[humyum]

Our family has a history of travelling, the travel bug is all over the house.
My mom dad used to take off in their earlier years to any place possible in
the Padmini that we had then. They have explored Mumbai-Bangalore,
Mumbai Rajasthan, Mumbai Gujarat and what not in that car.

In 1998 we got a Maruti 800 which was sophisticated vehicle graduating
from a fiat. I was 12 years old then and we started exploring the country again.
My dad loved the airplane take off sound that the 800 made, I
loved the looks, my mom loved the colour. We saw 3/4th's of India in
that puny 800 from south to the north, from east to the west.

2008, The Swift Diesel and the meaning of speed and economy changed.
We used to take off to Gujarat and Rajasthan and Bangalore, like it was
a Ghatkopar to Chembur trip. I knew that my life would never be complete
without travelling in a car. I have never seen a day in India minus my car.
Whenever she goes for service, the entire day is spent in just thinking
about her.

My dad always had this dream of doing a India to London by car dream.
I always used to hear him out with super enthusiasm whenever he used to mention people
who had done this trip but how he never got a chance from his duties to put this into picture.

Coming to UK in 2009 October for my Automotive Engineering, my legs were tied. No car .
Had to travel from Leicester to Coventry everyday by bus. A 1 hour journey spent just dreaming
about "how i ll be when I get a car in Uk, she can have the smallest capacity engine, she can be
as small as a rickshaw, but all she has to be is in perfect running condition and perform to the best
of her abilities"

Had heard about the Mongol Rally since long and thought about going for it in 2011 end, but the visa
procedures were long, I did not have so much time and neither did I money to pay for the entry fees + pay
the compulsory 1000 pounds donation + buy a car + pay for the onward journey + fuel,insurance bla bla.
It was turning out to be too much of an expense and the idea of dumping whatever car I buy in Mongolia did
not appeal to me. I mean "Its a family member', How can u abandon it ? Out goes this idea

Also had read people doing the Trans Siberian Journey since years. Moscow To Vladivostok by train.
An awesome journey of a life time, but this Journey could be done by road too ? Yes it could be and from
Leicester in the United Kingdom To Vladivostok and back. Yes I don't dump my cars EVER ! She has to come
back with me. PERIOD!



A Journey Starting From United Kingdom through France, Germany, Czech Republic, Poland, Ukraine and then
Russia all the way to Vladivostok. A total Journey spanning 11500 miles one way which makes it around 18000 km.
Some dudes had done this trip in a 300 pound almost on its last leg kind of car and written a book on it,
can't seem to find it now. They dumped the car in Vladivostok

So began researching on the formailities, procedures etc bla bla and everything turned out to be simple.

1) A car with proper documents
2) Insurance
3) Schengen visa for travel around Europe
4) Russian Visa
5) Insurance for Russia can be taken from a petrol pump before entering Russia, costs 6o to 70 pounds for 6 months. Fair enough
6) Temporary Import Documents for the car, costs around 50 pounds.
7) An International Driving Licence which can be got from UK for 5 pounds.

This idea keeps rotating in my head day in and day out, I have no car right now, but will get one pretty soon,
maybe a Hyundai Amica ( Santro ), Kia Picanto or a Nissan Micra. One of these but in a brilliant condition.

It will be used for the entire trip which will happen maybe this year or maybe next July. Such trips require extensive
planning and financial backup.

My parents will get a mini heart attack when they realise what's going through my head and how with
everything in place I ll go for it, hence its a secret from them till the day of leaving is into my face.

Maybe this entire post sounds like a kids blab, but well travelling is a heroin which once injected just does
not let you leave anything unconquered. A car is such an addiction that maybe you may not get married,
may not have a steady job, but a want of a car is something which will never understand the situation or time.
I ll keep haunting you till you have got an engine how much ever small it might be lurking outside your house.

Maybe this trip might take years to happen but the want to make it happen is so immense that it's half the job
done anyway.

[mykal shoemaker]

I'll say try hard and follow your dream.
but not in a small car. The road conditions,weather all playes crucial role and you need to get an excellent SUV ,ready with enough spares,lights and all those stuff.

Just because you have a dream and a small car, please don't jump into that.

When you travel through unknown territories, you need to do lots of homework.
Moreover ,Russia is famous for criminal gangs and the idea of ghatkoper-chembur may not work so easily there.

[noidea]

Originally Posted by mykal shoemaker

I'll say try hard and follow your dream.
but not in a small car. The road conditions,weather all playes crucial role and you need to get an excellent SUV ,ready with enough spares,lights and all those stuff.

Just because you have a dream and a small car, please don't jump into that.

