We Have All Made It.

HOORAH we are here.

The trip was a cold wet day from St Petersburg to Helsinki as the last days drive for the epic trip.

We arrived in Helsinki with a front right tyre in need of replacing before I head to the UK tomorrow on the ferry to Germany.

We have all arrived safety in Helsinki and I’m typing this final blog while we are all have a final lunch that will most likely turn in to the final dinner. Everyone is very busy celebrating.

So after 59 days on the road we are now in Helsinki. wit

 

Some quick facts on our trip;

The best road for the trip had to be the 130k into Helsinki on the new four lane motorway.

The worst road for the trip was on the day that I hit the car in China. In China when they are about to rebuild a road it was busted up with a rock hammer to slow the traffic.

We have travelled a total of 18,876 kilometres to get here of which we were towed about 50k while broken down. I drove all but about 20k, one afternoon when I was to tired to get the last bit into town.

We only had 9 days out of the 60 that we didn’t drive.

The longest drive was 955 kilometres in central China.

The shortest day was 20 kilometres in Khorog when we changed our oil on the rest day.

The highest pass was 4865 metres as we crossed the edge of the Tibetan plateau in China

The lowest was -29 metres as we travel around the northern end of the Caspian Sea.

The most spectacular part of the trip other then every day the special time was along Tajik Afghan border with the Hindu Kush the backdrop.

We have had 6 flat tyres.

Penny has used just under 4000 litres of fuel for the trip.

Penny will be going home to Australia for a very big check over and fix ready for the next adventure wherever that will be.

 

Some interesting events that have come to mind;

I had meet my passenger Maurie only twice before we left Bangkok and we’ve had a great time together and great company along with fantastic help in repairing Penny. If I was ever in need of a passenger and company for another trip he would be the first person I call.

 

For the whole 60 days 11 completely different and independent people got along fantastically.

 

Before we could ever leave a hotel in China we had to wait while the towels got counted in every room. One hotel even charged us because the towels were put on the floor after a shower and got dirty.

 

Everyone washed and hung stuff on the lights to dry. I lost a pair of sock 2 days ago that I had worn and washed everyday. I was typing and could smell something burning so turned around to find my socks smoking. As I removed my smoking socks from the light I read the sign I had covered “ caution extremely hot surface” my bad.

 

Finally as this is my last blog post;

I must thank everyone on the trip that has helped Penny and I get to Helsinki.

The most important people to thank is everyone who has been following this blog. It has been all of you reading the blog and sending me emails and responses that have given me the drive to stay up and write a post when some night all I wanted to do was go to sleep.

 

Thank you all.