Flatouthruthefog

I've recently driven my own-Thai registered 4x4 in and out of Malaysia (a dream) and Laos (a potholed pain).
Not to be discouraged, I now want to try Burma/Myanmar, but can't even find a road map. Can anyone advise on any aspect?
I'd prefer to enter from Mae Sot over the newly re-opened bridge and head for Moulmein and Rangoon.
I hear one must take a local guide in the car the whole way.
Are inquiries at their Embassy in Bkk likely to be met with sweet reasonableness?

The place is an old petrol station at the junction of the 118 (CM-CR)  route and central ring road.
We have been regular car wash customers there for 5 years.
First, they had 'loyalty cards'. Get a stamp for each wash and every 12th one was free. A good deal and properly honoured.
Last year that was discontinued, but their exterior 'soapy' wash and good hand finishing was still 80b a time, so we continued.
Yesterday lunch time (the lucky 13th!) I went in again with our small car and parked facing the washing area. I went into the office and saw the rather flashy, attractive lady and said in Thai "80 baht wash please, outside only, not inside."
She smiled and parroted the "outside not inside" bit in English. The 2 lads who do the work appeared and i gave her a 100b note and sat down nearby with a newspaper. I noticed the high power soap spray wasn't in use. That was done by hand for the first time I've ever seen. I also noticed that the premises were almost empty, strewn with rubber floor mats from cars, and far less tidy than usual.
No matter, as the lads finished, smiled and said "OK" (a less good job than before and a small piece of body trim was bent) I walked slowly back to the office and politely asked in Thai for my 20b change.
"Oh no" she said in Thai, "one hundred baht."
"No" I said, smiling, in Thai, "I said 80 baht already, when I came in, that's what it says on your sign, and that's what I have always had and paid for."
"No" she said, smiling, pointing to the next price along their banner, "one hundred baht." That is for a bigger vehicle by the way, not my little 3 door hatchback.
"Really?" I said in Thai. "If that's true, goodbye!"
No point in calling the cops or invoking Hell Fire and the Trade Descriptions Act, I thought. Let's just warn everyone I know - and ask for a recommendation to another place........!
The Shell station near McCormick Hospital?
Anyone?
This is a Diamond you can do without.

Just butting in here as a newbie on this interesting thread.
Sour cream: how do you know when it's gone off?
Seriously?!
I bought a tub 5 days ago for use with some nice avacados, and have most of the tub left. No 'sell by' date on the carton of course.
Any advice?
Any ideas for other uses? (Culinary only, please).
Garlic butter: excellent on a steak and as a snack on those slightly salty Ritz crackers. Any other ideas? (ditto above).
Thanks in advance.

Having ensured that all the elephants she knows of are save, Khun 'Lek' at Save Elephant Foundation is now rescuing hundreds of dogs, cats - and some monkeys - from the floods.
She runs a shuttle service of volunteers and animal food from her Chiang Mai base, but is in very urgent need of vets or student vets to help. On site she has large trucks as mobile HQs, high enough to cope with the water. She also appeals for small open boats to borrow or buy.
This is an ideal 'volunteering' opportunity for younger fathers and teenagers. Foreigners should have their passports with them (in watertight bags?!) and no-one is going to ask for work permits.
If anyone can help in any way, they should call the SEF/Elephant Nature Park office, Chiang Mai, in Thai or English, on 086 920 1723 or 086 618 8170.
In this emergency, Mods, I do hope this appeal is within your rules.

Does anyone know?
Some shelves are empty and all retailers blame the rail service from Bkk being stopped for 3 weeks.
Is all well now?