The Mongol Rally:
Setting Off
The first leg of the Mongol Rally took us from Chris’ home near Manchester, in the UK, to tiny Liechtenstein, as Chris Shorrock describes.
Getting to the start-line
The clouds hung low and grey as we put the car into gear and headed south for the Mongol Rally launch party. The drive took about 5 hours, not too bad compared with what was to come, but it had us already wondering how we would manage to drive that long, and more, each day for the following two months.
Goodwood Motor Circuit: Start of the Mongol Rally
Reaching Goodwood Motor Circuit, near the UK’s south coast, we put our misgivings down to the drab scenery on the journey and prepared ourselves for the night of revelry ahead. After registering and collecting the all-important participation t-shirt, we checked out the competition. Cars with boats on top, a 1960s Morris Minor, even a vehicle disguised as a Highland cow, replete with horns and faux fur. It was all pretty impressive; still, our zebra-Clio didn’t scrub up too badly in comparison.
At Goodwood Motor Circuit, ready to set off on the Mongol Rally
A sea of cars waiting to start the Mongol Rall
The Mongol Rally starts with a party
Next, it was time to get the beers in and enjoy some traditional Mongolian entertainment; a music recital followed by half-naked wrestling and some less conventional sword fighting to top it off. The evening was filled with more beers and dancing in the marquee. Although it was a fun evening, it was a slight anticlimax after all the hype from the organisers.
The Mongol Rally launch party
Setting off, we first did a lap of Goodwood Motor Circuit
The following day was the big departure. Nursing a slight hangover, we snaffled our bacon butties and lined up for the rally’s start. A wave of the chequered flag and the Mongol Rally had begun; one lap of the famous Goodwood circuit and then away towards Dover and the ferry to the continent.
Luxembourg: Our first stop on the Mongol Rally
On the other side of the channel, we drove through France and Belgium to spend our first night in the pint-sized Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. Rico did a great job on only his second day of driving a manual car, despite stalling coming off the ferry and getting a “you’re not going to win the race like that” comment from the ferry steward.
Couchsurfing is a great way to meet local people while you travel, and we had planned to couchsurf as much as possible throughout the trip. Gabrijela, our host in Luxembourg, was excellent company. We enjoyed our evening with her, drinking car-warmed wine and chatting about life. We had a brief stop in the city centre in the morning before heading into Germany towards our next micro-country destination: Liechtenstein.
Luxembourg: Our first stop on the rally
Mountain roads
The drive through Germany was pleasant, but as we hit the Swiss border and the Alps started to come into view, the journey became much more enjoyable. We had decided on a route to avoid tolls, so we spent our time in Switzerland winding along back roads, from one charming mountain village to the next, with local farmers making hay on the impossibly steep hillsides on either side of the road.
Switzerland is a beautiful country to drive through
With such stunning scenery to distract us, we crossed into Liechtenstein almost without noticing. We had been admiring an imposing castle perched on the steep mountainside ahead. As it turned out, it was home to the reigning Prince of Liechtenstein, Hans-Adam II.
The Prince of Liechtenstein’s fairytale castle
Couchsurfing in Liechtenstein
We were at our next couchsurfing host’s apartment two minutes after entering the match-box-sized country. Of course, you can see the mountains wherever you are in Liechtenstein. Daniel’s apartment was no exception, with beautiful views across the Rhine to the Swiss Alps and up towards Liechtenstein’s mountain villages.
The actual size of the country became apparent when Daniel explained the hill we could see to the south was the border. We naturally assumed he meant the mountain in the distance. But on further questioning, he confirmed the small hill in the near distance was the edge of his homeland. Daniel’s home was in the capital, Vaduz, in the country’s centre. As such, if the view stretched north, we would have seen the northern border simultaneously. We knew Liechtenstein was tiny, but we were surprised by just how apparent it was nonetheless.
Dinner on the balcony with Daniel, our couchsurfing host in Liechtenstein
After dropping our things off at the flat, Daniel took us on a quick tour of Vaduz, the capital city in name but more like a small village. We saw all the main sights: the Prince’s castle on the hill, Vaduz cathedral, the tiny parliament building for Liechtenstein’s 25 MPs, and followed a babbling mountain stream on the way back, all the while surrounded by Liechtenstein’s stunning mountain scenery.
We spent the evening with Daniel and his friends, chatting about life in one of the smallest countries on earth, the dying sun lighting up the Alps in brilliant orange. Liechtenstein might be tiny, but its beauty makes it difficult to beat!
Liechtenstein’s parliament (the triangle) and the ‘big’ building
Days: 3
Countries: 7
Distance: 1,014 miles
Time in car: 18 hours 30 minutes