The Expedition Quad Squad
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Date Posted:
July-13-2010 11:10
11
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March 15, 2011
Note from the FHM team: Our deepest condolences go to the family and friends of Expedition Quad Squad team member Valerio de Simoni, who tragically passed away after being hit by a car in Malawi last Saturday. Our thoughts are with the team, who will continue the expedition in their friend's honour.
January 11, 2011
High points:
- Happy New Year and Christmas from the Quad Squad. With a new year and only 7,000kms to break the new world record, 2011 is shaping up to be a big one. Since we last spoke we have been through 3 more countries and experienced some hard and exciting moments.
- Mysterious Sudan was the next country we visited after Egypt. To get into Sudan you must take a ferry that only leaves once a week. It takes 5 days to organise, but sleeping on the deck on an old-fashioned steam boat vessel under the full moon sky made it well worth it. Trekking through the Nubian desert and South all the way to Ethiopia has made me question media reports on this country. Sudan is a modern country with a beautiful desert that looks similar to the Australian outback. The people are extremely friendly. However, pack loads of money as things are not cheap.
- Leaving Sudan meant leaving Northern Africa. Our next stop was Ethiopia. As soon as you enter the country the temperature begins to change. The hot air of the desert is replaced by the fresh breeze of the mountains. The people become more typically African looking as the Arabic culture dissolves. Ethiopia is by far the most beautiful overall country we have seen. The landscape changes from mountains to a tropical rainforest to desert as you head south. The team experience 5 breakdowns in 11 days and unfortunately the country will be remembered for being a vortex of courage as every time we made some distance we would face another issue.
- Kenya here we come. As Christmas approaches we find ourselves on the most dangerous road in Africa. The road, if you can call it a road, is known for bandit attacks. Not only is it dangerous it is also the toughest road to ride, as it is full of rocks and bath tub pot holes. Ted's quad broke down at the border, meaning the team was split in two again. While Ted rode on the back of a truck with 15 chickens, 2 tonnes of beans and 35 people, Jamie and Val spent two full 10-hour days on rocky terrain. Nevertheless, the Squad pulled through this and made it to the coast of Kenya to celebrate New Year with family.
- The quad squad for two weeks took a break from riding and took some valuable time to relax and take in some sun.
- Overall the team is enjoying the off-road riding. The quad performs the best in this terrain. It almost feels like the quad is invincible in the toughest of places.
Low points:
- The arguments keep increasing with the team as time shrinks. Making distances to meet timelines means long days, lack of proper food and crappy beds or camp sites to sleep in. Body fatigue is on everyone's face.
- Not getting to see a country properly because we did not plan our spare parts correctly, which in turn caused breakdowns.
- Not finding clean water for a few hundred kilometres. Also, the lack of petrol in Ethiopia.
- Having to pay $450US to get a quad on the back of a truck in Northern Kenya.
Award of the month go to:
- All the people that helped us out on the side of the road. From the mechanic shop in Desse, Ethiopia to the military that joined the team on a stretch of dangerous road. The more we travel the more we see the kindness of strangers.
Watch videos of their adventures here!
Click here for previous weeks!
Background info:In August 2010, three young Australians will set out on a 12-month adventure, travelling from Istanbul to Sydney on ATV to raise awareness for Oxfam Australia's global poverty campaign.
The team's challenge combines a fundraising target of $100,000 for Oxfam Australia and attempting to break a Guinness World Record for the longest journey on an ATV. Twelve months, three continents, 32 countries and 40,000km of continuous global awareness and challenge.
The Expedition Quad Squad leaves Istanbul, Turkey on August 1, 2010, taking three months to cross the Western European continent, six months to cross the African continent from top to bottom, and four months to cross the Australian continent before returning home to Sydney, Australia a full 365 days from departure.
Want to make a donation? Click here!You can also check out their
official website.
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