When you travel through unknown territories, you need to do lots of homework.
Moreover ,Russia is famous for criminal gangs and the idea of ghatkoper-chembur may not work so easily there.

I agree. Follow your dreams but not in a small car. And make sure you have enough money not just for the regular logistics but also to tide over any emergency.
Best of luck.
GO FOR IT !!

[rejoycjohn]

Mongol Rally , yes its the most ill-conceived rally in the world . And when this idea was sowed inside us by one of our friends , we didn't think more about it but went ahead and registered our team by paying 700 odd GBP !
Yes on a second attempt we are only a couple of hurdles away from starting from London for this rally . But definitely millions of big and small hurdles are waiting for us before we reach the Finishing Line in Ulaanbaatar.
Mongol Rally :- Mongol Rally - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Let me introduce our team Ghenghis Khan's East India Company to all T-Bhpians out here.
You can read more about us @

Genghis Khan
https://www.facebook.com/CharityDriveLondonToMongolia
https://twitter.com/#!/GhenghisKhanEIC

To top it all we are the first team from India ever to participate in this event.

Wish us good luck along with all your support folks .

Cheers
Rejoy

[ranjitp1]

Originally Posted by rejoycjohn

Mongol Rally , yes its the most ill-conceived rally in the world . And when this idea was sowed inside us by one of our friends , we didn't think more about it but went ahead and registered our team by paying 700 odd GBP !
Yes on a second attempt we are only a couple of hurdles away from starting from London for this rally . But definitely millions of big and small hurdles are waiting for us before we reach the Finishing Line in Ulaanbaatar.
Mongol Rally :- Mongol Rally - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Let me introduce our team Ghenghis Khan's East India Company to all T-Bhpians out here.
You can read more about us @

Genghis Khan
https://www.facebook.com/CharityDriveLondonToMongolia
https://twitter.com/#!/GhenghisKhanEIC

To top it all we are the first team from India ever to participate in this event.

Wish us good luck along with all your support folks .

Cheers
Rejoy

This is quite some thing.All along I have been reading about the Mongol rally and you couldnt describe it any better by saying-an ill conceived rally!

All the very best Rejoy,would be closely following your progress.Godspeed and stay safe.Excited to know that somebody closer home is going to be traversing those routes.

[Blue Thunder]

Originally Posted by rejoycjohn

...Let me introduce our team Ghenghis Khan's East India Company to all T-Bhpians out here.
You can read more about us @

Genghis Khan
https://www.facebook.com/CharityDriveLondonToMongolia
https://twitter.com/#!/GhenghisKhanEIC

To top it all we are the first team from India ever to participate in this event.

Wish us good luck along with all your support folks .

Cheers
Rejoy

Wow! Sounds like quite an adventure journey...Best wishes for a safe and successful rally to Rejoy and team .


Some interesting info about the 2005 rally, as quoted in Wikipedia ('http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mongol_Rally')

• 43 cars left London.
• 27 cars reached Mongolia.
• 14 cars reached the finish in Ulaanbaatar.
• 2 teams were robbed at knife point.
• 1 car snapped in half.
• 3 engines fell completely out of the cars.
• 1 team was held for 5 days in no-mans land.
• 1 team cycled 200km to get to the finish when their car gave in.
• 100's of tyres were blown.
• 1 team got engaged.
• 1 team found a 10ft deep pot hole.
• 1 team found a 25 tonne crane rolled by a pot hole.
• 3 teams attended weddings
• 1 team had to reverse up a mountain after losing all bar one forward gear
• 1 person spent 24 hours in a Kazakh jail charged with 5 crimes against the state.
• 1 person was stoned by a Mongolian nomad (who he then shot at with a gun).
• 1 team was rammed off the road after an argument over water melons.
• 1 person spent a day in a Turkish hospital.
• 3 people were banned from Turkmenistan for a year.
• As a result of an incident with a cow 1 person was detained by police in Azerbaijan and threatened with a beating from a dwarf.
• 2 cars flipped over in Mongolia.
• 3 teams were chased by armed bandits.
• 0 teams died

[rejoycjohn]

Originally Posted by ranjitp1

This is quite some thing.All along I have been reading about the Mongol rally and you couldnt describe it any better by saying-an ill conceived rally!

All the very best Rejoy,would be closely following your progress.Godspeed and stay safe.Excited to know that somebody closer home is going to be traversing those routes.

Thank you very much Ranjit . We are now behind getting the visas done for the final few countries .

Originally Posted by Blue Thunder

Wow! Sounds like quite an adventure journey...Best wishes for a safe and successful rally to Rejoy and team .


