So much has happened in such little time, and yet so much remains undone! With the Mongol Rally launch date fast approaching we’re quickly losing sleep over the amount of work needing to be completed before our piddly rally car can promenade out of London.
Remaining to be done:
- Visas. We literally have none. Although, by the time you read this we’ll be well on our way to filling out the gruesome paperwork required for all of these lovely entrance tickets. We’ll need visas for 5 countries along our route, so we’re hoping no one turns us down!
- Car. Yes, that’s right. We don’t have a rally car yet. Would you like to donate one? If so, we gladly accept provided it has an engine. We’re working on finding a car in the UK and dealing with the issue of where to store it until our arrival and how to start the registration process from afar.
- A method of arrival. We are hoping to take a boat from the East Coast, USA to Europe, and we’re busy searching the internet for cruise deals, freighter travel that is affordable or even a rickety dinky that we can paddle across the big pond.
- Money. Yup, we still don’t have a whole lot of that green stuff. However, we’re hoping someone extremely wealthy and wonderful will donate a bunch of that right before we leave. Its for a good cause, and Mercy Mongolia would be as happy as we would if a huge sponsor stepped in!
Already done:
- Team mates. On the up side, we are ecstatic to have Bill on the team, and we have every reason to believe a 4th team member will be joining us soon.
- Equipment. We also have almost all the supplies we need for the 10,000 mile journey, which is great news because without the car we might be hiking the 10,00 miles (and we’re well equipped to do so with all the survival stuff we have!)
- Route. We’ve ironed out our exact route and we have even put together a decent time line of where we will be and when! Nifty what information you can find online, as well as all the cool tools available for trip planning on a massive scale. You can find some of these tools listed on the Resources page.
- Communication. Lauren is busy learning Russian as quickly as a brain can hold that knowledge. We also have all the language apps one i-touch can hold, as well as a few PC programs for language acquisition and a nifty phrase book for Russian. When all else fails, we’ll do as the Italians do and gesture!
That’s where we are, folks! Wish us luck on the insanity that is about to ensue as we get our butts to the UK and get this rally underway!
I love the line – Lauren is busy learning Russian as quickly as a brain can hold… makes me chuckle!
I was just thinking about your guys and wondering how it was going! I wish I had a car to give you – but I don’t even have one for myself!
Looks like you have a few hurdles to get over yet – but I love your positive attitude – and that’s the most important thing you can have during the rally itself!!
Ha! Thanks Sherry! We actual have a few leads on cars in the UK, though they put the steering wheel on the wrong side. Still, its progress!!
Hey guys, what an awesome adventure. The Mongol Rally is definitely on my to do list! As Sherry says the positive attitude is what is going to get you through and I’m sure by now the visas are coming together!
Hey guys, i am a fellow mongol rallier i saw your link on the lonley planet website. Me and my mate john will be driving a 1.3 manual 2001 VW polo and following a very similar route. Sounds like you guys have loads sorted just wanted to wish you the best of luck and i shall see you on the start line.
tom
team ‘when in rome’
See ya on the road! Can’t wait, thanks Tom!