"If this post was a chess game, I wonder who would be holding the advantage about now?" - well, I'm a disinterested bystander, as I doubt I would ever have cruised with Pandaw. It seems to me that Paul Strachan has said nastier things about Tangata than Tangata has said about Paul, so I'm inclined to side with Tangata. I give particular weight to the fact that Tangata has cruised with Pandaw before, if he were a first-time customer I might feel differently.

I find this thread fascinating. The original report was interesting, but the subsequent banning and inquiries have added much spice to the dish. I'm glad that the responses are reasoned and attacks are absent, justified or not.

Dogster-I admit that my remarks concerning opinion and conjecture do not always control my words or actions. I'm better off when they do.

In truth, I'd like to meet both Tangata and Mr. Strachan. Together would be best, but separately would still provide a great deal of insight. Maybe we can seduce them to attend the Boson GTG. They may not have Dogster's difficulties.

This is all starting to sound like an Agatha Christie thriller or a game of Cluedo! For the record I am not Tangata, I do not know Dogster but yes, I am brand new to Fodor. I made my initial contribution because I returned from the maiden trip up the Rajang feeling that the blurb on the trip was misleading and I wanted other potential travellers to be aware of this. Little did I know this post would still be going! Gunpowder treason and plot! I would like to make it very clear that I had a memorable trip. I enjoyed the company of many of the passengers on board and found the places we visited fascinating. The interest that all the communities showed in us and the Pandaw and the welcome we received was very special with the piquancy of a maiden voyage in a part of the world unused to tourism (and there are not too many places like this left). However, I still maintain that this trip was not properly researched and that there was a lack of transparency when things did go wrong. This was not some on-the-cheap backpacker trip ( aka Uncle Tans Jungle Tours in Borneo) but a luxury cruise; the type of trip for which people might spend years saving.

There were many on board who were bitterly disappointed in not seeing any wildlife or getting anywhere near the Baleh river and its jungle shores which was really the start of Redmon O'Hanlon's adventure, 'Into the Heart of Borneo" and was meant to be one of the highlights of this cruise. On any cruise, I guess, you deal with the reality rather than the mystique created in the brochures or in your own imagination for that matter, but I still maintain that on this trip Pandaw let their passengers down. Many things were beyond their control but many shouldn't have been if they had put in place the necessary co - ordination ahead of the maiden voyage. I think management got a rude shock on just how badly things can go wrong and it was left to the ever creative and good humoured guides to save their bacon on many occasions. It looks like problems of access are now being addressed with speed boats and new co-ordinators, but, of course, no money back guarantee for the guinea pigs! ( Surprise, surpise as Tawtha would say!)
As for Tangata's behaviour on board, well I did not take part in after dinner, round-the-bar drinks and maybe this is where mutiny was fomented? Who knows? I didn't personally become friendly with Tangata nor did I enter into long grumbles with other passengers although it would have been easy to do so. Maybe Tangata did and maybe Paul overheard him? Paul is clearly rattled although he did a pretty good job of hiding the fact during his time with us, thank goodness ! I could start to make a few educated guesses on why he might feel so strongly, but what's the point? More unsubstantiated theories from the mystery (and new) Somersault! What a pity Redmon O'Hanlon was not with us. His skill in making comedy out of adversity would have been a real asset on the cruise itself and no doubt on this post!
But would he have contributed to this fledgling thriller? I doubt it - better things to do with his time, I'm sure! So let's leave Pandaw and Paul and his crew to make sure that future cruises up the Rajang deliver the goods.
To the maiden voyagers on the Ganges- Bon Voyage! Take your sun screen, your swimming togs and your sense of humour!

Now about cruising - has anyone been on an Aurora cruise? Their maiden trip to Papua New Guinea next year sounds intriguing......and no I am not a tout for this company just a woman (now there's a clue!) drawn to explore. Let's all move on to the next adventure!

'...I could start to make a few educated guesses on why he might feel so strongly...'

Aha! The Heart of Darkness. Someone take somersault out and ply her with gin. Come back and tell us everything she said. I'm not worried about 'unsubstantiated theories' from the only objective witness. Give us the dirt.

come somersault, as Dog says give us the dirt.....

Somersault, whomever you are, you have tumbled into my heart by mentioning Redmond O'Hanlon. You're the kind of passenger I'd gladly travel along with, I can tell. But do give us the dirt. And your criticism's should be heeded by Pandaw. First lesson: Never believe a blurb. Second lesson: Never join a shakedown cruise without a sense of humor.

Marija, I did find that travel agent paragraph very intriguing. I wish Tangata woudl reappear here and explain.

Kathie: >>Who knows?<< >>there must be a lot of glue we are missing...<< Exactly.

Dogster, hah!, I am doubled over with laughter at the Scotsman bit. (I am married to one, though he's far removed from the old country. Still, I am ever mocking him: "I willna spend anotherrrr penny!") I agree we have to take Strachan at face value, particularly because of the lost sporran.

I have e-mailed a reply to Paul, and asked who Tawtha is. He has replied. Anybody interested in me posting those?

Don't hold out on us!

LA-you must divulge all information. The Black and White guy never received a response. You are our only source.

Of course, Somersault can provide us with more eyewitness insight. Our interest has been piqued.

Definitely, the more info the better. But I think this (from somersault) is the most significant of the recent input:

"I still maintain that on this trip Pandaw let their passengers down. Many things were beyond their control but many shouldn't have been if they had put in place the necessary co - ordination ahead of the maiden voyage"

Yes, Thursday it probably should have gone better. But as we know, getting managing people in Asia can be like herding cats.

ok, here's my reply to Strachan:

>>Dear Paul,

Many thanks for the personal reply. I can't second guess your decision because I wasn't there, and as I pointed out on Fodor's, I'm always skeptical of anonymous posters because it's impossible to tell who's who, and what the truth is.