Some interesting info about the 2005 rally, as quoted in Wikipedia ('http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mongol_Rally')

Wiki facts , wiki travel facts are always interesting . We are given with some idea on what should we expect in some of the not so friendly countries and cultures .

Cheers

[Sandy28]

Originally Posted by rejoycjohn

Thank you very much Ranjit . We are now behind getting the visas done for the final few countries .


Cheers

Hey John, wish you guys all the very best . As Ranjit said, feels great to know that someone closer home is doing this rally. Dont worry about the the 'millions of small and big troubles' that can come up. Once you rev up, I am sure you will ride them over. Our best wishes are with you all for a safe and exciting rally.

[rejoycjohn]

Originally Posted by Sandy28

Hey John, wish you guys all the very best . As Ranjit said, feels great to know that someone closer home is doing this rally. Dont worry about the the 'millions of small and big troubles' that can come up. Once you rev up, I am sure you will ride them over. Our best wishes are with you all for a safe and exciting rally.

Thanks sandy . Thank you for all your wishes . Yes we shall be able to tackle all the hurdles . I am sure that will come up as a mandate than an option ;-)

In between we were featured in the Sunday Guardian .
Following is the link .
In search of adventure, four techies embark on an epic road trip

Cheers

[himavanth_m]

Originally Posted by rejoycjohn

Thanks sandy . Thank you for all your wishes . Yes we shall be able to tackle all the hurdles . I am sure that will come up as a mandate than an option ;-)

In between we were featured in the Sunday Guardian .
Following is the link .
In search of adventure, four techies embark on an epic road trip

Cheers

All the best for your rally. Be safe. Looking forward to hearing from you once you complete the rally.
How I wish, I could take part in some of these rallys.

Question: Which car are you planning to use? Did you buy a car in London? How did you take care of this? I do not think you can buy a car in London and register in your name from India.

[rejoycjohn]

Originally Posted by himavanth_m

All the best for your rally. Be safe. Looking forward to hearing from you once you complete the rally.
How I wish, I could take part in some of these rallys.

Question: Which car are you planning to use? Did you buy a car in London? How did you take care of this? I do not think you can buy a car in London and register in your name from India.

Thank you for your best wishes . Of course the experience will be shared once back from the rally .

We have bought a Nissan Micra ; 2003 model , 3 dr , 998 CC , 70,000 Miles on clock . As per the rules in UK , one can buy a car as long as he has an address in UK . This address can be that of a friend's or even a car agency's . The person staying in that address should agree to use his address for registration as any violation would reach this address .
So our team already have a car in London in our name but in a UK address .

The photo of the car is updated in our website and in the FB link

[babu.sundaram]

Originally Posted by humyum

...
Had heard about the Mongol Rally since long and thought about going for it in 2011 end...Maybe this trip might take years to happen but the want to make it happen is so immense that it's half the job done anyway.

These kind of dreams that have to be lived. Go for it!
Looking at the rally's test of strength and stamina (both the man and the machine), recommend to take some vehicle that can stand through and support you throughout.

Originally Posted by rejoycjohn

Mongol Rally , yes its the most ill-conceived rally in the world . And when this idea was sowed inside us by one of our friends , we didn't think more about it but went ahead and registered our team by paying 700 odd GBP
...
To top it all we are the first team from India ever to participate in this event.

Wish us good luck along with all your support folks .

Cheers
Rejoy

All the very best Rejoy! Am already expecting travelogue !

[Off Roadie]

Wish you the very best for the rally. Do share your experience once you complete it successfully.

[rejoycjohn]

Originally Posted by Off Roadie

Wish you the very best for the rally. Do share your experience once you complete it successfully.

Thank you very much . We hoping to complete it successfully . Definitely I am really looking to share the expeirences

Originally Posted by babu.sundaram

These kind of dreams that have to be lived. Go for it!
Looking at the rally's test of strength and stamina (both the man and the machine), recommend to take some vehicle that can stand through and support you throughout.


All the very best Rejoy! Am already expecting travelogue !

We can at the max take a hatchback from Uk which is less than 1.3 L engine so that the car will take on to the terrain . A new car definitely cost 6-7 L in UK . Organizers though doesnt expect that they want the car to be an old one ( 9 Yrs max ) .

The car that we have bought is 2003 Nissan Micra with 70K miles on clock .

Good news , yesterday we submitted the last of the visa applications which are required the least to complete the rally legally .
So one of the hurdles is resolved to start with .

Cheers

[rejoycjohn]

so guys after 40 days we made it to Ulan-batar ( Mongolian Capital ) . 9000 miles from London all the way to Mongolia :-)