Avoid Long Distance Travel In Tour Vans Especially Mountainous Terrains

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IN 1973, I started work in the largest inbound tour company in Malaysia, which was operating the biggest fleet of tour buses, limousines and self-drive cars in the country.

Then, all tourist guides were employed full time, and also required to drive limousines, including female guides, as most tourists did not travel in groups.
Earlier, I had obtained a driving licence but hardly had the chance to drive. After being interviewed in the operations office based at the Merlin Hotel (renamed Concorde), the operations director of the tour company wanted to evaluate my driving skill. To my horror, I was asked to drive a full-size American limousine.
Not only was it twice as long as many cars on the road, it was fitted with power brakes that were ultra sensitive.
Those who have driven cars made in the 1960s will remember that applying the brakes required stepping hard on the pedal as power assisted brakes were uncommon.
Needless to say, the operations director jerked forward each time I stepped on the brake pedal.
However, I managed to maneuver the American monster, with engine size bigger than the two-stroke diesel engines used by tour buses at that time, without any collision, parked the limousine precisely, and I was told to report for work the next day.
After observing an experienced tourist guide conducting a full day bus tour around Kuala Lumpur on my first day, I conducted the tour all by myself in a bus driven by a driver on my second day.
The passengers were picked up from various hotels in Kuala Lumpur as receptionists were paid commissions for booking by making a phone call.
Although without prior training, I pulled it off, thanks to 11 years studying in English schools and my knowledge of geography and history.
There was once I conducted a tour in Cantonese was for a small group from Hong Kong. It was excruciating as I could not describe or express myself well in Mandarin, Cantonese, Hokkien or Hakka, although I could speak a little of each. Today, I am still not much better, although it has been more than half a century.
The Hong Kong group was met upon their arrival at Subang Airport. On the second day, they had a full day sightseeing tour in Kuala Lumpur, and next day an overland trip to Penang along the old trunk road, which was taxing, but more so using a mini bus which was no bigger than large passenger vans introduced in recent times.
While vans are suitable for airport transfers, I would not recommend them to be used for long outstation trips or climbing up mountainous terrains such as Cameron Highlands.
Vans are designed for carrying cargo, and seats and windows added so that passengers can have a view. But they remain bumpy and uncomfortable.
The long trip from Kuala Lumpur to Penang was a torture for most of the Hong Kong passengers.
Before driving back empty, the mini bus driver wanted to make some side income and went to the bus station and found only one passenger. Upon reaching Kuala Lumpur, the passenger expressed regret for travelling in the mini bus.
On Sept 14, a tour van skidded off the road in mountainous Kodaikanal, 525km from Chennai, Tamil Nadu in India, injuring 12 Malaysians. Mercifully, no fatalities were reported, although four sustained heavy injuries.
The Malaysian Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued an advisory advising Malaysians travelling in India to exercise caution during the ongoing monsoon season, particularly in hilly areas prone to slippery roads and landslides.

In any case, avoid travelling in vans for long distance trips or climbing mountainous terrains, whether overseas or back home.
They can be uncomfortable or unsafe or both. Unlike multi-purpose vehicles (MPVs) that cost much more with rear suspension fitted with coil springs, vans use leaf springs that are sturdy but bumpy. 
YS Chan is master trainer for Mesra Malaysia and Travel and Tours Enhancement Course and an Asean Tourism Master Trainer. He is also a tourism and transport business consultant.
The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of  MMKtT.
- Focus Malaysia.

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