Charge Around The Globe: Southeast Asia brings new challenges for Lexie and the Ford Explorer

With any ambitious adventure problems will inevitably be encountered at some point. So far only finding charging points, dealing with tricky roads and the occasional flat tyre have caused any issue, but in Vietnam the resolve of the challenge was put to the test as Lexie fell ill during the first stop in Ho Chi Minh city. With tight schedules to make border crossings and Lexie too sick to drive, the decision was taken to allow someone else behind the wheel. 

While those kilometres won’t count in her official RecordSetter attempt to be the first person to circumnavigate the globe in an electric vehicle, fortunately there are still plenty to travel to reach the minimum requirement of 28,968 kilometres.

By Cambodia, Lexie was back to full fitness and in more familiar surroundings.  The five-hour drive from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap may be new, but Siem Reap is a city Lexie has visited a number of times; she travelled there as a child, backpacked there several times later on and has returned to film content for work. This was the first time she tried the local dish of fried tarantula though. 

Cambodia was always going to be a short part of the journey, with just enough time to take in the stunning Angkor Wat temple – a UNESCO World Heritage Site – before the ever-healthy Ford Explorer was pointed towards Thailand. 

Crossing the border into Thailand, the fifth country visited in Asia, Lexie was soon in the hustle and bustle of Bangkok. The unpredictable driving conditions within the city, similar to those she experienced in India, are just one of the many challenges she and the Ford Explorer are getting used to by now, but it requires constant vigilance. Needless to say it can be tiring and the quieter country roads as they continue to the southern coast are a welcome relief, with the changing scenery adding crucial mental stimulation for Lexie on this epic trip.  

There’s more mental stimulation when they finally cross into Malaysia, after another tricky delay at a border, as she has to switch to driving on the other side of the road. Adhering to different road rules in different countries is yet another challenge of a trip like this that many overlook. 

In Kuala Lumpar there was a totally different kind of stimulation as Lexie visited Ann Osman, the first female Muslim MMA fighter in Malaysia, who is inspiring a new generation of young females to also fight against the conservative norms. Meeting in Ann’s local gym, Lexie found out more about her life and was then given a pair of gloves to try the sport out for herself! 

Lexie had visited urban Kuala Lumpar previously but the long overland adventure through the unexplored countryside to George Town on Penang Island is a first, with serenity to be found on the way next to the ocean. The multicultural fabric of George Town is noticeable from the sound of Islamic call to prayer to the celebrations happening for Chinese New Year, as well as the local cuisine. Lexie even tries the infamously odorous durian fruit and finds the taste actually quite tolerable… certainly compared to fried tarantula!

The last leg of the Asian adventure stretched through Kuala Lumpar and all the way down to Tanjung Piai, the southernmost point of mainland Asia. Tricky logistics, illness and difficult border controls on top of the thousands of kilometres driven have made getting to this point a real achievement. Having overcome the challenges though, Lexie can now look forward to the next massive challenge; taking on South America.

You can follow Lexie and the Ford Explorer’s Charge Around the Globe at Ford News Europe’s X, Instagram and YouTube as well as at Lexie’s Instagram and YouTube. Or simply follow the #ChargeAroundTheGlobe hashtag.   

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