They Made it to Ulaan Bataar
"COME hell or high water" said globe-trotting Oxford father and son back in July, "we are determined to drive 10,000 miles to Mongolia in a clapped-out car bought off eBay".
And on Sunday 17th August at 4am Steve Merrow-Smith and son Will limped into Ulaan Bataar in their Seat Marbella after four broken rear springs leaving their comrades with their broken cars littered across Mongolia, finally meeting up with them all at the finish line outside the Mongolian State Department Store slap in the middle of the city.
They have spent the last few months fixing up their 16-year-old 903cc Seat Marbella ready for the ride of their lives.
The pair left London for Ulaan Bataar in the hope of raising more than £10,000 for the Mercy Corps Mongolia, and The Christina Noble Children's Foundation.
Every year more than 6,000 people apply for 300 starting places in the Mongol Rally and the lucky ones set off in a convoy of jalopies from London's Hyde Park on Saturday, July 19 ready for the big adventure.
The quest could take anything from three weeks to three months to conquer and Will only has a month off work from the Oxford University Press where he works in the subscriptions department.
Steve who works as a gardener handyman as well as struggling to be an artist said "We bought the car off eBay for £150 six months ago and have been testing the car's off road capabilities. It has cart springs at the back which although rugged make for a bouncy ride. It turns out that Lada springs fit too as we managed to snap four, as we were carrying such a large load of 100ltrs of fuel and four spare wheels as well as all the camping gear!"
Will has yet to pass his driving test but now has the necessary skills after his mammoth 30 day 8,000 mile driving lesson.
"Dad used to drive big HGV's on the night shift so when we got behind on our schedule, we'd split the driving and I did the day shift.
"The biggest problem was the state of the roads. Mongolia & Kazakhstan are both the size of Europe but tarmac is a rare sight. It's no surprise that only 60 per cent of cars normally ever finish the rally.
"There's no route, no support crew, no map there were a few scarey moments but it is amazing how people are prepared to lend a hand and save the day."
"We didn't quite make it to the big end-of-rally celebration at Dave's Bar in Ulaan Baatar on Saturday, August 16, but they will did manage to complete their route that included Germany, the Czech Republic, Poland and the Ukraine.
From there they drove through Russia, Kazakhstan, back into Russia and finally Mongolia.
Though they have already raised about £1,500 and every penny donated via their "Just Giving" and "Will we make it?" links on their website go directly to their chosen charities.
Steve and Will Merrow-Smith's Charity Appeal
We have nominated two Mongolian Charities and need to raise a minimum £500 for Mercy Corps so please click the logo. Thank you to all who have given towards our handsome £1195 total for Christina Noble Children's Foundation.
The question is...Will We Make It to Ulaan Bataar in a 1992 Seat Marbella?
Monday, 28 July 2008
Sunday, 27 July 2008
Bella tucking in on the follow-through
Down to second gear hard on the brakes that roof rack holding well ...
Emailed in by our kind German friend Lucas
Sent from my iPhone
Emailed in by our kind German friend Lucas
Sent from my iPhone
Torrential Potential
believe now as we are roasting in Astrokan East of Volga so therefore
Asia
Wednesday, 23 July 2008
We're thro!
At 13:43 on 23-07-2008 Steve said...
Two hours at the border and we are immediately on horse-and-cart territory fighting for survival amidst all on these horrendous roads. Lviv has bad traffic and worse weather and made Bella's bash platering on the tramlines. Saw Team Top Gun's car parked up but after 15 mins we assumed they'd gone off to lunch. Now out of the city at good speed on fine roads and the weather is brightening. Love to all.
Two hours at the border and we are immediately on horse-and-cart territory fighting for survival amidst all on these horrendous roads. Lviv has bad traffic and worse weather and made Bella's bash platering on the tramlines. Saw Team Top Gun's car parked up but after 15 mins we assumed they'd gone off to lunch. Now out of the city at good speed on fine roads and the weather is brightening. Love to all.
