Seet (left) posing for a photo with a Turkish man while holding the Malaysian flag in Turkiye.— Photos courtesy of Seet Wai Song.
SEET Wai Song is a man on a mission.
He is undertaking a solo drive from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, to Stuttgart, Germany, while raising funds for National Cancer Society Malaysia (NCSM).
The journey across 21 countries covering 25,000km would take over 60 days to complete, he said.
Seet started his journey on July 3 and is expected to complete it in early September.
“This is an entirely self-funded journey, so monies raised will go entirely to NCSM.
“It is also a test of self-endurance, since I have to drive about 400km per day in order to get to my end destination within the planned duration,” said Seet.
He is driving a 1974 custom-painted Mercedes-Benz W115 sedan to his destinations.
The 65-year-old is also known as Chef Song, as the food-and-beverage entrepreneur runs Chef on Wheels, a catering business, with his wife Christine Chua.
The resident of Taman Tun Dr Ismail in Kuala Lumpur said the drive was a long-held dream come true, which he had planned before the Covid-19 pandemic hit.
“There is a need to plan ahead as countries such as China and Russia require visa or official travel documents and these have to be done a few months prior,” said Seet.
Seet got these two teddy bears as replacement companions after losing a stuffed toy.
“Most of the other countries I visited allow visa-free travel within 90 days and the border crossings have been relatively smooth.
“Besides adjusting to driving a car designed for left-hand traffic in countries with right-hand traffic settings, I have to be mindful of driving alongside heavy vehicles on the road.
“I don’t drive at night when visibility is poor.”
At the point of his online interview with StarMetro, Seet had covered Thailand, Laos, China, Kazakhstan, Russia, Turkiye and Bulgaria.
His next destinations include Romania, Hungary, Austria, Switzerland and Germany.
Seet backpacked in Nepal, India and Sri Lanka for about a year as well as completed a self-drive trip to Cambodia with his son Sean a few years ago.
“I try to eat and live simply throughout this trip.
“I get my meals at petrol stations and rest-stop areas, or get fresh ingredients from local markets and supermarkets,” he said.
“If budget accommodation is not available, I will sleep in my car.
“For people unaccustomed to budget travelling and no-frills meals, the journey can be a challenge.
“I prefer driving along smaller roads as I get to learn about people and their cultures.
“If I see something interesting along the way, I will pull over to take in the sights or snap a few photos.”
Seet stopping to take in the sights in Shangri-La, China.
Seet said he was lucky as he had not faced major challenges except for communication problems in countries where English was not the main language.
Another problem was having to use rest stops in places where sanitation was lacking.
Technology helps as a reasonably good phone with data plan and GPS navigation makes travelling easier.
“I brought along a stuffed toy as a companion and plenty of Malaysian fridge magnets to give away.
“These make for great conversation starters, and I give the magnets away as souvenirs,” he added.
Seet plans to return to Kuala Lumpur by air while his car will be shipped back, as it is too taxing to make the return journey alone.
On why he selected NCSM as a beneficiary, he said he had worked with the non-profit organisation before. This self-drive project is his biggest fundraising initiative thus far.
“I am proposing a donation of RM10 per kilometre covered, hence the target is to raise RM250,000 for NCSM.
“I try to visit cancer hospitals along the way to get an idea of how well these hospitals are running and to raise awareness of my journey,” said Seet, who visited two such hospitals in Thailand and Georgia.
If unable to meet his RM250,000 goal by the end of his trip, he is thinking of organising a fundraising dinner to raise the remaining funds.
To view Seet’s journey and daily encounters, visit https://tinyurl.com/3h65mmv6
To donate, visit https://tinyurl.com/2p8kse82
