[Sam Kapasi]

Dear Team-BHPians,

We are happy to announce that Team-BHP has decided to organise a very unique meet, at the very exciting and beautiful city of Kuala Lumpur, for the Sepang Formula One race of 2007.

So what is this all about?

Strength and Pleasure, by the unified numbers. We are a bunch of Indians, that have one thing in common, our love for motoring and automobiles. What better place then, than to enjoy the company of your fellow BHPians, yelling "Forza Kimi!" in some red car (What is that company called again?) or Bravo Alonso, if that's your thing, OR you can ogle at the formula one girls instead. Revving Engines, charged atmospheres and full on live racing in the company of your friends. It doesn't get better than this.

What's the Plan?

Our Official Travel Agents for this trip are Travel Corporation (India) Pvt Ltd.

They have organised a package for us. Here are the details.

* 3 nights accommodation (twin sharing) at AnCasa Hotel Kuala Lumpur ,inclusive of daily breakfast
* Airport to Hotel Transfer
* Return transfer from hotel to race circuit by coach.
* Hospitality/registration desk at hotel lobby for team-bhp members, this is important as we will be arriving seperately.
* 24-hours customer service help line
* Goodie-bag
* 3 days Grand Prix ticket at

Hillstand Covered:
C2 - Covered hill stand facing South Grandstand,clear view of Support Paddock.Giant Screen view.Facing Turn 9 and the Tower.View of almost 70% of the whole track.

Itinerary:
6th April: Kuala Lumpur.
Arrive Kuala Lumpur, look for the Hotel Ancasa Coach and transfer to the hotel. Register yourself at the hospitality desk. Day free for leisure or visit the of the Formula 1 practice session, on our own, if you make it to KL in time.Go out in the evening. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 2: Kuala Lumpur.
After breakfast a half city tour of Kuala Lumpur (optional, but free) and in the afternoon visit Sepang for the Formula 1 Qualifying Session. Go out in the evening. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 3: Kuala Lumpur.
After breakfast Final day Shuttle to Sepang for RACEDAY!!Overnight at the hotel

Day 4: Kuala Lumpur.
After breakfast depart from Kuala Lumpur to Mumbai

The special discounted cost for the team-BHP package is approximately Rs.14000/- per head. Remember, this includes the Tickets for the formula one race (Practice, Qualifying and raceday), 3 nights at the hotel and Daily breakfast.. This does not include Air Fare!

We do not want to organise Air Tickets, as many of you will come from various cities. Some may plan to arrive earlier or perhaps leave late or even go for naughty and nefarious activities to nearby countries.

For your information only, a return air ticket to Kuala Lumpur from Chennai/Bangalore costs about Rs. 15500/-, from Mumba/Delhi about Rs. 17500/-.

We also expect that you will also need a minimum of another 5000 Rupees for your meals (other than breakfast) over 3 days.

Interested?? The next post will explain how to join in.

[Sam Kapasi]

For the sake of simplicity, this tour has been pre-decided by the support team and no further suggestions will be accepted. We request you to understand that we are a community with 10,000 (literally) opinions and we'd like to avoid complications.

If you are in, then please confirm your attendance on this thread.

Please do not post reasons why you cannot attend. Only POSITIVE answers. That means no posts like

"You lucky guys, wish I could come"

"My father in law wants to talk to me about the birds and the bees, so I can't come" etc

Such posts will be deleted.

Of course, questions, clarifications and assistance posts are most welcome.

[Sam Kapasi]

Miss Elsy Emmanuel eemmanuel@tci.co.in is our trip co-ordinator. Tel no: 67401250-56 Fax No.: 67401260.

To confirm your participation, please deposit Rs.10,000/-(as earnest money) BEFORE 31st JANUARY

The balance 4000/- can be deposited by the end of February.

You can drop a cheque in any of the local branch of HDFC bank, no matter what city you live in.
HDFC bank does not accept cash, you can check with Elsy about cash in other cities. In Mumbai, cash can be handed over to elsy at the TCI office in Fort. Hold on to your reciept.

According to me it is preferred to deposit a cheque in HDFC bank, that way you have a clear proof of payment, and it is easier to keep track of.

Here is the information you need to fill on the deposit slip.
HDFC Bank
Account Name: Travel Corporation (India) Pvt. Ltd.
Account number:0600310002470
Account Held at: Fort-Mumbai

Please fax the slip to Elsy, followed by a confirmation post here, on this thread, so we can clear your participation from our end. Remember this special rate only applies to those that confirm (by paying the earnest money) before 31st January.

After this tickets for the Grand Prix will probably be sold out, or sold at a premium and hotels will be overbooked. The Malaysian F1 is a very popular race.

Please note:
This 10,000/- is not refundable as the GP tickets will be booked immediately.


Elsy from TCI can also provide you ticketing assistance (across the country) and Malaysian Visa assistance. Remember, she can make sure that all team-BHPians from your city are on the same flight. You will have to pay all the necessary charges to TCI for the same. It is not necessary to buy your air ticket from TCI, you can make your own arrangements and meet us at the Hotel. Please register as a team-BHPian at the desk and the co-ordinator will give you your room keys and tell you where the rest of us BHPians are.


Once again we remind you that questions, clarifications and assistance posts are most welcome to be posted here.

