As The Kiwi Flies - Mongol Rally 2016

22/03/2017

When our engine shat itself in Kazakhstan..

https://asthekiwiflies.wordpress.com/2017/03/21/kazakhstan/

Just when all was going well again it all went terribly wrong. DRAMA We’d driven straight from Osh and crossed through the border into Kazakhstan late, and were pushing for an allnighter to get to …

01/01/2017

Happy new year! I hope you are all well on the way to completing your 2017 resolutions.

The rally is well and truly over. We made it to the finish, but the story of how we did it was never completed on our website. Apologies it has taken so long, I blame it on the distractions of being back in the West. Don't worry though, the new year has brought new motivation to finish things like this and the next installments will come thick and fast!

The money from your generous donations has been given to the charities, and no doubt has already been used to save huge areas of rainforest and help many kids with cancer. Thank you again.

When we left you we had just set off from Bukhara in Uzbekistan, after being stranded broken down for a week, nearly scrapping but eventually repairing, as our convoy limped further ahead. We drove through the night to reach Dushanbe in Tajikistan. Here's the next leg, where we brave the Pamir Highway.

https://asthekiwiflies.wordpress.com/2016/12/31/the-pamir-highway/

It was never part of the plan to cross the Pamir highway, or to go to Tajikistan at all. But we knew it would be awesome. A mission, and a risk, but a feat. Our convoy of the Canadians and Kiwis we…

18/09/2016

The team has spent the last few days exploring Moscow and St Petersburg. We have now departed Russia right before our visas expired and are on route to Helsinki.

Being back in the EU has brought on a craving for some pot holes as the roads are a little to predictable.

17/09/2016

To all our avid readers, here's a post on Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan (possibly two of the least appealing countries) where we were about a month ago.

https://asthekiwiflies.wordpress.com/2016/09/17/turkmenistan-uzbekistan/

Overall, despite the beautiful women, Turkmenistan was a pretty unappealing country. Hot and arid like Iran but without the super friendly locals, and a feeling that the police are watching your ev…

16/09/2016

Our sosh med manager hard at work in the social media testicle. So much instaface and snapbook going on

15/09/2016

Just finished cranking out 5800kms in 6 days. Time for a nice cold frothie in Moscow before we go check out the city tomorrow.

12/09/2016

Next turn in 774km. Damn Russia's big

10/09/2016

Planes are too easy, so we're driving back to Europe!

If anyone feels like making a late donation to charity to save some rainforests or help kiwi kids with cancer, here's the link (it'll make you feel good, it's been proven).

https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/asthekiwiflies

Now we've gotta hit the trail. It's a damn long way and if we don't want to end up in a Russian prison for overstaying our visas then we've gotta make like a kid with cancer and get outta hair.

09/09/2016

CHAHOOO WE MADE IT!!

31/08/2016

Like a phoenix these kiwis rise from the ashes, with 1 new (old) engine and 1 less human we push onwards to the promised land.

It's 12am and we are having dinner with the Kazakh Mafia (no bs) before we leave. Mongolia you better be ready to be penetrated by 3 kiwi lads.

30/08/2016

Engine shopping at the car bazaar

29/08/2016

Sigh, it's shat itself again

27/08/2016

We've conquered the Pamir Highway in our tiny nana car! All the shoddy repairs held up and it bounced and spluttered it's way up to 4660m, 900m higher than the peak of Mt Cook.

The altitude sapped at us as we slogged our way up the rocky dirt track, and the temperature dropped from the mid 40s down to freezing, but the awesome vistas of snow capped peaks made it worth the altitude headaches and bruised bums.

We're now in Kyrgyzstan and after all our repair delays and itinerary additions we are bloody tight on time to make it to the finish, so we push on.

