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Boring Car

Boring Car

This afternoon Dan drove a rather boring Blue Suzuki Swift over to mine and then I drove it over to the marina to make it all EXCITING!!!

Mongol RallyMongol RallyTeam RoninTeam Ronin

Despite the wind we did a fantastic job with spray cans, it looks totally professionally air brushed and anyone would think we’d just come off Pimp My Ride!

Team Ronin

Team Ronin

Team Ronin

Team Ronin

In all it’s glory it even gained a roof box! After the tagging it was STICKER TIME!!!!!! Where we got to liberally spread stickers about from our fantastic loving sponsors!

Flowtoys We Love You!

Flowtoys We Love You!

What Am I Taking ..

Rus' Stuff

Rus’ Stuff

Due to the whole concept of us being a team completely falling apart before we’ve even left Brighton I’ve no idea what the others are taking and I’m intending to be completely self sufficient in case I have to bail on them in order to survive. When I went to the USA last month I didn’t take anything, and it was a bit shit, so this time I’ve gone over board and am taking everything as we are taking a car. Hopefully it will fit in the big rucksack and the small gym bag as anything that doesn’t won’t be coming back with us to the UK..

From the top left corner one row at a time ..

  • Numerous maps and guide books for everywhere between here and Mongolia!
  • Map case
  • Stickers to put on the car from our sponsors
  • ‘Business’ cards to hand out to people with our website on describing what we’re doing
  • Sunglasses
  • Fire extinguisher
  • Plate, bowl, mug, knife, fork, spoon, tiny thermos mug thing
  • Tomtom with complete Europe map pack that will take us to 47% of Russia ..
  • Canon 400D + Gorillapod + Battery grip + 5 batteries + 4/8/16GB memory cards + stock lens + nifty fifty lens + car charger + misc accessories
  • Kodak PlaySport Zx3 + 2 x 32GB SDHC memory cards
  • First Aid Kit + Antiseptic Hand Wash + Clothes Washing Liquid + Insect Repellent
  • Small Black Gym Bag
  • Hiking Shoes
  • Trainers
  • Rucksac + orange survival bag
  • 3 x 4 liters paraffin + metal bucket for fire dancing
  • Plastic bucket for washing clothes in
  • iPad2 + SD memory card reader dongle + Compact Flash memory card reader dongle + ipad2 car charger
  • Sleeping mat
  • Weird hippy hoodie
  • Waterproof coat + waterproof trousers
  • White hostel sleeping case
  • Travel Towel
  • Flowtoys Poi and Baton Handles
  • Passport, driving license, misc documents
  • 1 dozen cigarette lighters that all worked on the first try …..
  • Tent
  • Contact poi
  • Practice poi
  • 1 dental splint that fixed my TMJ disorder to do this in the first place (probably worth more than the car + everything else in it .. must not lose!!)
  • Multimeter
  • 7 pairs of underwear
  • 7 pairs of socks
  • 1 pair of hiking socks
  • 1 pair of gloves
  • 1 hat
  • 2 sets of collapsible Flowtoys glow staffs
  • Fire staff
  • Coffee
  • Suntan Lotion + Aftersun + Ibuprofen
  • 1 pair of shorts
  • 1 pair of jeans + 1 pair of Flowtoys Action Trousers
  • 3 t-shirts
  • Fitness First Gym Passport .. in case we pass any gyms along the way!
  • And of course the iPhone I took the picture with!
Less Blur

Less Blur

I’ve taken another photo with the 400D, which doesn’t look completely shit and blurry ๐Ÿ™‚ Now to see if all this stuff will fit in my bag ..

Roofrack Madness

Ok so yesterday we did the whole roof rack thing, unpacking the tools, fitting the rack, sticking the box on and wearing the clothes. It was pretty cool!

OMG ROOFRACK

OMG ROOFRACK

SEE as the elegant roof rack, sits atop the car, elegantly!

OMG BOX THING

OMG BOX THING

Marvel, as the box placed on top and fitted securely doesn’t fall off!

OMG PETROL CANS IN BOOT

OMG PETROL CANS IN BOOT

Quiver as to how all the tools and stuff fit in a little shoe box in the boot!

DAN MODELLING THE LATEST STREET WEAR AND TRIANGLE ACCESSORIES

SELF APPOINTED SEXIEST MAN IN BRIGHTONDAN MODELLING THE LATEST STREET WEAR AND TRIANGLE ACCESSORIES

State in abject horror at France’s stupid legal requirements!

I’m pretty sure we’re going to give up on trying to appease every foreign countries road laws and just focus on the police chases instead.

New French Breathalyzer Requirement For Tourists

We have just learned that a new French Law has come in to affect requiring all cars, domestic and foreign driving in France to require “at least one” personal breathalyzer after July 1.

Apparently this has sent the price of them soaring in France. Whilst the stubborn Brit in me is like ‘nah, lets not bother and blag it’, after all the effort we’ve put in, me learning to drive, sorting out sponsors etc, it would seem stupid if we actually did get detained over such a trivial item!

The list of mandatory items to carry in your vehicle when driving in France is :

Passport
Driving License
Originals of Vehicle Insurance, Vehicle Registration (V5), Current MOT certificate
Hi-Viz Florescent Jacket or Vest
GB Sticker
Warning Triangle
Headlight beam deflectors
Breathalyzer

France doesn’t actually require a First Aid Kit, but Germany does!

So, other Rallyers, are you going to be taking a breathalyzer with you???

Car Gear

Car Stuff

One of the guys I work with, also called Russ, is awesome at car things and plane things and has recommended a pretty comprehensive equipment list for us to take with us!

  • Fan belt x2
  • Spark plugs
  • Air filter x 2
  • Coil pack
  • Clutch cable (if car has it)
  • self amalagmating tape
  • exhaust paste
  • insulation tape
  • cable ties
  • tyre weld
  • rad weld
  • fuses 5 of each
  • bulbs set
  • extra headlight bulbs
  • wire
  • warning triangle
  • reflective jackets
  • tools
  • spark plugs spanner
  • cheap multi meter
  • pliers and cutters
  • mole grip
  • metric spanners
  • screwdriver set

As you can see from the picture, I think we’ve sorted it all. Russ swore that it would pack down in to a really tiny box .. I’m not so sure ๐Ÿ™‚ I’ve no idea how to use any of it though, but in principle we’ve now got enough kit so that anyone that does know what they’re doing could help us and we can lend some to anyone in need!