The ‘Heaven Can Wait, I’m Busy’ fundraising tour of a bunch of retired 4×4 enthusiasts in two Suzuki Jimnys has now hit Mongolia. This is one of the remotest sections of the tour, and totals an impressive 2300 miles across Mongolia and back into Russia, aiming to reach Vladivostock by the end of the month. At that point the drivers can take a rest, as the Jimnys will be put aboard a container ship for the 30-day trip from Vladivostock to Vancouver, Canada.
The expedition is the idea of retired businessman Leslie Carvall and the crew of 70-year olds are travelling alone with no frills, luxuries or any support team. Mongolia has meant a slower pace over some of the worst roads in the world, yet the little Jimnys have proved their reliability with a broken shock absorber bolt being the only running repair needed. The crew stopped at one of Suzuki’s larger dealerships at Novosibirsk in Siberia who quickly repaired the shock absorber, gave both Suzukis a major service and a well-needed valet. To date, the guys have crossed 16 countries and across three continents and can be monitored on Google Earth. There are regular updates to the website www.heavencanwaitimbusy.com with interviews and video clips of the challenge.
This is a charity project, raising money for Save The Children and the Oakhaven Hospice in Lymington, Hampshire, and so all donations are gratefully accepted via their JustGiving page. We wish the guys well through Mongolia. The roads in Vancouver are a lot smoother…
