Mongolians are currently suffering a national disaster. Millions of livestock have died in the freezing weather, in what is known as a Zud. Once the thaw starts in the spring it will leave dead animal carcasses littering the country. This has the potential to spread disease, it also means that poverty is going to increase all over the country. More info can be found here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/feb/25/united-nations-mongolia-dead-livestock-clearance
We will be carefully monitoring the situation in Mongolia and how it might affect our expedition. We are also looking at ways we can help.
Sunday, 28 February 2010
Saturday, 27 February 2010
Injections
I was flabergasted when given a bill from the doctor for over £1200 for our injections - thats over £300 each person!
Tuesday, 23 February 2010
Preparation
We just finished participating in a 2-day first aid course with St Johns Ambulance team. Excellent. Learnt loads. Am now a qualified first aider - that is a scary thought with lots of responsibility.
I have to ask the question why is the new emergency number not advertised? To ring your local police/fire or ambulance the number is no: 112. 999 still works but it is not as efficient and it does not work all over Europe like 112.
I have to ask the question why is the new emergency number not advertised? To ring your local police/fire or ambulance the number is no: 112. 999 still works but it is not as efficient and it does not work all over Europe like 112.
Monday, 22 February 2010
Google Maps
I am sure there must be an easy way to integrate google maps into this blog. If anyone knows please tell me :-)
Friday, 19 February 2010
Drive For Peace website
The new Drive For Peace website (www.driveforpeace.com) is now up and running.
Touring Truck
Clunk clunk ... overheating ... I have now changed a hose from the radiator three times. Reason: the fan was catching it and sliced it open! Dripping water everywhere! I am now going to design a special shaped hose so that it misses the fan! Hey ho the joys of motoring. Will upload pictures soon.
Opening up the blog
Even though there will not be much going on in this blog until the expedition starts in July, we have decided to make the blog public. This will give us a chance to further test it and finding ways of using it as an interactive medium.
There is some fresh news; we have already made contact with schools and arts organisations in Russia and Mongolia.
Who is going to contribute to this blog? The answer is the four people who are travelling (Andy and Cath, the adults, and Kaia and Mir, the children). So people reading this will get four different perspectives. General news will not be authored, but comment and opinion will be. To reiterate the above we don't believe its going to get interesting until the expedition actually starts and everybody starts contributing to it. Once we get some followers of this blog we will open up the possibility to comment and engage in dialogue with us.
Andy and Cath are just about to undertake some first aid training and the children have been booked in to have some filmmaking training, in addition to having some creative workshop training. The children will be filming and documenting this expedition from their perspective. On our return to the UK we will be producing a film documentary of the trip.
There is some fresh news; we have already made contact with schools and arts organisations in Russia and Mongolia.
Who is going to contribute to this blog? The answer is the four people who are travelling (Andy and Cath, the adults, and Kaia and Mir, the children). So people reading this will get four different perspectives. General news will not be authored, but comment and opinion will be. To reiterate the above we don't believe its going to get interesting until the expedition actually starts and everybody starts contributing to it. Once we get some followers of this blog we will open up the possibility to comment and engage in dialogue with us.
Andy and Cath are just about to undertake some first aid training and the children have been booked in to have some filmmaking training, in addition to having some creative workshop training. The children will be filming and documenting this expedition from their perspective. On our return to the UK we will be producing a film documentary of the trip.
Sunday, 14 February 2010
Touring Truck
Finally got some photos of the truck. We did our first mini-tour to the coast and tested it out on the sand - all okay. It's great seeing all the smiles from people as we pass them.
Saturday, 13 February 2010
Touring Truck
Truck continues to bring up problems. It seems every time I fix one thing another thing crops up. We have 2 wooden roof racks made from African cherry hardwood. I have taken them both of the truck as they were covered in mold and am now sanding them down - slow process! After sanding I am putting on a layer of linseed oil. Before putting back on to the truck I will put on a second coat of linseed oil. Had a visit from Landrover magazine today who want to run an article about the truck and our trip! The reporter said he loved it! If and when it comes out I will post details on this blog. Cath has chosen a colour for all the interior cushions - a dark red. I have booked a date soon to teach the kids how to use the cameras so they can film the trip. As well as making a documentary about the trip, we will do something about travelling with children, and travelling from the kids point of view. We are currently making contact with schools, youth and community groups in both Russia and Mongolia so that we can support them and run some creative workshops with them.
Thursday, 11 February 2010
Touring Truck
Took our 1969 F/C Landy on its longest trip so far. 60 mile round trip without any problems.
Tuesday, 9 February 2010
Painting Truck
This is a test update via e-mail. We will be posting pictures of the
touring truck paintwork soon.
touring truck paintwork soon.
Sunday, 7 February 2010
Saturday, 6 February 2010
Outbound route
We have decided on an outbound route of: England, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Russia and Mongolia. We are leaving the return leg flexible for now.
Planning
Five months to go and the planning is all on schedule.
We have permission from the children's schools for the time off. Not only that we are going to help with linking one or two Mongolian and Somerset schools. We have started our jabs, and have decided on additional rabies and tick born encephalitis jabs. At £50 a hit its expensive. We are paying out £800 + on vaccinations - why is it so expensive? We have had the Landy truck painted and will post pictures soon. Will also write an outline of the whole expedition soon.
The Landy truck is a 1969 Foward Control 110 Series Landrover. We have kitted it out with the essentials for two kids and two adults to live in it for three and a half months while driving to Mongolia. Work still to be done on the truck includes: repairing the radiator hose, the rear air locker (that means going into the axel), one of the water pipes (but not a simple job as its under one of the petrol tanks - we have three petrol tanks by the way, and when full means we could drive for 1400 miles without having to refill). Also need to repair the push-up roof and put the wooden roof racks back on. We have been trying to think of a name for the truck but cannot agree on one yet. The suggestions so far have been Lulu and Roxy.
We have permission from the children's schools for the time off. Not only that we are going to help with linking one or two Mongolian and Somerset schools. We have started our jabs, and have decided on additional rabies and tick born encephalitis jabs. At £50 a hit its expensive. We are paying out £800 + on vaccinations - why is it so expensive? We have had the Landy truck painted and will post pictures soon. Will also write an outline of the whole expedition soon.
The Landy truck is a 1969 Foward Control 110 Series Landrover. We have kitted it out with the essentials for two kids and two adults to live in it for three and a half months while driving to Mongolia. Work still to be done on the truck includes: repairing the radiator hose, the rear air locker (that means going into the axel), one of the water pipes (but not a simple job as its under one of the petrol tanks - we have three petrol tanks by the way, and when full means we could drive for 1400 miles without having to refill). Also need to repair the push-up roof and put the wooden roof racks back on. We have been trying to think of a name for the truck but cannot agree on one yet. The suggestions so far have been Lulu and Roxy.
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