New type of expeditions for this millennium?

Crazy Norwegians go amok by car from Norway to Mongolia - drive in an 16 year old car (yellow Volkswagen Transporter), and with - Lot of tires - One portable PC - Film equipment - 15 dresses and ties

Three young Norwegian men, Ole Martin Olaussen (25), Christian Lysvag (24) and Asle Lauvland started yesterday on their way from Oslo to Mongolia. Their main route is Norway - Sweden - Poland - Ukraine- Russia - Kazakhstan - China.

How are the roads in Eastern Europe and in Mongolia? Who knows! Maybe there are no roads there at all in these rural areas! Sibir is one of the most barren areas in the world, and with this old car it can be a big challenge. Hopefully they will not be lost on the enormous tundra. One of the risks is that their old German vehicle breaks down.

In accordance to the Norwegian newspaper Aftenposten, the three Norwegians are inspired from a story about a Norwegian who established a factory in Mongolia for producing liquid. This person had probably earned a fortune. They hoped to find his money in a bank. More thoroughly research before the started on the long journey, indicated that the stories was not true. But this didn't stop these three brave men from setting off.

But why are they dressed up in suits and ties? As they say they choose to dress up like this the whole tour because they want to give a good impression to the Chinese authorities.

Hopefully they will avoid formal problems because of that. They carry with them modern audiovisual equipment. They get financial aid from the TV production company Deadline in Trondheim, which expects to make an entertaining film documentary of this crazy project.

They have the right spirit, passion, and are filled up with guts. That is all they need to reach their finale destination Mongolia. Crazy, yes, but they are going to have an experience for lifetime. Good luck!

Stein Morten Lund, 8 August 2000