Banjul
or Bust! | | The
'Lada Louts' on their Sahara run |
Its been called the
craziest rally in the world. Every year hundreds of people drive thousands
of miles through the Sahara desert in clapped-out cars that have cost less than
a hundred pounds. The Plymouth-Banjul challenge is a parody of the famous
Paris-Dakar rally, which follows an almost identical route through West Africa. Inside
Out West follows two students from Bristol, attempting to become the youngest
ever team to complete the challenge. Lada challenge Tim Hendrikz
and John Weeks are hoping a worn out Lada will get them through one of the most
hostile environments in the world in one piece. The plan is to head across
the channel, through Europe into Morocco - then down the West coast of Africa,
through Mauritania and Senegal and eventually aiming to get to The Gambia. They
have just three weeks to make it. But halfway down Morocco the trouble begins.
Oil is pouring from the gearbox. A bodge on the gear box has become 'unbodged'.
Eventually, with a bit of tweaking, they make it to the campsite where
some of the other teams are on hand to help them with the repairs. Dune
ordeal The next day, they leave the tarmac behind and venture out into
the desert for three days. The challenge organiser warns everyone to stick
together.  | | Car
crisis - the Lada loses a vital part in the dunes |
By New Years
Eve all the teams have fully adapted to life in the desert and, by a dune, with
200 miles of sand in every direction, it's party time! As the New Year dawns
so does the day that will prove to be the most testing yet for all the
teams. First the Golfs fuel line is torn off. Then the Morris Minor
loses a wheel. The Pink Citroen van wont start. The Germans
Sierra gets stuck in soft sand. But the biggest crisis hits the Lada. Still
two days from the nearest road, one of the main engine pulleys has fallen off. Search
party A search party is sent back to comb the desert for the missing
part. Without it the trip is over. But, incredibly, an hour later
they return - after finding it half buried in the sand.  | | From
Bristol to Banjul - a Saharan adventure |
Another hour of strenuous
work sees it fixed back on. But by the time the Lada gets stuck again in
the sand the boys are feeling the strain. Over the next two days
the route takes in more spectacular sights including the Mauritanian coastline
and Senegal. Then the final stretch onto a procession through the Gambian
capital, Banjul. All the cars which make it to the end are sold
with the money raised going to charities in the Gambia. But for Tim and
John it means saying goodbye to their trusty friend. "Its
not sad. Its just the end of something thats occupied us for two years.
"To come to the end of it, I feel like Ive run off the end of
a cliff. Its kind of like finishing school. Well never ever see her
again."
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Inside
Out - West: Monday January 30, 2006
