Bombings in Russia

In the last two days the news has been awash with troubles in Russia. 2 bombs in Moscow and now 2 in the Dagestan region (Kikzlyar). Nearly a hundred innocent people have been killed. Our thoughts and prayers go out to all the families who have suffered loss. We will need to keep an eye on developments in Russia as this may well affect our route through it this summer. We were never due to go anywhere near the Dagestan region but we had planned to visit Moscow.

Kids help out

The children helped work on the truck today.

We sanded down some of the roof rack, did the tappets and tightened up the cam belt.

Matt and Alan helpd again - both have been a great source of advice and help. Alan started work on the water leak - a pipe located under one of the petrol tanks!

Truck work photos

This is the Morris Minor engine that I sourced some old bolts for my gearbox cover (below). I had to aplogise to the spiders for disturbing them. My first car was a Morris Minor - I bought it for £15 second hand, did it up and drove it for several years. Great car!



This is the cover/plate I made for the gear box. Not bad for an old bit of metal and some cutters!

Fuel pumps

Had another day of fixing things on the truck today. I have been having great problems with one of the fuel pumps - it would only work intermitently, so i took it off today and tested it; it was fine! The I put it back on and it stopped working again (grrr). If I pressed down on one end it would work, but take the pressure off and it would stop. I took it off again and accidentaly, with it on, brushed one of the points against the body of the truck and it worked. IDEA: it was not earthing properly, so i sanded off the paint where the fuel pump bolts on and YAY it is now working (see picture). As you can see from the photo, I am holding the fuel pump, and near where it bolts on you can see where i have sanded it down. Such a little thing has made a bi difference!

I also made a cover (see photo) for the gear box and bolted that on - Because this truck is so old (1969 Forward Control Landrover), I had to search for some bolts to fit (imperial do not fit), and I found them on an old Morris Minor (see photo).

In addition to the above I changed the fuel filters and put in a new choke cable. Not a bad days work!

Seat belts

Just had four seat belts fitted in the rear of the truck.

Auto electricians

What is it about auto electricians?! I have contacted two so far but neither return my calls. I need to get some basic electrics sorted out on the truck (Radio and alarm).

Which Landy will give way?

Spent today with my mate Matt, a Landy lover. Matt helped me fix my 4wd gear linkage. His son parked his mini Landy in front of our Landy truck.

More hosing

Changed the radiator hose yet again! This picture shows how the radiator fan was cutting through the hose. I have now replaced it with a flexible piece of hosing that I have now sent off centre to miss the fan tips by about 3cm.

Perpetual hosing

The raditor hose in the Landy F/C keeps being sliced by the fan! I am going to have to design a new system that lets the hose skirt around the fan. This also means new brackets! Oh for the joys of motoring.

Food Served with Love

Review of a restaurant we will try in Ulan Bator:

“Be Veg! Go Green! Save the Planet!” – The Loving Hut’s mantra.

As I walked down the crowded aisle, past stalls displaying cheap underwear on plastic mannequin torsos, shiny leather jackets and impossibly high-heeled boots, I found myself thinking… “Surely there can’t be an outlet of the fastest growing international vegan fast food chain down here”.

But lo and behold, as I passed the final stall, complete with a seller perched perilously on a small stool, Iphone in one hand and greasy huushuur in the other, tucked away in a true understated vegan-style, was…The Loving Hut.

According to their website, there are four of these vegan cafeteria-style eateries in Ulaanbaatar, but I’ve only visited this one, (secretly tucked away at the back of the second level in Mongol Nekhmel), LLC building, in Khan-Uul district.

Read the rest of the article here: http://ubpost.mongolnews.mn/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4383

Law making in Mongolia

Is this really how laws are passed in Mongolia: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ut5S-Qu3TE0

Tracker

We have been offered a tracker to roadtest. This will be linked to google maps and send daily transmissions to a map on our website showing our current position and the route we have taken to date. I will give you full spec and other details when we have agreed the deal.

Fundraising

Fundraising is difficult! Well we all knew that ... how to move on from that? People are often generous and the most generous thing people have given us is their time. Time giving suggestions, help and ideas, time working on the truck, time promoting and writing about our expedition. We have also had recent generous donations of equipment - details of donor and equipment will follow.

Zud Dzud Disaster

The latest from Mongolia: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/694716.stm shows us that Mongolia is facing a human and ecological disaster. With so many disasters such as Haiti and Chile, disasters like what is happening in Mongolia are being lost.