The Setup: Car, Gear, and Getting There

They say it’s about the journey, not the destination. But we’d argue it’s also about the car — especially when that car is a 2003 Suzuki Wagon R we bought off Facebook Marketplace for £1000.

Her name’s Dori. She’s small. She’s blue. And she’s our only hope of making it across 20+ countries to Mongolia. Here’s what we’re working with (and working around):

🛣️ The Route (Give or Take a Border)

We’re starting in Scotland, dipping through Europe, weaving through the Balkans, into Turkey, then on to Georgia and (hopefully) into Russia before crossing into Kazakhstan, and eventually reaching Mongolia.

Exact path? Flexible.Visas? Complicated.Likelihood of detours? Guaranteed.

🧳 What We’re Taking With Us

The Wagon R isn’t exactly known for cargo space, so we’re packing light and strategic. Essentials include:

• Tool kit & spare parts (our version of a first-aid kit)

• Jerry can (fuel in the middle of nowhere = non-negotiable)

• Camping gear (because hotels aren’t always an option)

• Car fluids, duct tape, zip ties, and prayers

• Cameras, drones & chargers for content

• Spare tyres, maps, and paperwork galore for every potential border crossing

Plus: clothes, food, and some sense of humour.

🔧 What We’ve Done to the Car

Let’s be real — Dori wasn’t built for this. So here’s what we’ve done to prep her for the apocalypse:

• New tyres — the old ones were practically fossils

• Roof box + rack — to double our storage

• Upgraded suspension — a must for Central Asian roads

• Full mechanical service — filters, fluids, belts, the lot

• Decals + team branding — because if we’re breaking down, we’re doing it in style