Don't Be Russian Us

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Don't Be Russian Us A group of three Aussies and their 1999 Nissan Micra will drive one third of the way around the world from the UK to Mongolia in The Mongol Rally 2015.

The What:

The Mongol Rally – a 15,000km car rally from London (UK) to Ulan Ude (Russia) whereby teams drive a less than 1-litre engine car through completely unsuitable terrain in an effort to raise money for charity. The When:

Beginning on the 19th of July 2015, and finishing whenever our sh*t-box car will crawl and putt it’s way over the finish line – hopefully about 4-6 weeks later. The Team:



We are dubbed “Don’t Be Russian Us”. It is true in it’s message, we are taking it slow and steady, and it’s true in it’s awesomeness that is travel puns. The Trustworthy Steef:
The chunk of metal on wheels that’s supposed to take us across Europe and Central Asia is a 1999 Nissan Micra with a 998cc engine. She is small. She was cheap. She is falling apart. And she has been dubbed "Matilda". The Route:

The Rally will take us through the following countries…

UK, France, Belgium, Luxemburg, Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey, Georgia, Azerbaijan, (Across the Caspian Sea), Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, and Russia. SPONSORSHIP and DONATION:

While we are doing this for the sheer irony and ridiculousness of driving a totally unsuitable vehicle a third of the way around the world, we’re also trying to raise a minimum of £1000 for charity along the way. We have chosen two very worthy charities for our fundraising donations.

1. Sathi Nepal – Assisting in Nepal relief work post-earthquake

2. Cool Earth – Working with local indigenous communities to save rainforests

So if you can spare $10, $20 or $50, 100% of the proceeds will go directly to the organisations. Please see our Donation Page for more information. There are also some major expenses as a result of trying to complete something like this – such as buying a car, copious amounts of repairs and petrol, more repairs, various ferries, trying to ditch our car post-rally, buying endless amounts of canned tuna to live off for 6 weeks. So if you or your company are interested in sponsoring us, please refer to our Sponsorship Page for more information.

Earlier this week, the Mongol Rally Class of 2015 lost a good friend. It all began with Matilda and Mamba standing side-...
11/07/2017

Earlier this week, the Mongol Rally Class of 2015 lost a good friend. It all began with Matilda and Mamba standing side-by-side in the Goodwood carpark, and ended up with all of us in a message group called "Best Friends in the World". The group won't be the same without you, Jaco. Our thoughts are with his family and close friends. RIP.

"You regret more the things you don't do, than the things you do" - Jaco Steenberg

30/06/2016

So its nearly been a year since we took off on our adventure and maybe I got a little nostalgic!! So I decided to cut together some bits and pieces of things I thought were funny, and show life in the car which sometimes presents as a rather bad case of cabin fever!!

19/04/2016

This is the final part of the rally, we were dirty, hairy.....this includes Alana, tired, sick of tinned meat but edging towards the finish line, Matilda had some problems but we made it!!

30/03/2016

So this is the first days in Mongolia, lots of laughs from the memories, brain drain just thinking about the roads and one very wet Micra (both ours but mostly another teams!!) There's camels, yaks but not any yurts!! Nice short fun video......hope you all enjoy!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HbSAX-B2MaUFrom about 10 minutes in you will see some footage of Dont Be Russian Us in t...
26/02/2016

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HbSAX-B2MaU

From about 10 minutes in you will see some footage of Dont Be Russian Us in the convoy!!

From London to Mongolia in a 1L Micra.. A video to document the adventure that ensued. Chemical Brummers do Mongol Rally 2015.

Much delayed, but...A HUGE THANKYOU to everyone who supported us on this ridiculous adventure and as a result supported ...
07/09/2015

Much delayed, but...

A HUGE THANKYOU to everyone who supported us on this ridiculous adventure and as a result supported two really great charities along the way.

We're super pleased to announce that we managed to raise AU$2546.85 (after losses through exchange rates and bank transfers, and gains through interest earned).

We can confirm that SATHI NEPAL have received a grand total of AU$1377.09 which will go towards rebuilding the lives of those affected by the devastating earthquakes earlier this year.

We can also confirm that Cool Earth have received a grand total of AU$1169.76 which will go towards the Ashaninka Project which is supporting 15 Ashaninka villages to halt rainforest destruction in the Ené Valley of Peru.

Once again, thank you so much to everyone who supported us. Knowing that you were all behind us helped us push through those long 24 hour drives... that, and Red Bull.

Until the next time we do something ridiculous...

- Don't Be Russian Us

Plus our "stat sheet" down the bottom!!!
30/08/2015

Plus our "stat sheet" down the bottom!!!

It's the things that you don't think about when you sign up, the things that no-one talks about, the things that fall into insignificance in grand scheme of things. But it's these things that dicta...

First proper day in Mongolia!! River crossings, break downs and rough road....Matilda working brilliantly and only 3 day...
15/08/2015

First proper day in Mongolia!! River crossings, break downs and rough road....Matilda working brilliantly and only 3 days from Ulan Baataar!! Moving forward!!

Two-way text messaging anywhere in the world with the inReach satellite communicator.

Team Dont Be Russian Us just entered Mongolia!! Wooo!!
14/08/2015

Team Dont Be Russian Us just entered Mongolia!! Wooo!!

Two-way text messaging anywhere in the world with the inReach satellite communicator.