BORDER
At 11:42 on 23-07-2008 Steve said...
Dried out socks and shoes in car as had it running while packed up car to give a sense of urgency to proceedings. I was up at first light and packed up bed roll first so not tempted to climb back in. Had Bowie while coffee was brewing and then made fried bread and ham which was heartening as it was still tipping down.
At border now in 2nd queue having been waved through and a dumpy looking girl in army drabs and a peaked cap added our passports and Bellas V5 tothe ten or so she already had in her hand. That was 5 mins ago after an hours wait on the other side of the barrier.
There are some comical sights and some a bit sad. There is more than one Ukranian heap decked out with double glazed units and even patio doors. That mini with the telephone box on the roof would not be out place here. I'm looking at a Lada Fiat with gas cooker and fridge freezer on the roof and they are swapping bundles of God knows what from car to car! The sad bit is to see females waving anybody down hoping for a lift. In the mirror I can see them forlornly braving the weather queuing it seems on a airport runway. They would not be out of place selling heather in Aldershot High St. Will thinks he saw Ossie Ardiles in black adidas gear but he doesn't seem to be talking about football.
Oops moving forward.....
Nipped out to relieve myself during a lull and mid stream heard engines and horns! Rushed out to see Will at the wheel waving for me to get in. LOL.
Now in another queue with forms to fill in so don't believe some of the other teams when they said they were through in 45 mins!
Dried out socks and shoes in car as had it running while packed up car to give a sense of urgency to proceedings. I was up at first light and packed up bed roll first so not tempted to climb back in. Had Bowie while coffee was brewing and then made fried bread and ham which was heartening as it was still tipping down.
At border now in 2nd queue having been waved through and a dumpy looking girl in army drabs and a peaked cap added our passports and Bellas V5 tothe ten or so she already had in her hand. That was 5 mins ago after an hours wait on the other side of the barrier.
There are some comical sights and some a bit sad. There is more than one Ukranian heap decked out with double glazed units and even patio doors. That mini with the telephone box on the roof would not be out place here. I'm looking at a Lada Fiat with gas cooker and fridge freezer on the roof and they are swapping bundles of God knows what from car to car! The sad bit is to see females waving anybody down hoping for a lift. In the mirror I can see them forlornly braving the weather queuing it seems on a airport runway. They would not be out of place selling heather in Aldershot High St. Will thinks he saw Ossie Ardiles in black adidas gear but he doesn't seem to be talking about football.
Oops moving forward.....
Nipped out to relieve myself during a lull and mid stream heard engines and horns! Rushed out to see Will at the wheel waving for me to get in. LOL.
Now in another queue with forms to fill in so don't believe some of the other teams when they said they were through in 45 mins!
WET, WET, WET!!!
We are in Lidl in Przemysl with money to spend so have bought potatoes, bread, prunes to munch and eggs for later. Still have half of the £8 left so sent Will back for ham and cheese for if we are stuck at the border. Very pleased with last night but may have made light of how wet we got. Ground was soggy so we found some rocks to put under wheels and cooked and setup camp in constant rain! It kept up all night and has only eased slightly but it's a very attractive spot and we are happy! Will is back with goodies so we're off!
Tuesday, 22 July 2008
CAMPING
At 22:57 on 22-07-2008 Steve said...
After a long search found campsite 150m from a beautiful river where we cooked chicken and taters in a tomato sauce. Only troubles, a drop of rain!!! Off to border tomorrow.
After a long search found campsite 150m from a beautiful river where we cooked chicken and taters in a tomato sauce. Only troubles, a drop of rain!!! Off to border tomorrow.
RSZ..........something
At 17:39 on 22-07-2008 Steve said...
We've battled our way to a town about an hour from the border beginning with Rsz... Awful single carriageway truck route. So we've parked up to shop and have stumbled upon a folk festival in the town square. Of course this requires a beer to get in the mood. It is all polkas and waltzes so you should see Will's face!!! Now the town clock has joined in. Nearby are forests and a river so we'll have our beer and get something to cook and head off to find a campsite. Polish for campsite is Kamping so we should have no trouble.
