Hit The Road Yak
Imagine you're lost in a vast reaching desert, hundreds of miles from civilisation, driving a grey van called Doris. A wheel has fallen off, the exhaust pipe is coughing up more smoke than Winston Churchill and a search for tools has led to a half eaten cheese sandwich and an apple core.
This is what Matt Roberts, 22 and George Bethell, 23 are preparing for as they get set to embark in the challenge of a lifetime: Mongol Rally 2011.
Adventurists Matt and George aim to travel a third of the Earth’s surface - unprepared, ill-advised and with no added satellite navigation system - in the hope of raising £10,000 for charity.
It’s carbon neutral too...
The Mongol Rally 2011, organised by the Adventurists, is for thrill seekers only. The guys will travel through 16 different countries, battling mountains, deserts and some of the most remote, challenging terrain on the planet, all in a grey Daihatsu Hi-Jet mini-van they have affectionately called Doris.
Matt and George, who met whilst studying at University of Sheffield, prepare to tackle a third of the Earth's surface with only each other, a trusty map and a hamper of Quavers for company.
Their adventure aims to raise over £10,000 for two children's charities: HCPT the Pilgrimage Trust and Christina Noble Children's Foundation (CNCF)
The race is one of the most gruelling challenges on Earth. In just six weeks the guys will cross seven time zones, three continents and three deserts, to get to their destination.
They will be completely unaided and will have to rely on their own navigation and negotiation skills.
George and I are travelling 12,000 kilometres in a 1.3 litre van we have nicknamed Doris.
I'd be lying if I said we weren’t a bit apprehensive. Who knows where we are going to end up?
We've got 100% faith in Doris though and hope that she will get us to Mongolia in one piece, raising bucket loads of cash for charity along the way.
We want to turn a few heads, that’s why we’re giving her a purple overcoat, set of fibreglass Yak horns and tail.
Matt and George will set off from Goodwood Circuit, Sussex on 23 July and hope to reach Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia at the end of September.
It's more interesting than a budget return flight. We aim to make it carbon neutral too.
We have estimated that the trip should expel about five carbon tonnes, including our flights back.
That's about five trees. We'll plant them when we arrive in Mongolia.
To donate please visit: www.justgiving.com/teams/hittheroadyak