Lexus Driveaway 2011 to Penang

The Lexus Driveaway 2011 was held on 17-20 June at Penang, Malaysia. This year, a convoy of 30 cars drove up across the causeway for a night's stay at the capital city, Kuala Lumpur, before arriving at the final destination of Penang, the northwest coast of Malaysia.

The four day Driveaway started off with participants meeting at Raffles Marina for a welcome address by the Lexus team and a quick briefing. The entire convoy was then flagged off by Denise Tan, Senior Marketing Manager of Lexus Singapore. The convoy subsequently crossed the border onto the second link and embarked on the drive up to Kuala Lumpur, the pit stop for the night.

Before arriving at Kuala Lumpur, the convoy adjourned to Yong Peng for breakfast. On the menu were Anthony's fishball noodles and roasted pork buns. Customers were also treated to another local delight, durians. The king of fruits left participants wishing for more and many of them requested for additional servings of durians. Shortly after the quick breakfast stop, the convoy stopped over for lunch at Min Kok, Seremban. Following which, the convoy then took off again, continuing the drive up to Kuala Lumpur.

Arriving in Kuala Lumpur, the convoy checked in at MiCasa All Suites Hotel for a quick freshening up before heading out for dinner. Dinner was a scrumptious and enjoyable affair at the Overseas Restaurant, famously known for their mouth watering rendition of roasted pork. Even weight watchers in the group threw aside their reservations and tucked into the delicious dishes. Dinner was followed by a trip to Chinatown, Petaling Street, where participants had a feel of the local night markets and what they had to offer.

Day two's programme began with a special surprise for the participants, breakfast served up by the Lexus Team. After breakfast, the convoy then set off again for the rest of the drive up to Penang. Lunch for the day was a seafood meal at a floating restaurant at Bukit Tambun. It was an eye opener for some of the participants especially the children, as dining at a floating restaurant was a first for many of them.

Driving into Penang, the convoy was escorted by the local traffic police. The drive in town was expedited with the police escorts blocking traffic for the convoy, resulting in a smooth drive for the convoy. Participants also took pleasure in the police escort and were especially excited with some even remarking that it felt like they were in an action movie.

The dinner programme for the night was held at the waterfront at Tanjong Marina. Famous hawkers from around Penang were invited down to cook for the participants. Part of the lineup of local delights that were available included Penang Char Kway Teow, Prawn Mee and Chendol. Participants also got to savor the local cuisine alongside performances by local entertainers. The highlight for the night had to be the sky lanterns that participants let out into the night sky, bearing their individual wishes.

Day 3 of the Lexus Driveaway 2011 saw participants going on a trishaw treasure hunt around Penang. The trishaw treasure hunt was not only fun but also allowed participants to sightsee. Participants also got to visit iconic places such as the Khoo Kongsi Temple and other local attractions. Despite the sweltering heat, the participants enjoyed the trishaw ride and participated in the treasure hunt enthusiastically. Lunch at Green Ocean Restaurant recharged the participants as they tucked into the delicious seafood spread.

Dinner was a special Lexus 80's Theme Dinner Party at Hard Rock Café Penang. Some participants also joined in the fun by arriving in 80's wear, with three families going on to win the Best Dressed Family prize. The dinner party was a fun and entertaining one with exciting trivia games which participants thoroughly enjoyed. As the Driveaway coincided with Father's Day, a special celebration to honor the fathers in the group was held and they were presented with a gift.

The last day started off early as participants checked out of the hotel and prepared themselves for the drive back to Singapore. The convoy made a lunch stop for the famous Ipoh Hor Fun and also had the chance to taste white coffee, a local specialty. The successful Lexus Driveaway 2011 was an enjoyable one for all and many participants were left with precious memories of the fun times that they had during the driveaway holiday.

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