We've battled our way to a town about an hour from the border beginning with Rsz... Awful single carriageway truck route. So we've parked up to shop and have stumbled upon a folk festival in the town square. Of course this requires a beer to get in the mood. It is all polkas and waltzes so you should see Will's face!!! Now the town clock has joined in. Nearby are forests and a river so we'll have our beer and get something to cook and head off to find a campsite. Polish for campsite is Kamping so we should have no trouble.
ON OUR WAY AGAIN
At 13:14 on 22-07-2008 Steve said...
On the road early and heading for Krakow. Will behind the wheel and doing great. Stopped for a coffee and had cheeseburger instead! 2 for a fiver with a bottle of coke - not bad! Looked at the map and progress today means we are over half way to Ukrainian border so we're very pleased as visa starts tomorrow. Love to all.
On the road early and heading for Krakow. Will behind the wheel and doing great. Stopped for a coffee and had cheeseburger instead! 2 for a fiver with a bottle of coke - not bad! Looked at the map and progress today means we are over half way to Ukrainian border so we're very pleased as visa starts tomorrow. Love to all.
Monday, 21 July 2008
The boys have phoned home!
At 20:09 on 21-07-2008 Steve said...
First off a big thank you to the guy the boys met in the queue for the Eurotunnel who came up to them and donated 20 euros. Cheers! The second kind stranger was a random Brit driving though Prague who pulled alongside Bella and he gave 150 krone!! Thanks you guys wherever you are now...What stars.
The boys are about 10 miles from the Polish border, so tomorrow Poland! Will says he is getting the hang of mapreading with their newly bought map of europe which they can use all the way up to Russia. There is a beautiful view of the lake with the familar thud of eurobeat coming from the site disco (Backstreet Boys Will thinks...).
First off a big thank you to the guy the boys met in the queue for the Eurotunnel who came up to them and donated 20 euros. Cheers! The second kind stranger was a random Brit driving though Prague who pulled alongside Bella and he gave 150 krone!! Thanks you guys wherever you are now...What stars.
The boys are about 10 miles from the Polish border, so tomorrow Poland! Will says he is getting the hang of mapreading with their newly bought map of europe which they can use all the way up to Russia. There is a beautiful view of the lake with the familar thud of eurobeat coming from the site disco (Backstreet Boys Will thinks...).
CESKA SKALICE
At 17:18 on 21-07-2008 Steve said...
We are at a holiday camp site at Ceska Skalice near Hradec Kralove right on a lovely looking lake. The scenery in Czech is stunning. We are up for a decent shower and wash some clothes!! Nice to set up camp while we can still see. We have run out of Krone but visited the supermarket today so will be making do with our ham and bread! Looks as though we maybe able to light a fire so will be real boy scouts! Will's driving is coming on leaps and bounds and he will be driving us to Krakow tomorrow. It's all an amazing experience.
We are at a holiday camp site at Ceska Skalice near Hradec Kralove right on a lovely looking lake. The scenery in Czech is stunning. We are up for a decent shower and wash some clothes!! Nice to set up camp while we can still see. We have run out of Krone but visited the supermarket today so will be making do with our ham and bread! Looks as though we maybe able to light a fire so will be real boy scouts! Will's driving is coming on leaps and bounds and he will be driving us to Krakow tomorrow. It's all an amazing experience.
Sunday, 20 July 2008
Nurburgring
At 14:31 on 20-07-2008 Steve said...
Four cars now on motorway at Frankfurt, having a coffee. Went round Nurburgring, was awesome - mainly porsches and bikes but two e30's like mine, one a touring.....unmissable but Gobi ambulance cooked it's brakes!!!! Will was on camerman duty but is doing really well with his driving on the autobahn. Heading for Czech border for party tonight.
