THE MONGOL RALLY 2017
38 days
17 countries
4 adults squashed in a tiny 1.2L Fiat Panda
16, 000 km's
342+ hours of driving
4 tyre replacements
2 window screen chips
24 engine overheats
1 broken roof rack
1 lost suspension bolt
Countless nights without a shower
WE MADE IT!
A massive thank you to all our sponsors and well wishers. We couldn't have done it without you!
Thank you to all who donated to our two charities, Youth Off The Streets & Cool Earth, we managed to raise $2099.70 AUD!!
THE CHARITIES
Thank you to all the generous people who donated toward our two charities. We managed to raise $1258.70 AUD for Youth Off The Streets and $841 AUD for Cool Earth!!
Cool Earth is a charity that works alongside indigenous villages putting local people back in control with the resources they need to keep their rainforest intact
Youth Off The Streets offers over 35 services for young people who are disadvantaged, homeless, drug dependent and or recovering from abuse
Trivia Night
On Friday 5th May we hosted a Trivia Night at the Montefano Hall, Smithfield. Thank you to all who came! The night was for our chosen charities: Fr Chris Riley's Youth Off The Streets and Cool Earth. With the help of our wonderful sponsors and to everyone who donated, we've managed to reach a total of $1510.10!!!
A massive THANK YOU to all our generous raffle prize donors including:
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Vagabond Cruises
Let's Go Surfing
Dooley's Catholic Club
Ultimate Paintball
iFly Indoor Skydiving
Liverpool Catholic Club
Captain Cook Cruises
Fairfield RSL
Australian National Maritime Museum
Pancakes On The Rocks
Penrith Whitewater
Cabravale Diggers
St Johns Park Bowling Club
EarthRose
Brave Wellness
Clonakilla Wines
"We believe the world is far too safe and organised, that we’ve come to live in ever decreasing circles of freedom. Fear of litigation, greed and a spineless refusal to take responsibility for ourselves have robbed us of one of the most interesting things in life: the unexpected.” ~ The Adventurists
ABOUT US
Team That's Not A Car! We are Patrick, Haylee, Natalie & James; four Sydney-siders and proud Aussies who have decided to take on a journey of epic proportions.
We will be attempting to drive from England to Mongolia, a journey of approximately 40 days. Our team name comes from the iconic quote 'that's not a knife' by one of Australia's greatest film heroes, Mick Dundee.
The Mongol Rally is about getting lost, using your long neglected wits, raising bucket-loads of cash for charity, and scraping into the finish line with your vehicle in tatters and a wild grin smeared across your grubby face. Neither your car, nor your life, will ever be the same again.
At the prime age of 27 years old, Haylee Tumanik considers herself to be quite the mechanic - a "grease monkey" you might say. Her knowledge of cars goes as far as locating the cup holders and adjusting the AC. Pop up cup holders are her favourite. Haylee has vowed to increase this knowledge before the rally takes off. Haylee is quietly obsessed with travelling and has travelled to 30 countries, immersing herself in different cultures and new experiences. Her first genuine PB&J sandwich was on a glacier in Alaska. Haylee can say a few sentences in Polish which will absolutely come in handy when the team doesn't visit Poland or go anywhere near it. Haylee is most looking forward to hitching a ride on a horse in the Mongolian desert, and giving endless cuddles to local kids along the way.
Haylee thought Patrick might be a useful partner with all his gadgets and smooth driving skills. Unfortunately, what she doesn’t know is that he has a habit of buying completely useless gadgets and destroying every car he’s ever owned. He’s even drifted his Nissan Silvia into a shopping mall, narrowly missing all the shoppers. ​​​​​​​Patrick also loves learning about other cultures and has picked up a few words in German, French, Japanese and Korean! These will be incredibly useful in all the countries that he won't be going to. And as a Korean born and raised in Australia, he is very well versed in the Australian language – which will be thoroughly confusing to people who think Australian’s speak English. As a photographer, Patrick is looking forward to capturing images of breathtaking landscapes, intriguing people from a diverse range of cultures and the story of a lifetime!
James Murphy was a late addition to the team. He had to deliberate whether sitting in a tiny car with Haylee and Patrick for forty days was worth the glory of completing The Mongol Rally. James is a guru on car mechanics, however, can’t speak any languages and so has been hard at work practising grand hand gestures with a loud, slow voice. James has road-tripped across the US so Europe and Asia should be a piece of cake. James is looking forward to visiting countries he can barely pronounce and seeing the vast deserts of Kazakhstan and Mongolia.
