Countdown

On January 31st, 1907 the following appeared in Paris Matin:

 'What needs to be proved today is that as long as a man has a car, he can do anything and go anywhere.  Is there anyone who will undertake to travel, this summer, from Peking to Paris by automobile?'

Well, this summer we have answered that call and are participating in the 4th Peking to Paris Rally.  It is still a hugely challenging event, with the nine days crossing Mongolia the biggest challenge of all. This vast country has few roads, and our journey will be over rutted tracks, through rivers, across soft sand and the navigational difficulties will be immense. We will camp in Mongolia, in possibly sub-zero temperatures, but will need to be self sufficient in case we are unable to reach our designated camping areas each night. We have been told that the nomadic people we will encounter are hugely hospitable but, although being invited to sleep in a cosy ger has some appeal,  being fed fermented mares milk has none.  Especially when we are told that our camps will have a beer tent!

We leave for China in just a couple of days  and the excitement is tempered with some anxiety and trepidation  about what lies ahead.  I am sure that there will be highs and lows.  Adrian is brilliant mechanically and I am a good navigator but we are prepared for the unexpected to happen and know it will not always be easy.  In fact, it will possibly be the most difficult thing that we have ever done.  All we want to do is to reach Paris; the thought of having to retire early is unthinkable to both of us.

I have a large number of lists and there are various piles of things to take.  I keep adding a few, taking some away, making a 'maybe' pile all the while being mindful that space and most of all, weight are very big concerns.  For me, there is a slight feeling of unreality about it all.  It all seems so daft. When I tell people that we are driving form Peking to Paris they look amazed.  When I say we are doing it in an eighty year old car they usually have to hear it twice.  I don't blame them, it does seem rather improbable.

The 1907 rally was won by Prince Borghese in a red Itala car.  Such was Italy's pride  in this monumental achievement that Italian racing cars adopted red as their official colour.   In 2010 car number 29, us, does not expect to win but we really, really want to finish.  We would both settle for that.  Wish us luck.