Four cars now on motorway at Frankfurt, having a coffee. Went round Nurburgring, was awesome - mainly porsches and bikes but two e30's like mine, one a touring.....unmissable but Gobi ambulance cooked it's brakes!!!! Will was on camerman duty but is doing really well with his driving on the autobahn. Heading for Czech border for party tonight.
Saturday, 19 July 2008
Euro tunnel
Fantastic send off everyone thank you all for coming along .. Gemma
and Clive Pete and Fay Charlie and Jon Mandy and John Andrew and Sue
Ruby and Millie.. We"re on the train an hour early in possession of
International Driving Permit. See ya later yeah?
and Clive Pete and Fay Charlie and Jon Mandy and John Andrew and Sue
Ruby and Millie.. We"re on the train an hour early in possession of
International Driving Permit. See ya later yeah?
Sent from my iPhone
Wednesday, 16 July 2008
First Aid
Our good friend Sheila has assembled a superb comprehensive First Aid kit including all sorts of dressings.
Hopefully we won't need any of it but we are very grateful for the thought and effort that went into it. We have top notch pals here at Les Mongauloises, thanks very much Sheila.
Hopefully we won't need any of it but we are very grateful for the thought and effort that went into it. We have top notch pals here at Les Mongauloises, thanks very much Sheila.
Tuesday, 15 July 2008
Car Booty
Car Booty
Originally uploaded by les_mongauloises
A Massive Great Mongolian Thank You to all our friends and relations who have helped with our Car-Boot efforts.
Thanks to you all, we have raised over £235 towards our costs, and we would like to thank the Hayes family, the Holts especially Clive, and of course the Merrows for donating items for sale including golf equipment, photographic equipment and all sorts of bric-a-brac, LPs books and clothes. It has been a bit of a struggle to raise ourselves so early on the last few Saturday and Sunday mornings to beat the inevitable rush of early buyers and dealers but has all been worth it.
Thanks too to Gemma for instigating a very useful book reselling and mobile phone recycling program and for keeping up to date the Facebook profile and for being an inspiration.
We'll bring you all back some genuine Mongolia Camel poo cheese! How's that for an offer?
More Sponsors
Steve and Will are very grateful to John, Chris and Charlie at CMAS and our good friend Jon for their generous donations to our cause. Thankyou guys. We won't let you down!
Thursday, 10 July 2008
The Mongol Rally 2008 Brave Teams :: The Launch Approaches
Hello Teams,
I hope this finds you all well and in the mood for some serious adventure. Anyway here are some handy details about the London Launch for you. Things like how to get in and when to arrive. All terribly useful.
ENTERING THE PARK
You must enter Hyde Park via Victoria Gate (that's off Bayswater Road that runs along the north of the Park). The launch site will be along North Carriage Drive within Hyde Park. Cumberland Gate will be closed to all incoming vehicles.
Only team vehicles registered on the Mongol Rally website will be able to enter the park, there is NO access or parking for any other cars.
Once you get into the Park you will be furnished with T-shirts and stickers and information about your route and how to get to the Czechout party.
WHEN STUFF IS HAPPENING
09:00 – 10:30 The Park is open for you guys to arrive, please arrive before 10:30
09:00 – 11:30 Registration in the admin tent for stickers, t-shirts, Czechout tickets etc
11.30 Admin tent will close, if you miss it you will have to wait until it re-opens after the departure
10.30 – 11.30 Entertainment and prize giving for such wonders as best pimp and least likely to make it.
11:30 Last minute announcements such as don't go you will all die
12:00 – 12.30 The rally begins and you set forth on the trail to Mongolia
01:00 – 01:30 Admin tent re-opens for teams who missed it in the morning
FRIDAY NIGHT
If you want to hook up for some beers the night before we will be meeting for some informal beers in café 1001. It's in the usual place on Brick lane. It will be a low key affaire as previous years have told us that you lot are usually desperately stuffing sleeping bags into your cars. However no doubt there will be a few wise folk who drink on into the night and turn up to the park hanging.
