I got the riddle, Dog. But then I already knew that. I've got to hand it to Strachan. What an impossible dreamer, and romantic.

Just read this thread after reading Dogster's March 20. Wow! Amazing! Now I can understand Dogster's "long thought" before his March report. Good thing I was not aboard, I would not have been so understanding, forgiving. I would hae been the first on the banned list.

I take strong objection to LAleslie's inference that I am a "hack". However I guess he is entitled to his opinion, just as I am entitled to mine.

I would point out that Paul S. objected to my "Abandon ship" story, carried last year in the influential cruise magazine "Cruise Passenger", but still agreed that I had every right, as a journalist, to write my Upper Irrawaddy report as I saw fit.

My earlier reports on the Mekong and the Brahmaputra cruises were factual.

BTW..I have been absent for the past 10 months because at 5.30pm on Xmas day last year I suffered a minor heart attack and was admitted to hospital. I was discovered thbat Imreq

whoops (Continued) It was discovered that I required a triple bypass and would be hospitalised for 7-8 days. It ended up being 4 months in 4 different hospitals as I was one of the 5% of unlucky bastards who also suffer a stroke while undergoing the bypass surgery.

But I survived!!! Though sadly my typing ability has been affected....

Welcome back, Mitch. Sorry to hear of your medical misadventures. Impaired typing should not prevent you from posting here as many have that disability ;-)

Welcome home Mitch. You can compete with my bad typing.

thanks, everyone.

Any news what's going on a Pandaw?
According to their website many cruises cancelled; friends of mine just returned from a Borneo trip and commenting on bad service and food.
Has it something to do with their management change?
I saw their Singaporean owner is not anymore in their team?
I was considering doing the Borneo (after Mekong), but got some doubts now.

Exactly where on the website does it mention many cancelled cruises? Give us the link. Or are you talking about India? If so, better catch up. That's old news.

It doesn't say they are cancelled, but if you have a look at the departure days, you will notice that Borneo has only one departure a months, on the Mekong river Tonle Pandaw has only three departures scheduled.

Here's a complete list of Pandaw Mekong cruises from now till eternity - with availability.
http://www.pandaw.com/info.php?page=...p=2232&s=0&h=1

Here's the Rajang:
http://www.pandaw.com/info.php?page=...p=1864&s=0&h=1

I'm struggling to reach the conclusion that <i>anything</i> is happening to Pandaw at all.

As for Mr. Singapore - a manager, not an owner, by the way - by the look of it he lasted about a year. Stuff happens. I somehow don't think the company is collapsing. Au contraire - I suspect it just got stronger.

ttt

Ahhh - the post that eill never die. I note the Borneo cruises are closing soon. Last chance...

I just want to bring this splendid, gobsmacking post back into the light. Of course, you realise that a discussion like this is virtually impossible in the 'new' Fodors.

Why was I rereading it? I was thinking of dropping everything and jumping onboard on January 10 for one of the three last Rajang cruises - not because I think it'll be very good but because once Pandaw goes my opportunity to see not much at all in Borneo has disappeared for good.

As it's now January 8 I'll have to book it, flights from BKK to KL to Sibu and stuff in the next 24 hours - or less.

Whaddya think?

[I suppose this post will be deleted as per normal as I've dared to pass comment on our schoolmasters... then if I mention being deleted, that'll be deleted too. Soon <i>I'll</i> be deleted. Better reply fast.]

Well, I think you should go. Then you can post your own "gobsmacking" report. I look forward to it.

BTW, while you are in Borneo, why not fly to Lahad Datu (via Kota Kinabalu) and visit the Borneo Rainforest Lodge?

There has been a shortage of dogster TRs lately, would love to read this one. Carpe diem!

Well, I've just discovered that it'll take eight hours flying [plus three hours airport shlep] to get there - then the same coming back - all for five days on a muddy river. It's all looking a lot less fabulous.

In fact, it's looking damn stupid. I think we'll put this great idea down to too much beer.

Alas! I'm sorry that I will never get to read dogster's version of this trip report.

I seem to remember that your best travel ideas occur when you are drinking wine. You might try that before you give up on the idea.

Obviously you haven't drunk Indian wine, Kathie! Stick with the beer, dogster, and tell us about your cruises, please.