My last blog entry was some time ago, the plans have changed, both in the short term and in the long term. The work we have carried out renovating the Cub 90s has stalled at a point where they are both working but the red one is not road legal, yet. With less than a year before we aimed to depart for our Mongolian sojourn I began to look at the logistics and the realities of the trip. The inspiration to do this came from reading the book, 'Mission Mongolia' by David Treanor. It's a very well written book about two retired journalists on their departure from their comfort zone, through the wasteland and alien landscape of central Asia to their ultimate goal of Ulaanbataar. Although they took a more direct route to our shared target they highlighted a number of issues and concerns that I had failed to consider. Paramount of these was the criteria for successful visa application. The fact that Will is going to be only seventeen years old when we leave causes a number of problems. Letters and indeed official permissions have to obtained and signed from both parents to cross several of the borders on our planned route, namely Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. This combined with the complications associated with the visa application due to Will's age have prompted us to change our plans. Mongolia is going to have to wait until 2013, when Will is eighteen, and another trip is intended. A less visa intensive rally to Murmansk, driving a less controversial vehicle with four wheels this time, is our plan for 2012. Still for charity, and still for Wave 105 'Cash for Kids', but we are looking for additional charities to support.
I'm still coming to terms with the changes and making new plans for the way forward. Watch this space.
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