That be all you need to know so we shall see you soon to kick off all this ridiculousness.
TAKING YOUR CAR HOME FROM MONGOLIA?
This is your very last chance saloon to tell us if you want to bring your car back out of Mongolia. This is not a decision you can make on the way neither can you change your mind once you get to Mongolia. We need to know 107% either way by FRIDAY NIGHT at 6pm. Think hard about this if you do plan on driving home because if you were get to Mongolia and find your car is really struggling and have said you will drive it back, you still have to. Lest ye be slapped with a massive import fine by the Mongolian Authorities.
Formalities aside, it is going to be an absolutely awesome summer of wild adventure and I look forward to raising several glasses of Absinth with you all in the Czech republic.
Cheers,
Tom
Tuesday, 8 July 2008
Testing Bella Rojo
We have booked our first night camping at Köln(Cologne), which is by pure chance a mere 43 miles from the Nürburgring Circuit. I think we will have to take Bella Rojo around the circuit that Jackie Stewart dubbed the Green Hell!
Sunday, 6 July 2008
Fwd: riots in UB, update
We've heard from the Mongolian Consul General. Here's his take on the political situation just now.
There was allegedly a bit of jiggery pockery at the election. There's no voters role, so the voting forms are distributed manually. It is alleged that voting forms may have 'run out' when it came to giving them to opposition supporters. The election results were disputed and protesters raided the offices of the ruling party. There was a duty free shop in the same building which got looted as well. The drink intensified the situation and water canon were deployed. Drink was given to the water canon forces and it was all a bit messy. Westerners were never at risk.
As this weekend is the Nadaam Festival, which is as big as Christmas is here, there is no more trouble.
Extra top tip - when driving on rough roads remember to keep your thumbs on the outside of the steering wheel.
We hope you liked the tips. Unfortunately we could only tell the teams who are supporting Christina Noble.It would be really great if you could mention our top tips listing on ebay in the team forums and chat rooms on the mongol rally site. The charity needs every fiver it can get.
Have a great time
eleanor
There was allegedly a bit of jiggery pockery at the election. There's no voters role, so the voting forms are distributed manually. It is alleged that voting forms may have 'run out' when it came to giving them to opposition supporters. The election results were disputed and protesters raided the offices of the ruling party. There was a duty free shop in the same building which got looted as well. The drink intensified the situation and water canon were deployed. Drink was given to the water canon forces and it was all a bit messy. Westerners were never at risk.
As this weekend is the Nadaam Festival, which is as big as Christmas is here, there is no more trouble.
Extra top tip - when driving on rough roads remember to keep your thumbs on the outside of the steering wheel.
We hope you liked the tips. Unfortunately we could only tell the teams who are supporting Christina Noble.It would be really great if you could mention our top tips listing on ebay in the team forums and chat rooms on the mongol rally site. The charity needs every fiver it can get.
Have a great time
eleanor
Friday, 4 July 2008
RSS feeds
Sign up for RSS feeds ie news of postings from the Mongol Rally and
newly uploaded photos at
http://feeds.feedburner.com/LesMongauloises
newly uploaded photos at
http://feeds.feedburner.com/LesMongauloises
Sent from my iPhone
Thursday, 3 July 2008
BBC E-mail: Streets calm in riot-hit Mongolia
Steve Merrow-Smith saw this story on the BBC News website and thought you
should see it.
should see it.
** Message **
it's calmer now
** Streets calm in riot-hit Mongolia **
Quiet returns to the streets of the Mongolian capital, Ulan Bator, two days after rioting that left five people dead.
< http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/em/fr/-/2/hi/asia-pacific/7486794.stm >
** BBC Daily E-mail **
Choose the news and sport headlines you want - when you want them, all
in one daily e-mail
< http://www.bbc.co.uk/email >
** Disclaimer **
The BBC is not responsible for the content of this e-mail, and anything written in this e-mail does not necessarily reflect the BBC's views or opinions. Please note that neither the e-mail address nor name of the sender have been verified.
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