10 days until we fly to Beijing. 17 days until Peking to Paris rally starts

Hi All

Its now only 10 days until we fly to Beijing and 17 days until the Rally starts.
Have we remembered everything...?
No... I remembered that I still need some properly fitting leather gloves... I sent the last pair back as my fingers didnt reach the ends.

We recieved a Final tips newsletter, yesterday, from the Rally Office, which was interesting reading. Especailly the comments on accommodation at the pass between Tibet & Nepal on the 1997 Peking to Paris rally. The low concrete building had no doors, windows and one unusable outside toilet... 200 drivers & passengers had to stay the night. Most camped in their tents.

A very apt line in the newsletter says "S**t happens...so, expect things to go wrong, regularly, take it on the chin and you will come out of this smiling."
I am smiling already, I'm going half way around the world in a 1960 Sunbeam Rapier. Wow how excited am I.

Other tips:
This is not a fashion Parade. leave jewelery at home
Pack light. Feddie & Janet, the winners of the 80 days around the world Rally had just four pairs pants/knickers each.
Do you need a suitcase. The 2 blue offical Peking-Paris travel bags are so big... (er no I think small)
T-shirts are good - No, we don't dress for dinner!!
Grub up. Food will be dreadful sometimes, take sachets of tomato ketchup, mustard, salt, packet soup... etc
I am the light... Torches, matches are useful... Mongolia ...No country we have ever tried to plan a rally route through has been so hard... Our route books are not the Gospel, we never said they were accurate.

And Finally...leave the official website with loved ones so they can follow your progress.

The offical website for the rally is www.pekingparis.com
Each day we have a sheet of paper in the route book to write what's happened to us, tear it out and give it to the organisers, so you may read about us, but bear in mind there are 134 cars competting.

Our Sponsors: Enersol Corporation's website is www.enersolcorp.com
Click on the Team Enersol Peking to Paris icon for updated information, that we hope will be updated each time we can send an email to Franky or Steve at Enersol.

I hope to give short tip bits of what's happened to us, when I can, on this blog. You know the type... really silly things that you just can't believed happened. Expect some rambles and definatly spelling mistakes anyway, satalite phones are expensive.

We're told that mobile phones will work just about every day, so you can always send me a text more personally, if you have my number ending in 501. I'll try and respond that day.

Pamela & I are having some last minute navigational training on the Halda, average speeds & tulips tonight with Neil, the guy who supplied our Halda trip meter.

I'm dual driving with my Dad in his Beach Buggy on a Production Car Trial in Stroud, this Sunday, did I think this through properly, maybe not, but I enjoy them.

See you all, some sooner than others.
Love
Nicola