I do note, however, that another poster (Somersault), and maybe a second, think Tangata was balanced and got the general tenor of the cruise, with it's inevitable 1first cruise glitches, right. And that Tangata was no more grouchy -- and certainly not disputive--than the rest of the passengers. I would have thought at least one fellow passenger would have jumped on the thread and described his bad behavior. That's a small boat, and it can't have been a secret.

You also say that Tangata was not blacklisted because of Fodor's, yet you lead off your e-mail with a charge of malicious intent on the Fodor's poster part. In fact, one Tawtha, did defend Pandaw.

There's no point in getting into a pissing contest over this, but his post did not read as malicious by any means and actually made me more intrigued by Pandaw. I am perfectly adult and able to discern that there are hiccups on these virgin launches. So, probably, are others who would be your potential customers.

I really do appreciate your reply. One last question? Are you in fact Tawtha?

Regards,>>

Leslie

And here's his reply to mine:

>>Dear Leslie,

Thanks for your considered reply.
I have not actually looked at Fodor's for some 2 weeks - nor do I intend to!
Tawtha works in the company.


All regards,


Paul Strachan
Pandaw Cruises<<

Dogster was right. Maybe.

Here's a document on the pandaw site by Tawtha, so that part checks out:

http://www.pandaw.com/downloads/docu...Revolution.pdf

Boy, Marija, that fascinating piece only makes me think that Tawtha IS Strachan. Obviously written by a well-educated, articulate Brit who's lived there for years and who knows lots. Is there such a person at Pandaw other than Paul that fits that bill?

Who's read Strachan's book and can say whether the writing style is similar? Why would someone in the travel business, dependant in some part by the kindness of the generals, write such a piece? And wouldn't this piece dissuade potential Pandaw customers (like my husband, who is the highly hesitant to leave his hard-earned US$ in despots' hands)from visiting Burma? (And has the Western press really gotten the Burma story so wrong?)

I can guess at some of the answers. But please, someone, educate me. Dogster?

This is my last post. The document on the Pandaw site proves beyond doubt that Tawtha is NOT Paul. That is a relief. It is someone else who was on board who was highly knowledgeable about Burma and yes was working for the company - part time I think. I do not have any "dirt" to reveal. I can only assume that in the judgement of Tawtha, Tangata's complaints to other passengers on board went too far and unsettled some on boardand maybe spoilt their cruise ( sorry no salacious gossip I'm afraid). Whether this judgement was correct is open to debate but I am sure Paul would have respected Tawtha's point of view. As you can see from his piece on Burma this is a very astute observer of the political scene in Burma and no doubt also of the effect one passenger can have on others on a 9 day cruise! I'm thankful I did not get caught up in all of this on board andratherregret getting caught up here!. In my opinion Tangata meant no harm as can be seen from his constructive criticisms in his diary here but of course when tensions are running high as they were at times on board among the crew having a "grumpy old man" ( sorry Tangata!) carping and giving his considered opinion of how things should be done better would be very hard to take and may well have unsettled some passengers more than I realised. Farewell!

Don't go away Somersault. And thanks for the valuable insight.

Hey Somersault, i hope you will still post on other topics?

I've been following along here with much interest, since I am booked on a Pandaw trip for next winter.

The reported "banning" of a potential passenger is, indeed, worrisome. But has that person actually been "banned?" One possibility is that he or she is no longer receiving invitations for free fam trips from Pandaw. Very different than having a paying client be refused the opportunity to book a trip, which appears to be the case with Tangata, who is apparently a "normal" paying passenger.

LA - I haven't done all my sleuthing yet. But I can add my two cents to this:

'...Why would someone in the travel business, dependant in some part by the kindness of the generals, write such a piece? ...and has the Western press really gotten the Burma story so wrong?'

I've been searching fruitlessly for some remarkable pieces written by Paul S from the ground immediately after the Cyclone in Burma. The view from the ground is markedly different from the universally accepted picture of things inside Burma. The posts have disappeared from the Pandaw website, I think.

I've spent ten weeks all up in Burma. Paul's take on what is really going on, balanced with more than a few secrets I uncovered, none of which I'll go into here, is real food for serious thought.

Of course it's possible that the international media-think on Burma may have it wrong. Of course. lol. Let's consider the sources. Would you call them balanced? As I've learnt, on many occasions for example, the BBC World 'clandestine, undercover, on the ground' reporting is fatuous and highly misleading. IMHO.

Of course, what we hear is correct but it is scarcely the WHOLE picture, laced as it is with secrets, history, corruption, incompetence and multi-national intrigue. Paul S is highly aware of this world. He should be listened to.

Actually, secretly, I wonder if we really want to listen. Our simplistic politics are far easier to deal with. The story of how he has negotiated the generals is his to tell. The story of what happened after Cyclone Nargis is his to tell.

So, LA - keep your open mind receptive. The bigger picture is more fascinating than you know. And, of course, the more you know, the more remarkable P.S.'s journey through it becomes. Remember here, I'm absolutely no expert - but I do know enough to know stuff is going on - as does everybody. Pandaw was by no means my window into Burma. I have/had many. Ten weeks is a long time.

Did I tell you I once met one of the generals? lol. True. Complete happenstance and really odd. Kathie knows the story.

Yes, that was quite a story, dogster.