18,500 km from Malta to Mongolia in a little Fiat Panda
This Summer, three superheroes went on an adventure of a lifetime – driving over 18,500km from Malta to Mongolia in a little Fita Panda (which they call Betty) all in aid of three charities, one of which is Inspire Foundation.
The Mongol Rally is a motoring adventure through which participants have to take any car with an engine of 1.2 litres or smaller and on their own, with no backup or support, have to drive a long distance, while raising at least £1,000 for charity.
So what was the challenge like? Here’s what the trio told Inspire Foundation…
What was the biggest challenge you faced?
The biggest challenge for us was not knowing how to fix our car when we needed to. We found ourselves at the mercy of car mechanics and locals when our poor Betty was not having a good day. Luckily everyone we met along the way was really kind and helpful, offering food and company while our car was being fixed.
What was the highlight of the trip?
Driving over 18,500km across 24 countries is, of course, a highlight in itself but our favourite place was the Pamir Highway in Tajikistan. We spent a week driving the dirt roads, wild camping along the Afghan border, pushing our car up steep and narrow passes, even reaching 4655m in altitude at Ak-Baital. It truly was an unforgettable experience!
Other than the beautiful places we have seen, the real highlight was the incredible hospitality we experienced along the way. Whenever we needed help, people were always willing to drop what they were doing and help us. Also, the invaluable friendships we made with other ralliers really made the adventure a richer experience.
Would you do it again?
We would do it again in a heartbeat! We would probably take more time off next time and spend more time in each country. There are so many beautiful places we have visited that we would like to go back to and explore further.
You are still in time to donate towards this challenge – visit https://www.gofundme.com/f/spoileralert-mongolrally
On behalf of Inspire Foundation’s service-users and their families, we thank you!