Our last and final crazy person is Natalie. She chose to do this trip on a whim and leave her casual job because who knows when a crazy adventure is thrown your way? Natalie doesn’t know how to drive manual nor does she even like driving on Sydney roads. She may not be able to help with the driving however she hopes to make up for it with direction and persuasion with the locals. She speaks a little Italian which will go such a long way in Kazakhstan. Natalie has been to 15 countries in Europe and also to our neighbour New Zealand. Her last adventure was moving to the UK on her own to experience what it’s like living in another country, and to really get a sense of independence. Natalie is looking forward to seeing countries and cultures she never thought she would have an opportunity to visit (and maybe eating some incredibly foreign foods she’s never heard of).
CAN YOU SPONSOR US?
Help us get to Mongolia! Advertise your organisation with a fancy vinyl of your choosing. We have plenty of space on our trusty little tincan car for your organisation to accompany us across 1/3 of the world. No doubt your organisation will be seen numerous times in hundreds of our videos and photos across all forms of social media. So secure your spots by sending us an email with your logo attached. We’ll get it printed to a good size and slap it on the tin can. Because we’re good people we’ll also put your logo on our website. Note: the logo needs to be a vector image (File names usually ending in AI or EPS).
Of course we are very keen to get to the finish line in Ulan-Ude, Russia (the middle of woop woop). To do this we need a lot of different things to keep us going (and to get us started again when we most likely cark it in the middle of the Kazakh desert). The more items we can cross off the list means the more we can focus our efforts on fundraising for our chosen charities. Partner up with us by donating an amount for one or more items or just by donating any amount you want. Head over to our fundraising site and add a comment with the item you're donating for or let us choose for you.
OUR ULTIMATE WISHLIST
We've consulted with experts from around the world and we've whittled down our wishlist to a survival list. Everything on this list is vital to the success of our mission - well almost everything. And for helping us out, we're going to help you out in return. Here's a list of rewards:
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Level 1: Listed on our website and social media as a sponsor
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Level 2: Listed on our website and social media as a sponsor + 1 x small logo on our car
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Level 3: Listed on our website and social media as a sponsor + 2 x small logos on our car
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Level 4: Listed on our website and social media as a sponsor + 2 x medium logos on our car
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Level 5: Listed on our website and social media as a sponsor + 2 x large logos on our car
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Level 6: Listed on our website and social media as a sponsor + 2 x large logos on our car + logo on our t-shirts
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Ultimate: Listed on our website and social media as principal sponsor + Prominent logo placement on car as principal sponsor + logo on our t-shirts
Head over to our funding site to donate and grab your rewards!
DONATED! Travel Accessories - Zip Ties
They're useful for anything and we're going to use them for everything! Donated by Denise Nguyen.
DONATED! $10 - Level 1
DONATED! Emergency Equipment - Air Fresheners and Wet Wipes
How many days can you go with out a shower? Air fresheners and wet wipes are going to go a long with keeping each other's BO from being classified as assault with a deadly weapon. Donated by Olivia Gao.
DONATED! $20 - Level 1
DONATED! Emergency Equipment - Jumper Leads
You know when you forget to turn off your headlights after you park the car (because your car at home does it automatically)? Well these cables are what you need in the morning because you car won't start. Donated by Anna Rallos.
DONATED! $25 - Level 1
DONATED! Travel Accessories - Maps
We're not going to lie - we've never been to this part of the world and we're going to get lost. Donated by Mark Fox.
DOANTED! $20 - Level 1
DONATED! Travel Accessories - Compass
Apparently there's this device called a compass. We haven't used one before but we think it's like Google Maps. Donated by Claire Kesby.
DONATED! $25 - Level 1
DONATED! Car Stuff - Tie down straps
Luggage on the roof rack tray won't stay on there by itself so we'll need to tie it down securely. Donated by Robert Le.
DONATED! $25 - Level 1
DONATED! Car Stuff - Jerry Cans
I haven't seen many petrol stations in the Gobi desert. We've been advised it's BYO. Donated by Pius Jeon.
DONATED! $30 - Level 1
DONATED! Emergency Equipment - Rescue Tape
It's exactly what it says on the box. Donated by Michelle Punch.
DONATED! $30 - Level 1
DONATED! Emergency Equipment - Fire Extinguisher
Just in case...well you know...just in case. Donated by Joan Doyle.
DOANTED! $50 - Level 1
DONATED! Travel Accessories - Gifts for Locals (Adults)
We'll be meeting a lot of new friends and we'd love to show our appreciation of their friendship and hospitality with a small gift. Donated by Monica Doumit.
