JUNE 2005
Petronas Adventure Team takes on Himalayas
June 9 - Come August 17, a group of adventurous Malaysians will head for the greatest of mountain ranges on earth – the Himalayas.
Twenty vehicles to be flagged off at the PETRONAS Twin Towers will take 57 members of the PETRONAS Adventure Team on another grueling outing - the PETRONAS Trans-Himalayas 2005 Expedition. This is a 43-day journey of over 15,000km across varied and challenging terrain. This year, the team will drive from Malaysia through Thailand, Laos and China to the base camp of the Himalayas, before arriving in Shenzhen, China on September 30.
It will be the PETRONAS Adventure Team’s seventh expedition since 1999. The team has grown and established itself internationally, being firmly recognised amongst 4WD enthusiasts worldwide.
According to Expedition Leader Halim Abdul Rahman, the team members can look forward to a completely new experience. “In previous expeditions, although we crossed spectacular ranges like the Karakorams and legendary mountain passes like Khunjerab Pass and Khyber Pass, we did not remain at high altitudes for prolonged periods of time. For PETRONAS Trans-Himalayas 2005, the team will be at high altitudes for more than 50% of the journey,” said Halim.
“The route will take us across five mountain passes that are more than 5,000m high. We will also be camping at altitudes above 4,000m. Team members will get to sample a completely different way of life and see first hand how people live at such high altitudes. It promises to be an enriching experience.”
“The team must be well prepared for extreme conditions at high altitudes. New equipment like tents, sleeping bags and cooking gas will have to be sourced. As a safety precaution every vehicle will be equipped with an oxygen tank and packs. In the build up, we must get used to the rigours of hard overlanding. In Thailand, where we will be spending eight days, we expect to be on some of the highest roads in the region,” he added.
From Thailand and Laos, the route gradually reaches higher altitudes of more than 500m.
Besides the record-breaking drive and extreme conditions, the team is also committed to community relations - an integral part of their programme. At least five such projects are planned for Thailand, Laos and China. A special event will be devoted to about 100 children of the Rongpu Monastery at the Everest Base Camp.
PETRONAS is the title sponsor of PETRONAS Trans-Himalayas 2005. PETRONAS Syntium, Malaysia International Shipping Corporation Berhad (MISC), Ford, KUMHO Tires, and FUJIFILMS are other official sponsors announced at a press conference in Kuala Lumpur today.
All expedition vehicles will be using PETRONAS Syntium lubricants. This fully synthetic multi-grade engine oil has been developed with F1 technology in mind - to provide complete engine protection especially for the expedition’s 4WD engines operating under the most extreme and demanding conditions.
After the closing ceremony in Shenzhen, MISC will ship the vehicles from Yantian Port, Shenzhen to Malaysia’s Port Klang.
Ford, the official vehicle, will sponsor three cars – two Ford Everest XLT 4x4 manual and one Ford Ranger Hurricane 4x4. The Everest XLT 4x4 manual performs best under pressure. Offering a smooth ride even on rough road conditions, the Everest suspension has been designed for comfort so as to reduce driver fatigue.
All expedition vehicles are fully equipped with the necessary spare parts and a complete recovery kit, plus KUMHO tyres. The powerful 15” and 16” Roadventure MT (mud terrain) tyres display excellent handling and wear resistance in all weather conditions and are best for exceptional off-road handling.
“We are grateful for the hospitality that the government representatives have shown us during our reconnaissance trips,” said Halim.
The official website for PETRONAS Trans-Himalayas 2005 is www.petronasadventure.com where readers can catch up with the latest expedition news.
