How many famous Mongolians can you name?
Ghengis Kahn’s a given as is Kublai Khan but how about Roy Chapman Andrews
Nice Antlers There Roy
(ok an honorary Mongolian and apparently the man Indian Jones was modelled on) and of course who can forget Baron Ungern von Sternberg?
Mad, Bad and Dead
A bit of a nutter who thought he was the re-incarnation of Ghengis, he led a bit of reign of terror in Mongolia in the 1920’s before he annoyed his own troops so much that they captured him and handed him over to the Russians – who promptly shot him. His book on man management wasn’t a big seller.
Why the sudden interest in Mongolia? Because, in a small way, I’ve become involved with the Trans-Siberan Trainspotters who have entered the Mongol Rally.
The Mongol Rally
This is an annual event where basically you set off from Goodwood near London on July 18th and hope to arrive in the capital of Mongolia sometime later. To make life interesting, the organisers don’t issue a route and they absolutely insist you make the journey in a car with an engine capacity of less than 1 litre. Apparently they regard the rally as an adventure more than anything else.
Given what can only be described as slack approach to organisation, teams have to plan their own route and so can drive anything between 8 – 10,000 miles to reach Ulaan Baatar. Apparently there’s no motorway linking the 2 capitals and satnav coverage is sketchy to say the least. Interestingly there’s nothing on their website that mentions getting back home again. I hope those that make it get a better reception than Baron von Sternberg.
The Trans-Sib Trainspotters consist of John, Niamh and Cillian and they’ll be making the trip in a Dhiatsu Terios.
The Mighty Trainspotter Terios
They have a very entertaining blog here which hopefully they’ll be updating as they go. Don’t know what they’ll find in the way of internet connections in Azerbaijan though.
They’ve also organised a Mongol Disco
Mongol Disco Flyer
on the 27th June at the Orphan Girl in Ballymoney which will be absolutely THE must goto event in Ballymoney this year. Money raised by Disco will go towards the Christina Noble Charity and the RNLI.
Talking of charity, if you want to sponsor the Trainspotters please go to their donations site here and give, give, give.
To guarantee that they make it to Ulaan Bataar the Trainspotters will be using Jag Bag Endura Silk Sleeping Bag Liners which will help them keep warm during those long, lonely, cold nights out on the Stepp. While the silk will stop you being bitten by mossies I’m not too sure how it stands up to wolf bites. Better take a big stick to be on the safe side. Or some pepper spray. Or both. Or just don’t get out of the car.
Ulaan Bataar on a Sunny Day
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