We have had to put the original route to Timbuktu on hold for this year, allow me to explain;

Basically the Foreign and commonwealth commission (FCO) had advised us against travel to or through Mauritania due to the country being under rule of a military coup and all the threats that come from said situation (kidnapping, riots you know the drill) we knew Mauritania was bad and were monitoring the situation.

As if that wasn't bad enough we have also been given a DO NOT TRAVEL under any circumstance to MALI which unfortunately is where Timbuktu is. Bummer.

We have both spoken to our respective wives and future wives and come to the agreement that we will not risk it this year. I'm sure you understand.

Now for the good news,

Myself and Sean for the past 2 months have essentially been planning 2 trips for the contingency of not being one of the teams chosen to take part in the Africa tour, we basically needed a back up that was completely in our hands. That "plan B" is now in force.

The challenge is as follows, we will be leaving here same time same day 26th December 2009 am in the same car.

We will be driving through 23 countries

Visiting 20 capitol cities

In less than 20 days

In a car that costs less than £100

We're calling it the 20/20 challenge.

The total distance for the trip will be just under 9000 miles, more than double the Africa excursion of 4300.

The plan is to leave England drive through France, Belgium, Holland, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, through the arctic circle, Lapland, Sweden again, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova, Romania, Hungary, Croatia, Slovenia, Austria, Italy, Switzerland, Luxembourg, France, and back to England again.

Now the sign writers have confirmed they will still do the signs for us, in exchange for the advertising space on the spare wheel.

We also have Treetops renewed interest in advertising (as it is a European chain with nurseries in other European countries we now have more interest) they want the bonnet.

Yeoman's have also agreed to provide us with certain cold weather equipment for the northerly part of the trip.

You still have the side should you decide to proceed.

We have sat down and chosen our retrospective charities, UNICEF, Macmillan/cancer research UK, and of coarse British Red Cross (couldn't leave you out could I)

All monies will be going to said charities equally 1/3 each, as well as the car money which will be sold off upon our return.