I wrote about this over at Gadling today but thought it would be an interesting story here too. It seems that a British man named Roy Locock has spent the last 14 months driving around the world in his 1977 MG Midget convertible in an effort to raise funds for UNICEF and to prove a point to his friends who said that he couldn’t do it.
Last June, Roy rolled out of London, driving through the Chunnel and into Europe, where he just kept going. After reaching India, he then caught a boat to Australia, where he continued his journey by car, crossing that continent as well. One he rand out of land, he hopped aboard another boat, and ended up in South America, where he started the long drive north. He’s currently in Canada, and making his way eastward, where he’ll eventually catch one last boat for home.
The whole adventure started after Roy and some friends were discussing the logistics and issues of just such a journey. Some challenged his notion that he could do it, so he decided to prove them wrong, and in the process, raise some money for charity. He admits that he has really enjoyed the open road, and the freedom that comes with it, and even says that at one point he gave up buying maps, just to wander the roads under his own direction. This became especially true when he reached South America, and just knew that he had to keep going north.
Pretty cool adventure of a completely different kind. A long distance road trip that would be great to do with some friends, and while it would have plenty of challenges, it wouldn’t be nearly as demanding as some of the things I write about on here. Who wouldn’t want to hit the open road for months at a time? What kind of vehicle would you want to go in? I think it would be great to have a camper van, so you’d have a place to sleep while traveling. Whose ready to hit the open road with me?
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How's he raising money when he's buying a boat in Australia?
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He's not buying a boat, he's just using it to go form one continent to the next. Like a long crossing with his car.
Driving around the world is less of a feat than getting a 1977 Midget around the block without a breakdown or major ecological incident!
LOL! Very good point! They have been known to break down a time or two. But that's part of their appeal. People like to tinker with them. 🙂