Blog

Looks like we made it

markchambers99@gmail.com — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 00:24:00 GMT

Yup, thats right, we're in UB, Mongolia. It was touch and go as to weather we'd make it but about 300km out from UB we hit our first bit of tarmac road in days. Strange how just something like that can make three sweaty, smelly men so happy. Having eaten only noodles with the occasional tin of mince we acquired from a team who'd broken down, and not showering for 10 days, we were soooo looking forward to speeding in to the finish line. But Mongolia had one final card hidden inside her vast steppes - the last 100km were unpaved again! By now the cab was really only hanging on by the finest of threads and we took every bump at 10mph. Add to that that we had no brakes, sporadic 1st and 2nd gears (and non existent 3rd or 4th), zero suspension and a funny scrapping noise coming from the front wheel, we were not convinced we'd make it still.

But we did and the celebrations and the relief were shared by one and all. Last night we stayed in a swanky hotel, with plasma, computer, kettle and even condoms in the room. Today the washing will begin.

We dropped off the cab with the rally organisers last night (interesting final drive in the dark with no lights!) but we're heading back today to say our farewells and take some more photos. I'll try and get a whole bunch online in the next day or two.

And so for Ed and Nick, the adventure is nearly over. Flights are booked, the final party is looming and it just remains to book a taxi to the airport! Mark is undergoing a facial hair transformation and then will think about booking a train down to China where he's spending the next month (thanks boss for the time off :-))

We have about a million stories to tell and way too much to write here so you'll just have to invite one or all of team DYDA over for a beer and we'll tell you about the time we broke down in the Gobi desert and a big fat Mongolian started the engine with a screwdriver, or about our one and only passenger, or the Russian policeman who demanded $300 in fines but settles for $8 and a naked lady lighter, or......

More ...

Getting closer

markchambers99@gmail.com — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 03:04:00 GMT

Hello!

Sorry for lack of blog updates but internet is pretty scarce and we're always fighting the clock. Currently we're in Barnaul, our last major city before Ulan Bator so we stayed in a hotel and went out for a bit of a booze session last night. Today, when the other two wake up, we're heading south to the Mongolian border. The business end.

The last 8 or 9 days in Kazakstan have been glorious. The landscape is mostly boring and flat but the people are awesome. Every town we enter we get beeped, waved at, smiles and offers to take us wherever we want to go. One of the best days was just spent in a car mechanics! About 20 of them all crowded round the cab, laughing and giving us food, tea and some weird herb that makes you a bit high.

The car is doing really well despite needing a mechanic to change the rear and front suspension. The roads (or lack of) in Kazak were just too much for a vehicle designed to cruise the streets of London and part of the rear leaf spring fell off. As for other failings, we have:

No temperature gauge
No speedo or milometer
Battery light is always on
Handbrake light is always on
Water drips on the drivers foot if it rains
Top gear has eluded us for about a week
The bonnet is tied down with rope only
One headlight fell out and the other doesnt work
None of the interior lights work
Every bump we hit a strange beep emits from the dash
The radio only started working 2 days ago
The central locking doesn't unlock
The radiator sometimes gets too hot and all the liquid boils off

Other than that, shes running a dream and so far we've had no real engine trouble and haven't used any of our spare tyres. What a beauty.

Didn't bring the camera so no photos yet, but will add loads when we get to Ulan, hopefully next Wed or Thurs. See you then

DYDA

More ...

We're 20% there!

markchambers99@gmail.com — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 12:16:00 GMT

Thursday 24th July

Taxi Media added as late sponsor

markchambers99@gmail.com — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 15:10:00 GMT

2 days to go and the money's still pouring in

Final Countdown

markchambers99@gmail.com — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 08:09:00 GMT

The mustachioed one returns from fondling Frodo

Tapas

markchambers99@gmail.com — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 10:13:00 GMT

A delicious array of tasty bite-sized news pieces

Does you does or does you don't take VISA

markchambers99@gmail.com — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 07:53:00 GMT

Visa musings...because at the moment, we all love visas

The business end……

markchambers99@gmail.com — Thu, 29 May 2008 06:44:00 GMT

A brief update on Team DYDAs progress

May we have your attention?

markchambers99@gmail.com — Wed, 14 May 2008 06:18:00 GMT

Another quick update from DYDA land

Taxi #2

markchambers99@gmail.com — Mon, 05 May 2008 20:27:00 GMT

From the ashes of Taxi #1 rises the Fairway phoenix in the form of Taxi2.