h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I've wanted to do the Plymouth-Banjul Challenge for a few years now. The idea is similar to that of the Paris-Dakar Rally, except that it's for bums. You're only allowed to spend £100 on your car, which must be left hand drive, and make £50 of modifications to get the car across 3,700 miles to The Gambia - including a huge stretch across the Sahara. The whole journey takes three weeks, and at the end the cars are auctioned for charity. I've known about it for a while; my desire to do it was heightened by Portuguese TV showing clips alongside the Paris-Dakar when I was in Sagres, and confirmed in The Gambia when a car appeared in Tumani Tenda while we were there. This is the trip I need to do.

http://www.plymouth-banjul.co.uk/

I can't do it, though.

I can get the month off work - in January, when the hotel is dead. I can raise funds for the trip through the hotel, making several grand extra profit for the charities by fundraising all year. I can even persuade E that this is part of what I am, and that three weeks without me is nothing compared to the hell I'll be if I never do anything like this ever again. I'm happy to part with the £300 fee to register; small beer for the experience. I've travelled in third world countries before, and can negotiate bribes and deal with officials with a on my face. I'm incredibly comfortable in travelling situations, and find them easier to deal with than queueing in a supermarket and being asked if I need help packing bloody bags.

It's just me, though. For safety reasons, I can't do the trip without a co-driver who can get the time off. For sanity reasons, I need to have someone with me who I can get on with for three weeks in close company non-stop. For practical reasons, I need someone who knows a bit about cars and can help deal with the inevitable breakdown on the way. For financial reasons, I need someone who's got £200 to hand (£200 for registration, £50 towards the car) and who is savvy enough to avoid getting scammed at every stop.

The one person I know who fits all four is married with two kids, and memorably said 'My heart says yes, but my head says no'. I don't know anyone else who comes close; everyone I know is getting married or starting a new job, or has no spirit of adventure, or would be intolerable beyond Roscoff.

I've got three weeks to find someone, and I'm resigned to the fact that it ain't going to happen. And to be honest, I'm devastated. It's not going to happen; I've lost a big dream. E said in jest that we should have a kid that I can wean on the idea, and it seems the most realistic way right now.

When did adventure become secondary? When did we lose the pioneering spirit in exchange for nice houses and central heating and career progressions? When did we become so conditioned to a bland life to such an extent that such an enormous challenge floundered without a thought? I'm 31 in ten days, and I wonder how many days I've spent in bed when I could have been out chasing rainbows? How much of my youth have I committed to drunkenness and dull pursuits without giving any of the alternatives a moment's thought? What could I have done while I still had the chance?

Don't get me wrong; my friends have great lives, and they're very happy. Everyone I speak to has a spark in their eyes at the idea - you can feel it even over the phone - but their own lives make it impossible. The bit that hurts in this case is that I could do it, very easily, but I can't without someone coming with me. So that's that.

And with this realisation, a big part of me has gone as well.

I used to know someone who was a rally driver,he did the Paris/Dakar etc he got married & had kids 'n stuff; i will contact my ex & see if he's still around; if that's any help. He won a Lotto & has money.

*racks brain cell to remember his name. The driver, not the ex*

zdt

That was terribly eloquent in the last few paragraphs, Rich - I only regret that I satisfy my spirit of adventure in slightly tamer ways.

spirit of adventure: still there

reality: getting in the way

Sorry, Rich, I sort of know how you feel.

I remember seeing something like this some time ago. You should speak to my older brother - he's got no sense of responsibilty so could jsut get up and go, and he can fix up old bangers ok.

He may well have the cash, but whether you'd get on with him for three weeks or not is the problem.

Try again for next year - find someone on the net who wants to do it and spend a year making sure you don't want to bury them under a pyramid after four days.



My sense of adventure is fulfilled plenty driving that Bambi up and down hills.

Hi Skanky

I subscribed to your journal when you came over and chatted about Mark's writing.

Now, by strange co-incidence someone I work very closely with is a complete and absolute petrolhead. He rebuilds cars and races them. He's got about fifteen cars in assorted stages of rebuild his various garages at the moment and he's currently putting together a hotrod from bits. He also an ex-pat - grew up in the middle east, so I guess he'd be as scam-proof as you get. And he's a *very* nice bloke.

I'll point this thread out to him... This may come to absolutely nothing, but worth a try, if he couldn't take the time off or want to go, he's the most likely person I know to know someone else who might be interested; he rents a few garages across the south which he shares other guys like him, so he may know of someone else, even if he's not up for it himself.

As I say, it may come to nothing, but may keep your dream alive a little bit longer - I'll pass the message on today.

Alternatively, what about advertising for a driving partner? There must be other people who'd love the idea? Classic cars website? That kind of thing? My workmate might be able to suggest some of those too.

Don't give up quite yet!

I'll go along with that, Peta

Never say never, Skanks. Repeat it until you believe it... never say never... never say never.... never say never....

