Car arrives in Beijing

The Cosco Korea arrived on 23^rd August in Beijing so all things being equal Car 66 will be awaiting collection on the 8^th Sept. God I do hope that she starts! One more thing to think about.

 

RHC

Dick Dastardly and Mutley

Dick Dastardly and Mutley were always up to all sorts of tricks usually getting ahead of the other competitors in the Wacky Races to divert them or set some cunning trap. I don’t want any such accusations about myself and Mutley, or do I mean James.

 

I have just returned from a week’s holiday with family in Tuscany and upon examining the route map have discovered that we were staying slap bang on the route in Castellina in Chianti. How weird is that? I know the turn in Castellina which we need to take, not an easy one and one which various cars will no doubt miss. More importantly I know a very nice Trattoria 1km off the route run by a lovely blond Italian where James and I will lunch! It’s the most beautiful countryside but will really test our gear changing abilities. The roads are very steep and very windy.

 

I can assure you that, apart from identifying a very nice Trattoria, I have done nothing Dick Dastardly’ish in Chianti.

 

Busy week ahead with last minute challenges. Not least of all is teaching Alice how to change the light bulbs (about 30 different varieties!). At least “the janitor” will know that he will be missed whilst away on his travels!

 

My passport came back with all my visas whilst I was away. The sat phone arrived so just funds now required. Some competitors have not been able to get their Turkmenistan visas in London and are having to try and get theirs in Beijing. I feel James and I have been very lucky not to have to go through that hassle.

 

RHC

 

 

OMG -

Well we are one week away now and the feeling of butterflies in my stomach won't go away. 

Just like going out to bat in a cricket match - unless I was playing Pakistan. 

Last weekend panic attacks will be for next weekend this bank holiday is all about 

relaxation and maybe catch up with David Ayres, he lives in the village we are off to stay in. 

Passport has come back with a simply whopping bill attached - simply whopping ! 

I have become a regular customer of Rohan and once I remind myself of how the Flip 

works I feel  I have all I need. 

Must remind myself to get Mr and Mrs Tumur's address in Ulaan Bataar but will do that this week .

Rabies - nearly finished can't wait to have a scrap with a foul smelling mutt in some faraway place 

knowing he can't do anything other than give me a good savaging but it won't leave me foaming at the mouth 

maybe only our navigational skills will do that. 

Onwards - As fatty Churchill said - "It will be long , it will be hard but there will be no withdrawal " or 

was that what the actress said to the Bishop ? 

JC  

GPS tracking

The tracking web site is now up and running. It can be accessed at the following URL.

 

http://livetrack.skytag-gps.co.uk/login_action.html?user=pekingparis&passw=skytag&action=login&skip_auto=1&lang=en

 

This is the main page and individual vehicles can be selected here.

 

There is no need for a login and password with this link.

Most of the vehicles will only go live in Peking in the days immediately prior to the rally, as they are currently in transit and not powered.

 

RHC

The last three weeks

Well in three weeks time James and I will be in Beijing awaiting collection of the car. The Cosco Korea seems to be making steady progress and subject to no disasters I’m sure will deliver Car 66 in plenty of time. Let’s just hope that they didn’t have to stop somewhere off Somalia and trade any of the cars for free passage!

 

I’m off to Tuscany on Saturday to celebrate my father-in-laws 75^th birthday. He told me last night that we are near to the “greatest painting in the world”. Not only are we all off to see it but we are to review a documentary DVD before departure to ensure that we are all properly briefed. Rory, bless him, has already volunteered to do the prep on behalf of the Cunningham’s and brief us on the way to the airport. Anything to avoid a “rumpus”!

 

Then it’s a final week of preparation and then off to China. Maybe there aren’t butterflies in my stomach yet but there are certainly a few small moths!

 

RHC

Update on the Lagonda's location

I was surprised to see that Skytag is telling me that Tim Wilkinson’s car is already in Beijing so I checked to see whether we had arrived or not.

 

Tim kindly checked his freight tracking system and reports that it is currently still on the Cosco Korea somewhere in the South China sea. Yesterday’s fix placed the ship steaming through the Straits of Singapore at 21 knots. Faster, I suspect, than some of the cars will be going when they hit dry land! His Skytag was forced to Beijing for testing purposes.

 

Check out the car’s location at:

 

http://www.marinetraffic.com/ais/default.aspx?oldmmsi=477685300&zoom=10&olddate=8/15/2010 9:11:10 AM

 

RHC

Sitting in my kitchen having a blog and a chat - just the two of us.

Ham and I are sitting in my kitchen looking at the map of the world on the wall and pondering both the scale of our task 

and the Iranian embassy. Ham was 7 hours early for his scheduled visit whereas I was spot on for a three o'clock visit. 

Anyhow we can now both compare our Rohan clothing and the respective waist bands of our trousers. 

Roll on the 5th of September. 

The first thing that James could have done of any use on this trip was to tell me in time that our appointment at the Iranian Consulate had been delayed until 3.00pm this afternoon. Instead he told m at 20.00pm last night, after our visa advisers, Travcour, was closed and I could confirm one way or another. I smelt a rat this morning when I was clearly the only non-Iranian waiting outside the embassy. Anyway at 09.00am this morning I discovered that I'm not needed until 15.00pm this afternoon! If this is the extent of our organizational ability we are in deep trouble! 

JHBC and RHC

sky-tag tracking

The website on which you will be able to track us in real time is now live!

 

http://www.skytag-gps.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=119%3Ap2p&catid=14%3Abanner-cat&Itemid=1

 

The car will only go live on the web site at the beginning of the rally on 10^th Sept from which time you should be able to see how we are progressing. If the dot is stationary for too long send help!!!!!

 

Getting very excited now. Off to the Iranian embassy on Friday with James. The big question must be is Iran ready for James? If we can get over the first hurdle of getting visas then we will no doubt discover the answer.

 

RHC

fuel calculation for the rally

I’ve just finalised the fuel estimate (@4.8km/ltr) which comes to $2357 (Peking to Paris excluding Mongolia where I have prepaid £800 – my estimate says 502ltrs, don’t know what the cost per litre is)

 

We will burn total of 2992 ltrs of fuel, refilling only 27 times!!!! Assuming of course that we don’t get lost.

 

I shall pre buy our Yuan Renminbi for China and Roubles for Russia. Otherwise I think that its dollars and exchange as we go. Tugriks for Mongolia, Tenges for Kazakhstan, Uzbekhistani Som, Turkmenistan Manat, and Irania Rial will be quite difficult to get in Rutland.

 

RHC