Penang Mini Parade Jan.2007
Happy New Year to all,
we, Mini owners of KL/Selangor region departed for Penang on 31st.Dec.2006, @ 4.30am, after briefing.
Minis from Semenyih, Subang Jaya, Ampang and Kg.Subang, all in 21 classic minis.
Arriving first stop for breakfast at Tapah R&R @5.45am. One Mini has to go home, main gasket leak.
Depart from Tapah at 6.45am to Penang, three more minis has some overheating problem but manageable.
Arrive Juru toll at 9.15am, cross over Penang bridge to meet Penang minis to convoy to PISA Arena.
All in, about 120-150 classic Minis, Riley Elf and a few BMW Minis too.
Police escort convoy started only about 11am, went round Georgetown, poor coordination of convoy, some 35% Minis got lost in town!
Finally all arrive in Gurney Drive at about 1.00pm(we arrive at about 2pm, finding our way there!) all Minis parked along a stretch of almost 200m. long?
Lunch area was further up ahead, food was below average, (we know its free)
Many find it difficult to locate organisers for lunch coupon!? Apart from TMnet T-shirt/cap/stickers, dont know where to reimburse Bridge toll tickets, no free TMnet prepaid card was given, as mentioned in the itinerary.
Competition for Minis began even when some are having lunch, and some waiting down the stretch, no announcement, no speakers, no loud hailers, no one inform anyone!!!?
Looks like only selected Minis(only 60 no.cards issued for participants) the rest of almost 100 Minis ? No chance, and reason being "soory u were late, no more no.cards la"
To top it all, the organisers themselves entered most of their Minis in all categories they know(none of us knew anything at all), and judges could not inspect all Minis cos weather is too hot!!??(thats what i was told by one of their officials)
we all left a bit dissapointed, not even knowing who won the competion and what did they win. Looks like a Penang Mini family affair altogether !!!!!
Though we can still look forward to a good hotel stay, a good load of Penang hawker food(cos i know Penang well), and most of all, New Year Party at Sunset Bay Bistro, and we had fun, fun fun till the wee wee hours of 2007!
This Mini Parade could have been a big event, even a yearly event to mayb match something like in Brighton,UK, if not for the inexperience and unprofessional attitude of organisers, as observed by Mini owners from other region. And Penang is a fantastic spot as most Malaysian would not mind driving so far to Penang, for all it can offer, cheap hotels, cheap and fantastic food, long stretch of beaches, etc.etc.
we hope that in future(on behalf of my group) events should be properly organised and coordinated, if everyone is to enjoy and remember, an event of this quantum and significance. Other wise, how can we achieve a dream gathering like the one every Mini owners/enthusiast know of, The Brighton Annual Mini Gathering in UK, etc.etc.
thank you,
YearsOfTheMini