DONATED! $50 - Level 1
DONATED! Travel Accessories - Gifts for Locals (Kids)
We'll be meeting a lot of new friends and we'd love to show our appreciation of their friendship and hospitality with a small gift. Donated by Amanda Bentley
DONATED! $50 - Level 1
DOANTED! Emergency Equipment - Snatch Strap
We're not in an off road vehicle so something tells us that we might need help when we get stuck. Donated by Joan Doyle.
DONATED! $50 - Level 1
DONATED! Camping - Water Tanks x 2
Driving 16,000 kms is thirsty business! Donated by Ky Chow.
DONATED! $100 - Level 2
Car Stuff - Performance Upgrade
We're going to squeeze every drop of power out of our 1 litre engine! So a few things like an washable air filter, 2nd battery and a few bottles of stop leak will keep us plodding along.
$100 - Level 2
DONATED! Car Stuff - Electrical Upgrade
We're not getting a brand new car so no bluetooth or USB ports. We're going to have to upgrade things with an in car inverter, USB ports, etc. Donated by Daniel Klicek
DOANTED! $100 - Level 2
DONATED! Emergency Equipment - Tool Kit
We're not mechanics but we're pretty sure we're going to need more than tape to fix the car. Donated by Paula Slatina
DONATED! $100 - Level 2
DONATED! Emergency Equipment - Radios
When we get sick of each others' voices, we're going to need radios to see if there's anyone else out there. And they're handy in an emergency too. Donated by Sheree & Tom Tumanik.
DONATED! $100 - Level 2
DONATED! Car Stuff - Roof Rack Tray
Being such a tiny car, there isn't much room for luggage so it's going on the roof. Let's hope it doesn’t rain! Donated by Sheree & Tom Tumanik.
DONATED! $150 - Level 3
DONATED! Car Stuff - Spare Parts
Roadside assistance in the middle of the Gobi desert? Probably not so we're taking a few parts with us. Donated by Indy Saggu
DONATED! $150 - Level 3
DONATED! Car Stuff - Driving Lights
We're really afraid of the dark and it'll also help us from driving off a cliff! A little LED light bar will do nicely. Donated by Steve from Fairfield Mobile Autoelectrical Service.
DONATED! $150 - Level 3
Car Stuff - Audio Upgrade
We like our music and no road trip is complete without music. We know this isn't a necessary upgrade but we'd love it if you could help us out.
$150 - Level 3
Camping - Headlamps & Torches
Yes, we're afraid of the dark!
$175 - Level 3
Car Stuff - Off Road Emergency Equipment
This isn't a Top Gear special - there are no support vehicles. We're going to have to get ourselves out of the mud - literally. So it's tyre inflators, jack, etc.
$200 - Level 4
Car Stuff - Spare Tyres
This isn't a Maccas run - where we're going there isn't even a road.
$200 - Level 4
DONATED! Camping - Tents, Chairs, Tables, etc
No hotel, no Airbnb just an open field under the stars...with snakes, scorpions and other things that go bump in the night. So we've been told to bring some basic camping gear. Donated by Pia & Dom from TM Smash.
DONATED! $250 - Level 4
DONATED! Emergency Equipment - Vehicle Extraction & Recovery Pads
When there's no one around to help you get your car out of the mud. Donated by Marisa Mileto of WPAS.
DONATED! $300 - Level 4
Vinyl stickers for our car!
Y'all wanted to get your logos on our car so Brian at Jordan Signs is printing them all for us! But it does cost!
DONATED! Travel Accessories - Roof Box and Bars
Strong secure storage containers that will survive 16,000kms on the roof of a car is what we're looking for. Donated by Julie Cleary.
DONATED! $550 - Level 5
DONATED! Car Stuff - Suspension
Because where we're going the potholes look like moon craters. After the tyres are gone, the suspension will be the next thing to break. Donated by Ned Hoyt.
DONATED! $600 - Level 5
The Car
1 x beat up rust bucket with possibly 4 wheels, a teeny little engine and some crazy adventurists. If you can help with this or even part of the cost, we'll be your slaves for life!
$2500 - Ultimate!
Head over to our funding site to donate and grab your rewards!
CONTACT US
WE ARE LOOKING FOR SPONSORS AND WELL WISHERS
PLEASE FOLLOW OUR BIG ADVENTURE BY LIKING US ON FACEBOOK AND FOLLOWING OUR INSTAGRAM AND TWITTER ACCOUNTS.