All team-BHPians, newbies, Seniors, moderators are welcome. Friends of team-BHPians are also very welcome! Let's make this a success!!


Gentlemen, start your engines!!

[speedzak]

I AM IN ! ! ! (I am not stupid to say NO).......

If I want to arrive at KL only on Saturday, will it be okay?? (Please don't say no)

EDIT: I don't mind that slight change in the price tag. I am putting my money in by Friday!

[Sam Kapasi]

Sure, it is OK for you to arrive on saturday. That will possibly lower the price slightly for you. It will be slight, as this is a package deal. That slight change can be altered in the balance 4000/-

However, you still have to pay the 10,000 upfront. I'm happy zakko, I look forward to seeing you.

[suman]

Sam, couple of quick questions.....is the accommodation on twin-sharing basis i.e. we share rooms with fellow bhpians? Also, if one goes with the family (wife & two kids), does that make the per head rates any different?

(This is great, thanks for setting it up!)

[kURETI]

I must appreciate your interest in this program. Thats really nice.
by the way are you on board, if yes then i will try to come :-)

[Sam Kapasi]

Hi Suman,

If you read my post, it says so quite clearly. Twin Sharing. Which also means your wife and you can share the room, if both are on the TBHP package. Your kids can stay with you too, but there will be additional charges for the hotel.

Do you intend to go to the races with your kids and wife?

@kureti, Yes I am. A list of confirmed participants is right up.

[Sam Kapasi]

These are the list of people who are already confirmed. I hope to see this list grow very soon


1) Sideways
2) Sam Kapasi
3) GTO
4) Iraghava
5) Iraghava's friend.
6) Steeroid
7) F50
8) F50's friend
9) Speedzak
10) Nikhil (GTOs best bud)

Rudra Sen can only confirm by the 18th of january.

Team-BHPians, let's go to malaysia!

[suman]

Originally Posted by Sam Kapasi

If you read my post, it says so quite clearly. Twin Sharing.

Sorry, had missed that out

Originally Posted by Sam Kapasi

However how will you visit the F1 races? With your kids and wife?

Yeah....why not? We'd planned this quite some time back, much before the TBHP murmurs about a F1 meet. The only problem is that the beginning of April is never a good time to take a few days off (work & school-wise). That's whats held us back so far but this is a good opportunity....rates & all else.

[Sam Kapasi]

Suman,

Only kids below 11 years get a special rate. Above 11, all kids will pay a full rate.

Below 11 years, if your kids will want a seperate room, then it is 11300/- per child.

If your kids sleep in your room itself, then it is 8200/- per child.

The price isn't much lower, as GP tickets are the same price for all ages.

[Nachu]

I've been to the Malaysian GP 6 times in the last 6 years. So this year it's going to be another venue for me. However just a word of advice. While travel and stay are very reasonable because of the packages it's not so once you are on KL and on the circuit.

Let me give you some examples of what prices are for some basics for every F1 tourist. Remember you cannot take any food or water or alcohol into the circuit. You have to buy all your stuff inside the circuit.

Foster's Beer can = RM 18 or 18 X 12 = 116. So 5 beers x 3 days = 1740 on beer alone.
Mineral Water = RM 6 or 6 x 12 = 72. So 3 bottles (it's 40C on circuit) x 3 days = 648
Food Average meal = RM 32 x 6 x 3 days = Rs. 576

F 1 Cap Ferrari/Renualt/Mc = RM 300 or Rs. 3600 (unless you want to buy Team AZURI stuff)
F1 T Shirt Ferrari/Renualt/Mc = RM 500 or Rs. 6000
Cheap one RM 300 = Rs. 3600

Get the point. For all the knick knacks on Circuit alone you need about 10K.

Add another 10 K for WWS (ask Moderator Rudra sen what's this)i n KL for the night's entertainment.

BHPians be prepared to spend another 20K or so if you want to have a good time.

So Air fare + Stay + Pow wow = 17000+14000+20000 = Rs. 51 at the very minimum.

But is it worth it? YOU BET. This is the cheapest GP on circuit.

Only be prepared.

Have a blast

Nachu

[speedzak]

What about Visa formalities?
Is it supposed to be attended to by the travel agent? ie. Will TCI make arrangements for Visas too? Is there any more charges for the same?

That was a nice guidance, Nachu. Is it necessary that we buy Merchandise from the Circuit? Can't we carry in fancy t-shirts/caps etc?? I am not asking about the food/drinks etc..

[khanak]

Originally Posted by Nachu

F 1 Cap Ferrari/Renualt/Mc = RM 300 or Rs. 3600 (unless you want to buy Team AZURI stuff)
F1 T Shirt Ferrari/Renualt/Mc = RM 500 or Rs. 6000
Cheap one RM 300 = Rs. 3600

btw mclaren merchandise is going at a 70% discount on everything except their scale models. So if you you are a mclaren fan and want to get stuff for the gp then now is a good time to buy.

[iraghava]

Originally Posted by speedzak

What about Visa formalities?
Is it supposed to be attended to by the travel agent? ie. Will TCI make arrangements for Visas too? Is there any more charges for the same?

Zak - Read Sam's post again he's mentioned that TCI can help us with the Visa if we get ticketing through them. I think whoever does your tickets will also get your visa done.