Back in the early days of 2015, Nathan and Richard started the long drawn out planning process for embarking upon the Mongol Rally 2016.  Many hundreds of hours were spent pouring over maps of the continent, researching in detail potential routes, possible hazards, Passport and Visa requirements and flight details.  They both attended language classes in Farsi, Russian, Kazakh and Turkish, and scouts were sent out to key points along the route to conduct reconnaissance on the local laws, culture, customs and traditions, to ensure they would have unobstructed passage through central Asia.

Ok that’s mostly lies … fiiiine, it’s all lies … what actually happened was late in 2015, Richard managed to put his paint by numbers set down for long enough to look up at the map of the British Empite above his desk and realised to his absolute horror that some of the bits that used to be red, weren’t red any more, and vital trade routes such as the Silk Road weren’t being utilised!  This simply would not do, and so began the planning of a sole adventure along the silk road … I say ‘planning’ … what he really did was to enter the team and then immediately do nothing for 2 months.  Then in early 2016 Nathan finished with his long term girlfriend, and whilst in the midst of an early mid-life crisis, and as a professional carer, decided it would be wise to accompany Richard on his adventure to make sure he didn’t get into any more trouble than usual.  He’s committed now, there’s no getting out of it!

I feel a song coming on…

“Come on, come on, come on, come on

(Together) We will go our way
(Together) We will leave someday
(Together) Your hand in my hand
(Together) We will make our plans
(Together) We will fly so high
(Together) Tell all our friends good-bye
(Together) We will start life new
(Together) This is what we’ll do

(Go East) Life is peaceful there
(Go East) In the open air
(Go East) Where the skies are blue
(Go East) This is what we’re gonna do

(Go East, this is what we’re gonna do, Go East)

(Together) We will love the beach
(Together) We will learn and teach
(Together) Change our pace of life
(Together) We will work and strive
(I love you) I know you love me
(I want you) How could I disagree?
(So that’s why) I make no protest
(When you say) You will do the rest

(Go East) Life is peaceful there
(Go East) In the open air
(Go East) Baby you and me
(Go East) This is our destiny
(Go East) Sun in wintertime
(Go East) We will do just fine
(Go East) Where the skies are blue
(Go East, this is what we’re gonna do)

There where the air is free
we’ll be (We’ll be) what we want to be
Now if we make a stand
we’ll find (We’ll find) our promised land

(I know that) There are many ways
(To live there) In the sun or shade
(Together) We will find a place
(To settle) Where there’s so much space
(Without rush) And the pace back East
(The hustling) Rustling just to feed
(I know I’m) Ready to leave too
(So that’s what) We are gonna do

(What we’re gonna do is
Go East) Life is peaceful there
(Go East) There in the open air
(Go East) Where the skies are blue
(Go East)  This is what we’re gonna do
(Life is peaceful there) Go East
(In the open air) Go East
(Baby, you and me) Go East
(This is our destiny)
Come on, come on, come on, come on

(Go East) Sun in wintertime
(Go East) We will feel just fine
(Go East) Where the skies are blue
(Go East) This is what we’re gonna do
(Come on, come on, come on, come on)
(Go East)”