By Lesley Walsh
IT ALL started out as a joke but three intrepid Bangor men are facing a serious challenge as they head out on an expedition of a lifetime – in a Nissan Micra. Twenty eight year-olds Robbie Thompson and Kevin McChesney, and their 27 year-old friend Ethan Murray, set off on Monday for the 10,000-mile Mongol Rally, which kicks off in Prague on July 11, winding its way through Europe and on to its destination near the Mongolian border.
Blazing a trail under the team name ‘Onlystans’, they intend to take in countries like Afghanistan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan, in a rally described by the organisers as ‘miles of chaos across mountains, deserts and roads ranging from bad, to not-a-road for a tiny car.’
Offering ’no backup’ or set route, the rally offers ‘no guarantee you’ll make it to the end’ in the ‘planet-earth sized bucket of adventure’. The threesome have picked up a 25 year-old banger – the Nissan Micra – for their quest which should end on August 28 should the car last the distance.
The three fundamental rules of the rally demand a car of 1200cc engine limit, but ideally under 1000cc, that the teams travel unsupported, and raise at least £500 for charity. The rally originally ended in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, but its destination point was changed to Ulan-Ude in Russia, close to the Mongolian border, due to high costs and taxes associated with vehicles crossing into the country.
With a tent packed on a roof rack of their old Nissan Micra, painted with go- faster flames by Ethan’s girlfriend, local artist Olive Mulvenna, the boys are also carrying a skateboard along for the trip, which their wellwishers who waved them off from Bangor this week, quipped was their ‘back-up’ wheels. Friends since childhood, the trio are no strangers to adventure, each having been on various escapades beyond home borders in the past.
Ethan has cycled the length of Ireland on a bicycle and worked in Vietnam for a year, where Kevin has also travelled solo, including several other neighbouring countries of Asia. Robbie too, has enjoyed extensive global travel, most recently through South America.
They have chosen to raise money for local charity, Autism NI. Robbie and Ethan work with adults and children with complex needs and autism, at Camphill Community Glencraig and Killard House School, respectively.
NI and Cool Earth as they prepare to embark on a drive from Bangor to Mongolia.
On their JustGiving fundraising page, they say they have ‘seen first hand the struggles the individuals and their families face in their day to day lives’, with both having ‘benefitted massively in all aspects of life while working with our lovely friends and so have chosen to raise money for Autism NI’.
Now, along with Kevin, a gardener who is also in the local music business, they face a 1,200 mile trip to Prague, followed by the 10,000 mile rally that they can partially tailor themselves.
Robbie explained that they know what countries they will take en route to Prague, but have yet to confirm the exact details of their subsequent route.
What they do know however, is that they will pass through sites of interest like Palmyra in Syria, and have to actually fly over Armenia and Azerbaijan when they will have to strip the car of their belongings and transport it by freight over the border due to conflict in the region. Sponsored by his cousin, Josh O’Brien, director and co-found of King of Comps UK, Robbie, explained how the venture came about.
“I saw it online and then Ethan and I kept joking about doing it, and the joking got more and more serious and we decided that was that.” Ethan, said: “Robbie texted me in January when I hadn’t even got my driving test yet and he signed us up that day.”
Getting his licence soon after, he’s got that essential driving experience to enable him to share the long haul driving duties with his two companions. Kevin added: “As soon had Robbie explained, I was like yeah, 100 per cent, sign me up and we’ve already raised £2,600.”
The trio have barely had a chance to really contemplate the big adventure that awaits them out on the wide open road, in a rather small car that’s ‘only been road worthy for two weeks’, quipped Robbie.
“I’ve hardly had a chance to think about it, but we’ll get on the ferry and have a beer and talk about it,” he said.
Hopefully they’ll succeed in their ‘winging it’ approach with the help of a rare find, a genuine four leaf clover, captured by a friend in key charm that should send them off with the luck of the Irish as they go. Anyone wishing to donate to Autism NI for their trip can visit https://rb.gy/u4n1k8
