urban landscape.
"Mine would be the first tuk-tuk to enter Bhutan," Didier Vacher said with understandable pride.
Didier hopes his tuk-tuk will unseat the Briton who currently holds the crown for such a three-wheeled voyage, for a trip of 19,160 kilometres from India to Britain.
His tuk-tuk was cobbled together in the province of Samut Prakhan near Bangkok.
"I know a little about mechanics, and a tuk-tuk is very basic. It has a small engine" of 550 cc."
Vacher set out with a full tank of 50 litres which should get him through the first 650 or 700 kilometres.
Watch out for Vacher!
BY OUR FEATURES EDITOR
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