What are we doing?
The challenge is to drive from Coventry, UK to Ulaan Bataar, Mongolia in a classic car, a 1970 Triumph Herald 13/60 to be exact. With no back-up team, no GPS (or even reliable maps for some countries!) we'll be driving 10 000 miles, cross 5 mountain chains and 3 deserts, in a car that is 38 years old. Minimal comfort, bad roads and expected breakdowns that we have no choice but to fix ourselves with whatever we bring with us (ductape, stockings and a sledgehammer perhaps?)
Go speed racers, go!
So why are we doing it?
We are trying to raise a considerable amount for charity (that's where you come in). And have some fun, although that is a secondary requirement.
Who are we raising money for?
We have chosen to raise money for two charities, RNLI Lifeboats and Gemin-i.org. Both are amazing charities, the former saving lives around the British coast, and the latter improving education around the world, and this year, supplying OLPC XO laptops to schools in outer Mongolia and get them online and using their state-of-the-art online community Rafi.ki.
Gemini-I specialise in developing innovative web based solutions to improve education in the developing and developed worlds. It works at bridging cultural, religious and digital divides between disparate peoples around the world and lends a voice to young people, raising their concerns with policy makers.
All the money raised in 2008 will go towards getting children in the most remote parts of Mongolia connected to the rest of the world and using the Rafi-ki system, their state-of-the-art educational community. Rafi-ki is also used by primary and secondary schools throughout the UK, and in over 80 countries around the world.
How to support us
You can donate money directly to Gemin-i.org at www.justgiving/triumphrally. And don't forget to check out our progress on our team website, www.TriumphRally.org
Many thanks for your support, from the Not Yet a Triumph team: Chris Charlwood, Chris Raynor and Linda Sandvik
#1 Watch "Long Way Round" and try and figure out how you're going to get through Kazakhstan and Western Mongolia.
The great and late douglas adams once was about to climb the mount kilimanjaro dressed asa rhino suit for charity, which prompted him to make a comment that was something around the lines about donors: "yes we agree that your cause is noble and deserves our money but we will not give it to you. But now if you decide to do something very silly and completely pointless and then we weill give you the money"
I hope those adventurers the best. It's a great cause and a great story.
FYI Apparently this car was stolen yesterday.
http://www.triumphrally.org/2008/03/31/our-car-has-been-stolen/
Indeed, our car was stolen in broad daylight on March 30th, while Chris and I were having Sunday dinner at Chris's parents.
I just want to make one thing clear - we are still going on the rally, and we are still raising money for charity!
We are sad that we won't be going in Tallulah (the Triumph Herald), but the cause is greater than the car, and we will be going in a Vauxhall Cavalier instead.