Hugo's Big Adventure

Hi people,

Just a very very quick note to let you know that there are a heap more albums up on the old blogger site for you to look at. We wanted to get them done first so we don’t have them hnging over our heads while we travel. So go have a llok through about 10 galleries. Gem has also done another massive blog post but it needs June put into it so you’ll get that at the next internet stop.

This blog is also being tarted up a little so expect some changes.

As for us, we are safe and travelling fine so far. We’ll update you all properly soon but so far the campsites have been fairly scatchy with internet access.

Speak soon!
Duncan.

Welcome to Hugo’s Big Adventure! This will be a all new blog that we will update while we do our big final driving trip. We intend to set off from London sometime around the 1st of August 2009 and just drive around Europe and Western Russia seeing all the stuff we haven’t yet for 6 to 9 months or until the money runs out.

So far we don’t really have a set itinery, just a bunch of places we want to see and we’ll make the rest up as we go.

For the trip we have bought a 1993 Toyota Land Cruiser which we have named Hugo. He is a fairly big brute being a 4.2L turbo deisel 4WD with full locking diffs (oooh I hear you say). But we thought that seeing as he will be our transport and our accommodation for all this time we should make sure he is serviced well and upgraded slightly. So far he has been in for the first round of upgrades and is due back in later this month to have the final bits and pieces done.

So what are we having done?

• Full service including all filters, belts, hoses, bearings and fluids,
• Fuel injectors serviced,
• Axles stripped and cleaned,
• New brakes all round,
• 5 new BFGoodrich All Terrain tyres,
• Upgraded Old Man Emu suspension,
• Full length roof rack,
• Roof top tent,
• Waeco 40L fridge,
• Spare leisure battery and extra 12v sockets,
• Battery management system to hook up the leisure battery,
• Small hidden floor safe sunk into a wheel arch, and
• Snorkel and diff breather kit.

With all this stuff Hugo should be able to provide us with everything we need to travel and live for months in relative comfort and security. Can’t wait!

Next few steps is to get the last of the above list done, do a 4 wheel driving course, a first aid course, and buy some of the last few necessities like a solar shower, jerry cans, a stove etc.

It’s going to be really exciting! Can’t wait!

Until then we will still be posting on our “And in English that means…” blog (http://www.ihsen.com/blogger/) with all the happenings of our travels and our London life. So keep tuned to both!

That’s all for now. Duncan.