The Friday night party at the Trumens Brewery; London
The car park next to the party
John beginning to set up camp, we were 2 minutes from a very busy and noisy street full of bars and restaurants. It was far from ideal!!
Fortunately the Fuse brothers found us and invited us to stay in there hotel room five minutes up the road. Fallen on our feet aready!!
Early start on the first official day of the rally so a spot of sight seeing around the capital
The Thames from Tower bridge
The London Eye
Big Ben
Westminster Abbey
Horse Guards i think...
She was home so we thought we would pop in for breakfast.
Two Canadians who had shipped there car over to England. I can safely say they were the only ones who had there tent strapped to the roof!!
John making us bacon butties in the middle of Hyde Park.
Our last decent meal for a while!
The SJ at home between fellow ralliers, on the left Team Tempus Fuggit; Rob and Phil who we would convoy with later in Czech Republic.
All the cars lined the road for as far as you could see.
A traditional Mongolian Yur.
These two guys on motor bikes were brave souls, (apparently they made it into Ulaan Baatar a few days after us)
Go North, little did we know at the time but this car would later become a big part of our rally and a young bellow by the name of Blake would become an integral part of the team.....
We later found this SJ in the middle of Mongolia driven by a local who was less than willing to lend some fellow ralliers a hand!
The Mitchel Brothers (left) and Fuse Brothers (right)
The ice cream van together with chest freezer and ice cream, they served free cones out on the launch day!
Starsky and Clutch
Starsky and Clutch, great name and great paint job!
More crazy guys, this time on monkey bikes!!
David and Illiana, a couple from New York who we would meet in Baku, Azerbaijan. Illiana's Dad had driven the car from there home in Bulgaria to London to meet the couple for them to begin the rally from Hyde Park.
Jack Osborne beginning his rally with last minute additions to his car.
Jack Osborne's support car, a fully kitted out L200 to carry film crew, body guard and doctor. Hmm starting to think we are slightly under prepared!!
The London taxi, they kept the meter running the entire trip, it was over £24,000 when they finally reached Ulaan Baatar.
The Galaxy boys, slightly bigger than litre sized engine but was allowed as they planned to have seven in the car. Turned out on the day they only had four but were all dressed in sailors uniforms and looked the part.
The only SJ i know which finally arrived without any problems and could have probably done the whole thing again.
The very impressive 1964 Morris Minor of Rob and Duncan, we would meet these guys in Mongolia
The Mongol Mystery Machine, Pat and Mark. Again we would meet and convoy with these boys in Mongolia
Duncan in his school uniform
We would camp with these two, an Aussy couple in Bulgaria
Team Touchy, pictured Steve - o (left) we ran into these boys a few times down the road!!
Chris and Ross and the Green Pea Vivio. We would meet at the siege of Baku and the 3 day wait for the ferry. Their exit to the rally would become a legendary story!!
The Mexicans
The traditional Mongolian music as demonstrated by an Englishmen. Few things, it was terrible and this guy had he played one more song would have sufffered a mass beating from everyone in the vicinity of Hyde Park. Also I heard none of this 'music' in the time we were out there!
The SJ with her complete set of stickers
The crowds of well wishers cheer us out.
And we are off. the Mongol precession runs riot through the streets of London
The channel tunnel, to say we looked a little of out place would be an understatement.
Calais and already the rain and bad weather has gone, time for some decent photos!
