Hello everyone,
We've arrived in Ulaan Baatar! A week of wandering in the wilderness through Mongolia has finally brought us to our destination, in fine health (and with a fully intact Catmobile, too).
Mongolia is a truly stunning country, with some of the most awful roads ever created by people. Unsurprisingly we got lost more than once, including a four-hour jaunt up a mountain through a field of rocks to a sand trap, where we got stuck and eventually had to turn around. Needless to say tempers were a little frayed, but we got through it (with some help from The Gobi Express, a team of two lovely Danes).
We had to be towed across one river, and forded several more without help (sometimes twice when we went the wrong way), got stuck in sand and mud, and ate cheese that came from an old man's sleeve.
The Catmobile is covered in a thick layer of dust inside and out, and I'm sure I'll never be completely clean again, but the feeling of satisfaction is palpable. We handed it over to The Adventurists this morning and there was already a swarm of locals looking it over, wanting to buy it. Understandable, really - it is a very desirable car, and we'll miss it.
We'll be back in England when we can, but for now, to all our loved ones: we love you; to all our friends: we miss you; and to everyone else: hi.
Dave
Being the progress, or lack thereof, of two men in a little car headed into the wilderness...
Monday 22 August 2011
Tuesday 9 August 2011
We have reached Astana!
Hello all,
Long time no report, but there ain't many internet cafes on the road. We've stopped for a day in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan. It's a shiny new city with a skyline straight out of the game Mirror's Edge (in fact I think I recognise some of the buildings).
The Kazakhstani people have been the most friendly, open and helpful people we've met, often going miles out of their way to help the silly lost tourists. People keep coming up to the car whenever we stop and asking questions (usually in Kazakh, but we've developed a pretty good combination of sign language and pen-and-paper communication).
Russia was beautiful and Moscow was huge and impressive (and full of stunning women) but we felt a slightly oppressive air while we were there - like we had to be constantly on our guard. Not so Kazakhstan, where even when the locals were puzzled by two crazy Englishmen setting up tents by the side of the track leading to their village, they still offered to take us home and cook for us.
Kazakhstan is almost entirely made up of huge and flat open grassland. This would make for a very boring drive if they didn't liberally pepper even their major roads with huge potholes. Although the scenery quickly gets boring, the sky never does - massive blue skies with layered cloud formations, dramatic sunsets and billions of stars at night.
We're about two or three days from the border now - then back into Russia for a day or two before we take on the trickiest leg of the journey - the deserts and mountains of Mongolia. There may not be another update before Ulaanbaatar as there's few major cities on our route, but we'll try to post something when we can.
Wish us luck
Gary and Dave
Long time no report, but there ain't many internet cafes on the road. We've stopped for a day in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan. It's a shiny new city with a skyline straight out of the game Mirror's Edge (in fact I think I recognise some of the buildings).
The Kazakhstani people have been the most friendly, open and helpful people we've met, often going miles out of their way to help the silly lost tourists. People keep coming up to the car whenever we stop and asking questions (usually in Kazakh, but we've developed a pretty good combination of sign language and pen-and-paper communication).
Russia was beautiful and Moscow was huge and impressive (and full of stunning women) but we felt a slightly oppressive air while we were there - like we had to be constantly on our guard. Not so Kazakhstan, where even when the locals were puzzled by two crazy Englishmen setting up tents by the side of the track leading to their village, they still offered to take us home and cook for us.
Kazakhstan is almost entirely made up of huge and flat open grassland. This would make for a very boring drive if they didn't liberally pepper even their major roads with huge potholes. Although the scenery quickly gets boring, the sky never does - massive blue skies with layered cloud formations, dramatic sunsets and billions of stars at night.
We're about two or three days from the border now - then back into Russia for a day or two before we take on the trickiest leg of the journey - the deserts and mountains of Mongolia. There may not be another update before Ulaanbaatar as there's few major cities on our route, but we'll try to post something when we can.
Wish us luck
Gary and Dave
Thursday 28 July 2011
Goodwood to Poland
Hello everyone, Gary here. As we're staying in Warsaw tonight I thought I'd take the opportunity to post some of our pics so far...
Boarding the ferry with fellow Rallyers
Bye-bye Blighty
Luxembourg, like a normal city but with a great big chasm in the middle.
Random German Schloss
Leaving Germany - we got ourselves a convoy.
Over the border into the Czech Republic
Dave cruises into Klenova, leading the convoy home
The Czechout party campsite
Waking up hungover, but my gosh that view...
A ruined manor on the Czech/Polish border.
Right, more photo updates from Moscow in a few days (hopefully).
Gary.
Right, more photo updates from Moscow in a few days (hopefully).
Gary.
Wednesday 27 July 2011
Warsaw
Hello everyone!
