Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Mongolian drivers have one of two reactions when they get bogged. Some will sit on
their haunches, have a smoke and then send word to the nearest town for a tractor to
come and tow the vehicle out. Other drivers will get out a shovel and start digging; you
can help by gathering flat stones to place under the wheels (drivers usually try to jack the
tyres out of the mud).
THE MONGOL RALLY & MONGOLIA CHARITY RALLY
In an age when getting from point A to point B has been simplified to the point of
blandness, the Mongol Rally attempts to put a bit of spark back into the journey to
Mongolia. According to rally rules, the London-to-Mongolia trip must be made in a
vehicle that has an engine capacity of 1L or less. In other words, you have to travel
16,000km (10,000 miles) across some of the world's most hostile terrain in an old
clunker barely capable of making it over the A83 to Campbeltown.
The wacky idea of driving from London to Mongolia in a clapped-out banger was
dreamt up in 2001 by Englishman Thomas Morgan, whose own attempt to accom-
plish the feat failed miserably somewhere east of Tabriz. Morgan had more success
on a second trip in 2004 and the Mongol Rally became an annual event.
The journey begins by selecting a vehicle. Gutless wonders such as old Fiat Pan-
das and Citroëns are suitable (so long as it's a 1.0ish-litre engine). Next, assemble
your team - you can have as many people as you can squeeze into the darn thing.
For the truly insane, there is the option of riding a moped.
Next, pay your dues: it's £630 to enter and then you must raise another £1000,
which will go to a charity in Mongolia or another country en route (the Mongol Rally
has raised more than £2 million in charity money so far). Moped riders pay just
£350. Finally, zoom out of London with 500 other like-minded drivers in July.
The organisers give absolutely no advice on how to actually get to Mongolia; that
you've got to figure out on your own. Teams have travelled as far north as the Arc-
tic Circle and as far south as Afghanistan on their way across the Asian landmass.
This is by no means a race - whether you arrive first or last, your only reward is a
round of free beers at the finish line. Some teams make the trip in around five
weeks, while others have taken as long as three months, stopping off at places en
route.
The rally is organised by the grandly titled
League of Adventurists International
(
www.theadventurists.com
). If you want to sign up, contact the organisers early as
spots can fill up a year in advance.
tp://mongolia.charityrallies.org
), has also formed. The cost to join is £149 and par-
ticipants must raise £1000 for charity.