Great to see that "Don't Be Russian Us" (aka Alana, Michael, Dale) are within a stone's throw of the Mongolia, having ma...
14/08/2015

Great to see that "Don't Be Russian Us" (aka Alana, Michael, Dale) are within a stone's throw of the Mongolia, having made camp in Russia about 60km's from the Mongolian border. Hope that Matilda is hanging together OK, albiet without a rear bumper now, and a mystifying fuel problem with the fuel tank. For everyone following the team, check out their latest position on the attached MapShare link.

I am sharing my location at my MapShare web site:
https://share.delorme.com/dontberussianus

To learn more about MapShare and the DeLorme inReach two-way satellite communicator, visit http://delorme.com/inReach or http://inReachCanada.com

Two-way text messaging anywhere in the world with the inReach satellite communicator.

Crossing the caspian and it's a 1964 Soviet ferry!! No air con sleeping on deck before the sun comes up!! On our way Kaz...
04/08/2015

Crossing the caspian and it's a 1964 Soviet ferry!! No air con sleeping on deck before the sun comes up!! On our way Kazakhstan....proper Mongol Rally!!

Two-way text messaging anywhere in the world with the inReach satellite communicator.

Just past 24 hours, finally made progress......have tickets but still no departure time!! Tomorrow!! Tomorrow!! Is all w...
04/08/2015

Just past 24 hours, finally made progress......have tickets but still no departure time!! Tomorrow!! Tomorrow!! Is all we get!! Mongol Rally!!

Two-way text messaging anywhere in the world with the inReach satellite communicator.

It's now been 14 hours at the port, still waiting to drive our cars through customs, it's 36 degrees......Azerbaijan can...
04/08/2015

It's now been 14 hours at the port, still waiting to drive our cars through customs, it's 36 degrees......Azerbaijan can suck it!!

Two-way text messaging anywhere in the world with the inReach satellite communicator.

Waiting at Port for ferry, have tickets, nothing is certain but hopefully boarding in an hour or so...Will turn tracking...
03/08/2015

Waiting at Port for ferry, have tickets, nothing is certain but hopefully boarding in an hour or so...Will turn tracking on when on the move again! Bon Voyage

Two-way text messaging anywhere in the world with the inReach satellite communicator.

And we wait... Day 4. Cargo ship across the Caspian into Kazakhstan - status: unknown.
02/08/2015

And we wait... Day 4. Cargo ship across the Caspian into Kazakhstan - status: unknown.

We're currently three days into an infinite wait for our Caspian Sea cargo ship across to Kazakhstan. We spent 24 hours driving from Georgia to reach Baku in time for a ferry that was supposed to b...

4,000kms, 10 countries and zero sleep later, an Don't Be Russian Us has successfully conquered Europe.
29/07/2015

4,000kms, 10 countries and zero sleep later, an Don't Be Russian Us has successfully conquered Europe.

We're crossing into Asia as I write this. And in typical Asia fashion the computers are broken and there's no backup system to allow us to process our car insurance documents for Turkey. So now we ...

After driving along the north coast of Turkey, one of the cars in the convoy getting bogged Matildas horn no longer work...
28/07/2015

After driving along the north coast of Turkey, one of the cars in the convoy getting bogged Matildas horn no longer working and several hours at the border crossing we made it to Georgia!

Last few days
26/07/2015

Last few days

24/07/2015

We're sorry to report that Don't Be Russian Us is currently a team member down. Under absolutely horrible and unpredictable circumstances, Dale has had to leave us - hopefully not for the entire journey.

Our thoughts are with the Attwood's and all of Stacey's friends and family in this horrible time. We can't even imagine what you're all going through.

Dale - It's not the same without you, and us and the rest of the Human Centipede convoy miss you...

22/07/2015
21/07/2015

Matilda has new fuel pump so hopefully that's the cure we are looking for!! Onward to Budapest to camp tonight!!

The first blog for the team... An insight into our fortnight of preparation.
21/07/2015

The first blog for the team... An insight into our fortnight of preparation.

So here we sit. Day one. We're in the car-park of Goodwood Motor Circuit in the UK, famous for racing high-class and high-powered vehicles. But not today. Today Goodwood is filled with hundreds of ...

Matilda not behaving today, hopefully an easy fix.......just outside Brno in Czech Republic
21/07/2015

Matilda not behaving today, hopefully an easy fix.......just outside Brno in Czech Republic

After a long day, have ended up in Cologne in Germany, free accom in a camp ground with 3 other teams.....we got a great...
19/07/2015

After a long day, have ended up in Cologne in Germany, free accom in a camp ground with 3 other teams.....we got a great big convoy!!

Two-way text messaging anywhere in the world with the inReach satellite communicator.

Goodbye goodwood we had a blast....sorry about the sign. Now onto dover then calais, France!
19/07/2015

Goodbye goodwood we had a blast....sorry about the sign. Now onto dover then calais, France!

On our way
19/07/2015

On our way

Two-way text messaging anywhere in the world with the inReach satellite communicator.

We won't look this good for a very long time!!
18/07/2015

We won't look this good for a very long time!!

It's happening!!
18/07/2015

It's happening!!

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Videos

So its nearly been a year since we took off on our adventure and maybe I got a little nostalgic!! So I decided to cut together some bits and pieces of things I thought were funny, and show life in the car which sometimes presents as a rather bad case of cabin fever!!

This is the final part of the rally, we were dirty, hairy.....this includes Alana, tired, sick of tinned meat but edging towards the finish line, Matilda had some problems but we made it!!

So this is the first days in Mongolia, lots of laughs from the memories, brain drain just thinking about the roads and one very wet Micra (both ours but mostly another teams!!) There's camels, yaks but not any yurts!! Nice short fun video......hope you all enjoy!!

Matilda all dressed up and ready to go.

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