We've stopped in Warsaw for the night with a friendly guide (Rich, our 'fixer'). Our route has been further modified after his advice - Belarus is now off the cards. We intend to head North through Lithuania and Latvia to avoid Belarus, as apparently they don't like foreign types and will require us to have one of those 'visa' things. Which, of course, we don't have.
Tomorrow we depart for Lithuania, not Belarus. Hopefully they'll like us.
Dave and Gary
Tuesday 26 July 2011
An Update from Poland
With the hangover from the Czech-Out Party fading, we've made it into Poland (not on our original route). We've found a small campsite just across the border from the Czech Republic and will set off for Belarus tomorrow.
The Catmobile is performing well so far - we've had no breakdowns or other troubles - hopefully that'll last!
We got a little lost around Prague today but we're back on track and our sights are set on Moscow, although that's still a few days away.
We stayed in Lille on the first night, camped by a river in Germany on the second and led a convoy into Klenova on the third, including a Robin Reliant and a mobile conservatory!
We'd like to take a moment and thank everyone that's helped us get this far - sponsors both corporate and individual, families and all our loved ones. We hope to post photos soon - keep an eye on this page for those, though text message updates will still come through on the page linked in our previous post.
Next stop, Belarus!
Dave and Gary
The Catmobile is performing well so far - we've had no breakdowns or other troubles - hopefully that'll last!
We got a little lost around Prague today but we're back on track and our sights are set on Moscow, although that's still a few days away.
We stayed in Lille on the first night, camped by a river in Germany on the second and led a convoy into Klenova on the third, including a Robin Reliant and a mobile conservatory!
We'd like to take a moment and thank everyone that's helped us get this far - sponsors both corporate and individual, families and all our loved ones. We hope to post photos soon - keep an eye on this page for those, though text message updates will still come through on the page linked in our previous post.
Next stop, Belarus!
Dave and Gary
Friday 22 July 2011
Updates on the road...
We'll be updating this blog with stories and pictures as often as we can while we're away, but to check out up-to-the-minute txts of adventures, calamities and desperate cries for help, check out:
http://mongolrally11.theadventurists.com/herding-cats
Wish us luck!
Gary and Dave.
http://mongolrally11.theadventurists.com/herding-cats
Wish us luck!
Gary and Dave.
Thursday 21 July 2011
Monday 11 July 2011
The Catmobile nears readiness...
This weekend marked the last face-to-face meeting of team Herding Cats until two days before we leave so much had to be accomplished.
Despite not being able to source an extra spare wheel (165/60 R14 in case anyone has one lying about in their garage) we got everything else done, including decorating the Catmobile:
The sponsor stickers - the official rally stickers should arrive this week.
The Catmobile logo - an important design feature for the trusty steed of any superhero team.
...and on the back, a tribute to the generous denizens of b3ta.com, who got us to our charity sponsorship target.
We also bought all the spares and tools we'll need to keep the Catmobile running on road, track, desert and mountain.
The equipment we'll be taking - three jacks, a lot of oil and innumerable tools.
Dave manfully wrestles with recalcitrant sparkplugs.
And then, of course, we posed for our admiring fans, and a quick word from our sponsors:
Home Leisure Direct - we're the UK's No.1 Gamesroom Specialist
Cinesite - we take filmmakers' ideas and turn them into spectacular cinematic reality.
Team Herding Cats - we probably won't die.
Despite not being able to source an extra spare wheel (165/60 R14 in case anyone has one lying about in their garage) we got everything else done, including decorating the Catmobile:
The sponsor stickers - the official rally stickers should arrive this week.
The Catmobile logo - an important design feature for the trusty steed of any superhero team.
...and on the back, a tribute to the generous denizens of b3ta.com, who got us to our charity sponsorship target.
We also bought all the spares and tools we'll need to keep the Catmobile running on road, track, desert and mountain.
The equipment we'll be taking - three jacks, a lot of oil and innumerable tools.
Dave manfully wrestles with recalcitrant sparkplugs.
And then, of course, we posed for our admiring fans, and a quick word from our sponsors:
Home Leisure Direct - we're the UK's No.1 Gamesroom Specialist
Cinesite - we take filmmakers' ideas and turn them into spectacular cinematic reality.
Team Herding Cats - we probably won't die.
Thursday 7 July 2011
Two weeks to go!
Only two weeks to the start of the Mongol Rally and the list of supplies still needed is still huge!
The only major hurdle is car insurance but beyond that we need car tools, spares, camping gear, food... the list is endless.
This weekend we're meeting up to buy all the tools and spares we'll need for the car and try out changing tyres, air filters etc so that we won't have to face them for the first time on the road.
We'll also be applying the stickers, which arrived this week - so there'll be a new bunch of photos up next week of the fully kitted out Catmobile. For a sneak preview, check out the new site logo!
