LIMO To AFRICA

Here's the Plan

What do you get when you cross a Kiwi car-wreck fiend, two Turkish firecrackers, a furry American mountain man, two American globe-trotting bon-vivants, a French-Canadian, and an off-road limousine?

ADVENTURE

It all started with four friends and one crazy idea entering the 2008 Plymouth Bamako Challenge an epic adventure of a lifetime. The Challenge is to simply drive the 3,600 mile route from Plymouth, England to Bamako, Mali, in Africa on a limited budget, with the principle aim of helping charitable causes in developing countries.

We will be departing England December 2007 for this 4 week journey through Europe and Africa in a sturdy (*we hope*) white 1988 Lincoln Town Car 5' stretch Limousine. Her name is Vegas (thats where we picked her up, a real steal). She purrs like a (slightly inebriated, colicky) kitten and drives like the Queen Mary.

For a taste of what we're undertaking, check this out.

The Event

Ever heard of the Paris / Dakar Rally ?  It's an off-road rally from Paris to Dakar, Senegal.  Competing teams are well sponsored and spend millions of dollars in preparing their vehicles.  The Plymouth / Dakar is not this event.  It is for those of us with budgets too limited to tackle the great Paris / Dakar Rally.  The Plymouth / Dakar Challenge is to simply drive the route from Plymouth to Dakar (on a limited budget) with the principle aim of helping some charitable causes in Bamako, Mail.

The rules are as follows:
1.  Competing cars must cost less than $150.
2.  Maximum budget for the vehicle Rally Preparation: $25
3.  Once the Rally is underway, there will be no form of formal
     assistance from the organizers in any way - Teams are
     ON THEIR OWN   All of vehicles that make the full distance
     must be handed over to be auctioned under controlled
     conditions in aid of local charities.
4.  All vehicles must be LEFT-HAND DRIVE!!
5.  Rules are made to be broken.

Why?

Somebody had this crazy idea and we are all following through with it  for a variety of reasons.  Fun and satisfying our sense of adventure is part of it, plus we get to to raise money for a great set of charities in the region at the same time.  The event benefits various projects in Bamako, Mali via the Bamako Rotary.

You're kidding?

Well, did we mention the Kiwi, French-Canadian, Turk, & Yank live in San Francisco , USA?  Thats approximately 6000+ miles away from London , UK where the challenge starts.  This group also has no knowledge or experience driving limos, driving in foreign domiciles, navigating the Sahara.....it's totally uncharted territory.

COULD BE A PROBLEM....