The vehicles and team unload in front of the posh, 5-star, Goodwood Hotel. It caused quite a stir. But, hey! The rooms are being comp'd!

Journal and photo by Adam Burgess

Singapore is a perfect stepping stone for first-timers to Asia. It offers the chaos of densely packed people expressing a mild version of Eastern culture while offering a sterile environment filled with fancy cars, nice hotels and $16, 12-ounce, draft Tiger beer. Only a high roller can buy the Heineken, and although we appeared to roll high thanks to Chanda, we were quite the contrary. A week before, Chanda had blasted all Singapore hotels with an email explaining that we are a group traveling around the world in order to do research for a book that recommends hotels and routes for overlanders (world car travelers). So, she managed to get a response from the Goodwood Hotel. They had offered us rooms for four nights in return for a tour of their facility, which I said I would film for our television show. Quite a simple promise, considering the rooms were $435 each per night.

Yesterday, we rolled up to the red-carpeted steps and clambered out of the Land Rovers and began dragging rucksacks, guitars, and dusty cases past the 2004 Silver Shadow Rolls Royce and into the lobby. Heads spun as we stood there in shabby in filth-covered cargo pants and flip-flops, but we were greeted by the staff with a very pleasant reception. They appeared to love us and tip-toed around our every need, because, well…after all, we are filming them for US television…

Logbook for May 25th, Day 207
Start: Singapore, Singapore
Time: 5:00 a.m.
N: 01* 16.695
E: 103* 46.855
Finish Singapore, Singapore
Time: 8:30 p.m.
N: 01* 16.695
E: 103* 46.855
Mileage: 080
Notes: Team picked up Take Me With You! guests Larry Rosinski (Communications Manager, Land Rover North America) and Sue Mead (Freelance automotive journalist from Massachusetts). Once everybody was settled, team members visited the National Neurological Institute and the Singapore Parkinson’s Disease Society. Team also toured the Goodwood Park Hotel and did some “Cribs-style” filming. In the evening, the team and guests visited Chinatown and had a “tea experience” at a famous tea house.

(N.O.)

Help support our cause: The LONGITUDE Expedition is the longest journey ever attempted with a focus on Parkinson's Disease. The Drive Around the World team aims to raise money for Parkinson’s Disease research by driving four certified pre-owned Land Rover Discoverys around the globe following lines of longitude. Readers are encouraged to pledge small amounts of money per expedition-kilometer via a pledge form that can be found on our Parkinson’s page by clicking here. 100% of donations received go directly to Parkinson's research and all who donate $10 or more will be entered into a raffle to win an expedition-equipped Land Rover Discovery.