The only major hurdle is car insurance but beyond that we need car tools, spares, camping gear, food... the list is endless.
This weekend we're meeting up to buy all the tools and spares we'll need for the car and try out changing tyres, air filters etc so that we won't have to face them for the first time on the road.
We'll also be applying the stickers, which arrived this week - so there'll be a new bunch of photos up next week of the fully kitted out Catmobile. For a sneak preview, check out the new site logo!
Sunday 19 June 2011
New Donation Button
We now have a donation button on the right ------------------------------------------------>
Donations made from this button go direct to Gary and Dave rather than to the charity we are supporting. Now that we've hit our £1000 target for the Christina Noble Childrens Foundation our priority is to raise money to help cover the cost of the Catmobile - which will be auctioned off for charity in Mongolia.
This doesn't mean that we no longer need sponsorship! Quite the opposite - every penny you donate now will help us increase our chances of reaching Mongolia alive, which is a pretty good cause I think you'll agree.
So click the button on the right or the one below, right now, dammit:
Donations made from this button go direct to Gary and Dave rather than to the charity we are supporting. Now that we've hit our £1000 target for the Christina Noble Childrens Foundation our priority is to raise money to help cover the cost of the Catmobile - which will be auctioned off for charity in Mongolia.
This doesn't mean that we no longer need sponsorship! Quite the opposite - every penny you donate now will help us increase our chances of reaching Mongolia alive, which is a pretty good cause I think you'll agree.
So click the button on the right or the one below, right now, dammit:
Tuesday 14 June 2011
We've hit our target!
Long time since our last update, so let's distill the huge amount of things that's been going on to two basic things:
1. We got a car! Kind of a biggie this one, we are now the proud, if temporary, owners of a 2002 Nissan Micra hereby rechristened the 'Catmobile'. Have a look at some lovely photos:
Isn't she a peach? Now to cover her in stickers, especially as we now have multiple sponsors...
2. We've gone over £1000 sponsorship, which means we've hit our target! Huge thanks to Home Leisure Direct, Cinesite, all the people at b3ta.com, and of course our friends and family. This doesn't mean we want you to not sponsor us if you haven't already - just contact us directly as further sponsorship will go towards trip costs such as the purchase cost of the Catmobile (Which will be auctioned off for charity in Mongolia - so your money will be going indirectly to charity anyway...)
Thanks again everyone, now comes the final preparations to make sure everything is ready for setting off in 39 days.
Gulp.
1. We got a car! Kind of a biggie this one, we are now the proud, if temporary, owners of a 2002 Nissan Micra hereby rechristened the 'Catmobile'. Have a look at some lovely photos:
2. We've gone over £1000 sponsorship, which means we've hit our target! Huge thanks to Home Leisure Direct, Cinesite, all the people at b3ta.com, and of course our friends and family. This doesn't mean we want you to not sponsor us if you haven't already - just contact us directly as further sponsorship will go towards trip costs such as the purchase cost of the Catmobile (Which will be auctioned off for charity in Mongolia - so your money will be going indirectly to charity anyway...)
Thanks again everyone, now comes the final preparations to make sure everything is ready for setting off in 39 days.
Gulp.
Monday 9 May 2011
Team Herding Cats is here
Welcome to the official blog of Team 'Herding Cats' - the two-man Mongol Rally team that will set new records for incompetence, ham-fistedness and cluelessness.
But wait, I hear you asking, what's this all about?
Well, in essence, Gary and Dave - Team Herding Cats, will be driving from the UK to Mongolia at the end of July in a car of 1.2 litres engine size or less, raising money for charity and hopefully having adventures along the way.
The rally is organised by these people: http://mongolrally.theadventurists.com/
The charity is these people: http://www.cncf.org/en/home/index.php
And you can sponsor us here: http://www.justgiving.com/HerdingCats
This blog will (hopefully) contain regular updates of our progress across Europe and Asia as we head from England to Czechoslovakia, through eastern Europe to Russia (with a detour to Moscow) and then right across Kazakhstan, cutting back into Russia to cross the border into Mongolia and up to Ulan Bator where the finish line is.
But wait, I hear you asking, what's this all about?
Well, in essence, Gary and Dave - Team Herding Cats, will be driving from the UK to Mongolia at the end of July in a car of 1.2 litres engine size or less, raising money for charity and hopefully having adventures along the way.
The rally is organised by these people: http://mongolrally.theadventurists.com/
The charity is these people: http://www.cncf.org/en/home/index.php
And you can sponsor us here: http://www.justgiving.com/HerdingCats
This blog will (hopefully) contain regular updates of our progress across Europe and Asia as we head from England to Czechoslovakia, through eastern Europe to Russia (with a detour to Moscow) and then right across Kazakhstan, cutting back into Russia to cross the border into Mongolia and up to Ulan Bator where the finish line is.
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