In his second report from China, iiatric t
Page 52
Page 54
Page 53
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
Cunnane witnesses the arrival at the Great Wall of a trucking expedition that • 4it
has challenged the endurance limits of men and machines in a five-month trek from Portugal to the People's Republic.
By mid morning the mist over Juyongguan Pass on the Great Wall is lifting and the mountains are beginning to assume a definite shape. Drummers are setting up a determined racket as dragon dancers swirl and turn beneath the shadow of the wall. Fluttering above this colourful scene is a banner spelling out the message, 'Overland in Cina Con lveco'.
Suddenly there is a great barrage of cheering as four monster orange trucks hove into view, lights blazing, horns blaring. Children are hoisted on to shoulders or on to walls. The drivers are leaning out of their cabs waving. They line up their vehicles before a platform place and climb down into a sea of hugs from well-wishers.
This is not the welcome international truck drivers usually get when they reach their destination. However, this team has pushed their lveco 330.30 ANW six-wheel drive trucks a punishing 39,000km from Portugal to Beijing, through some of the world's harshest weather conditions, as part of the Overland 4 expedition on behalf of UNICEF. There are three drivers per vehicle, The expedition began in spring 1999 before arriving in China late August. They will face a similarly enthusiastic welcome when they complete this present leg in Harding a few days later.
Driver Leone Enzo escapes from the feels about his marathon expedition: "There were no technical problems although it was very exhausting driving from 6am till 8pm. But there were problems on the road because of the crazy driving of other lorries."
Each lorry carries 1,100 litres of fuel with half of it in a belly tank. Enzo says he has had no problems refuelling, with stops in Tibet and Korea, although there were consumption challenges caused by driving conditions: "We were only getting 2km a litre off-road," he says.
Silk Roads
Overland 4 is, in part, following the footsteps of 13th Century merchant traveller Marco Polo, who famously traversed the Silk Roads on which so much Overland 1, in 1996, travelled from Rome to New York. Overland 2, which began in June 1997, travelled from the US through the Americas to Sao Paulo, Brazil. Beginning in March 1998, Overland 3 drove through Africa to the roof of Europe, North Cape, Norway (see panel, right).
But why? ince admits the endurance test these vehicles face does not translate into technical data relevant to its current range of heavy vehicles. For a start these are 6x4s, second they are up to six years old and third they are running on Magirus Deutz engines. Nonetheless, tveco says the 83-country marathon, since Overland 1, is not without technical value: "It tests the overall stress on the vehicles, the strength of brakes and so on. They have driven on very dusty roads. in river basins, across deserts, up mountains, and below sea level. They have covered every continent in the world except Australasia."
Frontier
So will there be an Overland 5 to face the final frontier? "I don't know!" laughs the spokesman. -We might go to the moon next! Ask Beppe Tenti."
Tent', a travel agent from Milan, is the inspiration behind the Overland series and. whereas other drivers come and go. he has driven through all 83 countries. He says Overland 5 will soon be under way, Beijing to Rome, arriving in the Italian capital on Christmas Day. Each leg has produced a 13-part Italian TV series and it is the sale of these films that produces revenue for UNICEF as well as valuable publicity for lveco. Last year a promotion on video sales in Italy raised Sins (£610,000).
Does he see himself as a modern-day Marco Polo? -No, Marco Polo was travelling as part of his trade," explains Tenti. "My job is to travel around the world without any goal. I produce the films so that in the future if you want to see what life was like in these countries my
videos will show you. They are made in a spirit of adventure."
Despite almost unparalleled experience of travel. Tenti's favourite country remains Italy. But that hasn't stopped the restless white-haired adventurer visiting China seven times, once by car all the way from Milan.
Ceremony Charles Rycroft, an Englishman who works as UNICEF's commercial officer in China, is at the Great Wall ceremony.
He says Overland 4 has coincided with a decision by the Chinese Government to allow UNICEF to raise money in the People's Republic. "My job this year is to build a brand. We have introduced a Chinese slogan: The friend of children', because people here don't understand UNICEF." He adds that seeing the trucks on the road has inspired many people to volunteer to help the children's charity.
ENCIRCLING THE EARTH
OVERLAND 4 ROUTE: from Portugal to Beijing via Spain, France, Switzerland, Austria, Slovakia, Ukraine, Moldova, Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkeministan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, The People's Republic of China. For most of the way the expedition faced the human and technical endurance test of driving in a harsh sub-zero winter. DURATION: Five months, March to August 1999.
LENGTH: 30,000km.
VEHICLES: Four Iveco 330.30 ANW six-wheel drive trucks, equipped with kitchen, mess, sleeping quarters. showers, WC, workshop. Two support vehicles.
Heppe Tenti, expedition leader. 12 drivers, a doctor, a photographer, three TV crews, a media co-ordinator.
OVERLAND
Began March 1998. Drove through Africa, the Arab Peninsula, eastern Europe before arriving at Nordkap (North Cape), Norway—the most northerly part of Europe.
OVERLAND 2
Began June 1997. Covered 40,000km in five months from the US to Tierra Del Fuego, Chile/Argentina, South America's southernmost tip, arrived San Paulo, Brazil, November 1997.
OVERLAND 1
Began November 1995 in Rome. Crossed the whole of Europe, Russia, Siberia, Alaska, Canada. and the US, finishing in New York. 32,000km covered in mostly uncharted wilderness in tour months, enduring harsh winter conditions in the former USSR and Alaska.