Ten weeks from now we could be sitting under the canvas of a nomad's yurt, opposite a litter of rosy-cheeked Mongolian rugrats, and tucking into fermented mare's milk and sheep's ovaries.


But before we encounter such luxuries (the cuisine an exception) we'll be hopping behind the wheel of our Nissan Micra and bouncing our way through 18 other countries.

So here's a little taster of what the Soyombo Racers have been achieving in the past few weeks:

• Getting a car! Probably the most crucial achievement! It is currently absorbing the luck of the Irish until Lucy drives it over on 4th July where it will go under the knife and get well and truly pimped! See below news of our dashing steed and news of some fantastic corporate sponsorship from Lincsafe Health and Management Services.



• Secured our spare parts! Becky's uncle Glin of Brewer's Auto Salvage in Erdington, Birmingham has kindly offered to donate all the parts we'll be needing from his Aladdin's Cave of a scrap yard over here in Brum.



• Not forgetting the special snow and mud tyres that will transform our bubbly little motor into a true warrior that Genghis would be proud of!



• Visa number 7: finally no more tedious forms! The seventh and the final visa application is now in process, awaiting the Russians' approval!



• Hit the £1,000 mark with charity donations....almost!! We're hoping to get £1,500 and have a few more events lined up such as a quiz night in Belfast, a Race Night in London and a few more raffles, and generally bending everyone and anyone's ear about our Mongolian mission!



• But most excitingly...we've been donated a military walkie talkie!!!!!!! Now we can rodger in other vehicles when we need a tyre changed or a map reading! Not really, but it will be cool to be bobbing along the Gobi desert and tune in to see who else is on AM!