From the “What Could Possibly Go Wrong?” Department, we have the story of Nicky West and Rob Stacy who left Hatfield, Hertfordshire, England, on Sunday for a quick jaunt across Europe and North Africa in a stock, largely original 1961 Mini.
But at least if their 50-year-old British car doesn’t leave them stranded and they make it to their destination, they’ll be safe… at the Great Pyramid of Giza, just west of Cairo, Egypt, where angry Egyptians overthrew the government in January.
Seriously, these are people who need a travel agent.
“It is going to be a really hard slog,” admitted Nicky. “The Mini has no air conditioning, and we’ll spend over 10 hours in the car each day with temperatures around 40 degrees C, so we should certainly come back a bit thinner! The political situation in some of the countries we travel through is a slight concern at present, but we have a number of alternative routes already planned should we need to make a diversion.”
Nicky and Rob are making the run to support the Willow Foundation charity, which helps young people afflicted with life-threatening illnesses to live their dreams or to take a break from treatment to be with their loved ones. Nicky and Rob hope that their journey, without a support crew, will raise 11,000 British pounds for the Willow foundation.
Although carefully prepared for the journey, the car is unrestored and original, powered by the 850cc engine. Prior to their purchasing the Mini, it had been off the road since 1967. Assuming the pair is successful traversing 10 countries in 35 days, in 2012, Veloce will be publishing the book, Mini Minor to Asia Minor, covering the journey in detail. Some 40 percent of the royalties earned by the book will go to the Willow Foundation.
“At the end of the day, it should be a fantastic drive, and it’s for a really great cause,” Rob said.
For more info check out the pair’s website at www.miniminor2asiaminor.co.uk. Or look them up on Facebook.