23/08/2016

Made it out of Bukhara with our wallet and sanity mostly intact. Will be starting the Pamirs this afternoon, the second highest highway (goat track) in the world. We are unlikely to have any means of contact for the foreseeable future, but don't worry we have taken all practicable steps to ensure safety. A toilet buddy system, warmish clothes, bought what we think are altitude pills and we are driving a reliable and sensible vehicle for the roads we are about to encounter. But if it all turns into one massive s**t show, a simple life in the mountains doesn't sound too bad.

19/08/2016

We're still in Bukhara while our chariot undergoes repairs, and are itching to get back on the road.

While we wait we've had time to catch a football game and also to write a blog post about Iran.

https://asthekiwiflies.wordpress.com/2016/08/19/iran/

16/08/2016

So we have encountered drama no. 3 which is slightly more serious and likely a result of the fix from drama 2. The engine needs to be stripped and the big end bearings replaced (for those playing what can break bingo at home). It looks like we'll be in Bukhara for a few more days, luckily there is a pool with cheap beers. It was all going so well, and we got to be a tower rather than a towee for once. For the mothers out there, everyone is well and it's just a waiting game before we are going again.

14/08/2016

When you get 6000 som for every USD and the biggest note you get is 1000 som you end up with some pretty fat stacks

14/08/2016

Don't worry Mum we're all fine we just haven't had Internet for the last few countries. The team has now left Iran and traveled through Turkmenistan checking out Ashgabat, The door to hell and having a rave on a paddock with some locals on the way. We are now in Bukhara in Uzbekistan trying to suss visas for Tajikistan as have made a last minute decision to give the Pamir highway a nudge.

09/08/2016

Catching up on our blog while we have a patch of kinda functional WiFi. Here's Georgia-Armenia

https://asthekiwiflies.wordpress.com/2016/08/09/georgia-armenia/

More and more of the toilets are squatters. This is how we can tell we’re going the right way, towards Asia. Day 14 30th July As expected Georgian drivers are crazy mofos. Max was the first t…

08/08/2016

After finding a hole on our block we got a tow to Yazd to try and suss a repair. Having spent a night camped out in our car we found a mechanic. They managed to weld up the block and we are now running one exhaust valve down on our way to Turkmenistan. Special thanks to all the guys that helped out, gave us ice cream at two in the morning and breakfast after sleeping in our car

07/08/2016

And then............Drama. Take 2

06/08/2016

Donate to cool earth or the whole world will become as arid as Iran

https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/asthekiwiflies

06/08/2016

Drama in Iran

02/08/2016

Terrible roads in Armenia today as we appoached the Iranian border, but the awesome scenery from the top of the mountain pass made it worth it

02/08/2016

You have no idea how hard these bloody blog posts are on crappy WiFi and a malfunctioning phone.


https://asthekiwiflies.wordpress.com/2016/08/02/doner-kebap/

Millions of Turkish flags, unexpected mountain passes, stray dogs and potholes. The horrificly potholed road we’re weaving along seems a long way from the smooth highways we were cruising a f…

31/07/2016

When you spend all day sitting in the car it's important to get some training in whenever possible. Luckily we found a hostel that had turned some junk lying around into an outdoor gym. Here's Doesburg trying to get Max gains

31/07/2016

As The Kiwi Flies and Canuckistan both picked up an extra passenger in Tbilisi and headed north to hunt out some Paragliding. We made it to the ski town of Gudauri(Pity it's summer and there is no snow) where the weather turned sour and the glide wasn't possible. Disapointed having missed out we launched some rocks into the valley with the three man and explored an old abandoned hotel.

31/07/2016

The lads traveled with Canuckistan to Tbilisi, Georgia, had a look around the city, rode a roller coaster and had a big night out on the ChaCha.

30/07/2016

Aaaannnndddd now the team has no heater. Don't worry though we've done a nice fix and by passed it all together although this does mean no more Bikram driving

30/07/2016

After being woken up at 4am by some prayer in Göle we headed for the Georgian border. As The Kiwi Flies met Team Canuckistan at the border and convoyed with them to check out the monestary at Vardzia. We then met the Slippery Gypsies on the road and all set up camp in a friendly farmers paddock.