.. never say never... never say never...

and there's always next year, which gives you 12 months and three weeks to get it all together

W

Hope you find someone, Skanky, it does sound like a hell of a trip!

I'd love to go but like everyone else there's no way I could get enough time off work. I'd try asking on the Practical Classics forums as they've covered it a few times in the past http://practicalclassiccars.myfreeforum.org and also www.retro-rides.com and http://www.autoshite.com/forum/index.php which are all full of like-minded automotive tat-loving types.

Good luck, you should definitely do it if you can wangle it at all.

I'd love to do something adventurous like that - but actually trying to get 2 weeks off where I work is a Major Undertaking and not for the Faint Hearted.

Thanks very much, everyone, for your thoughts, ideas and replies

FB, I think if this was something one could so solo, I'd have signed up already. Unfortunately, I do have a genuine 'handicap' in this, in that I can't do it alone. I need to persuade someone else to do it with me. It's a shame it's not something that just needs a big heap of courage to do, otherwise I'd be looking for a car right now. The irony, Wilma, is that in January 2009 I'll be about to join the ranks of the married myself, so I won't be able to do it for the same reasons other people can't at the moment!

Peta, thanks so much for bringing Paul over; shame you can't do it, mate, with a ringing endorsement like that! I'd be a bit wary of advertising for someone, as it's very difficult for me to find time to meet people, so I'd only actually be able to hook up with a potential co-driver a matter of weeks before departure. I get on with almost everyone I meet, but I know my luck as well - I'd be bound to get lumbered with some flipping Neanderthal type (no offence, Wilma) and have the trip ruined. I'll probably still keep an eye on and maybe even post on those boards, though, just in case.

If anyone does think of a mad friend, though, you will let me know, won't you?

If anyone thinks of a mad friend...

*Several* people spring to mind for this one!

Good luck Skanky - I hope you do find someone, and if you don't you manage to go another year.

Hmmm... mad but not neanderthal...

*strokes hairy chin thoughtfully*

That's a tall order, Rich

I do hope something comes up and you manage to pull a co-pilot out of a hat









am I mixing metaphors again?

Gawds, Skanky..... i wish you'd posted something like this a few months earlier!..... kindred spirit to some extent i think........keep on truckin.... you've got to hope...

Now i'm thinking of whether or not i could get my own wee team together for next year..... hmmmmmm....

never say never... never say never....

I've got a crazy friend, sorry, lovely friend who sounds just the ticket.

He's given up his day job to be able to do more green stuff (erm, cars, green, argh...keep going Jules) and survives by being a part-time consultant at whatever it is he actually does. He could raise money for his green thingies so that might draw him in, is VERY comfortable in developing countries....


....and I don't want to get your hopes up but now you've gone and excited me too. But can he drive? Good question. Probably.

with the dream chasing Rich
I'm 52 in 2 days and I'm still having great times (occasionally)

There is life after marriage (can't you teach Elaine to drive?)



GB

This might be a useful site.

http://www.rallycodriver.co.uk/

zdt

Gawd, the things i do for you!

Right, i've discovered via various phone calls the name of the guy who does the Rallies in Middle East, he is Ron Oakley. Maybe based in Dubai, or UK or France, probably all 3. Go to this site & scroll down:

http://www.khalidalqassimi.com/pages/newsdetails.asp?id=1

OK, he came last, but hell, does that matter? How many people bring you official websites from Real Live Sheiks eh?

With a bit more ferreting i could probably find someone who has done this thing before & wants to do it again; i honestly doubt these folks worry about the money aspect & as for personality type, i can only vouch for Ron himself, who is loopy but laid back & obviously, since he has survived all the major Middle East/African rallies, pretty switched on regarding car stuff.

zdt

Blimey Rich.

(How to say this out loud without coming across like a total numpty... Hmmm?)


I read the first paragraph of your journal, and my head said "Oi Paff, don't read any more, don't be getting any ideas". My heart, however, paused the iTunes, pushed the chicken bhuna out of the way, pulled the laptop closer and scrolled back up to the top to start again...

So here's the thing.
By complete coincidence (if you believe in coincidence) I woke up this morning and thought to myself "I never did drive to Africa and back!" Within a matter of minutes I'd got from "I wonder if I ever will?" to "That'd make a good entry for the guide" and round to "eldest nipper is 13 now and will be of driving age before I know it".


Do I say any more? My head is already saying "don't bother mate" and is already telling me I'm not even going to hit the 'post message' button. My heart, however, is saying "I'm self employed, I haven't worked more than 9 months in a year since 2002" and "I did used to regularly take my minis apart" and "I've probably still got the Haynes manuals" and "250 quid, is that all".


But then my head has noticed that while I've been writing post 19 has just appeared, which seems to cover the bases better than I could...

Paff (hitting 'post message' anyway)