Ben Hurtley

Ben Hurtley
Of Asphalt Arsonists
On the The Mongol Rally 2010
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Altay, Mongolia

Mongolia: Finally about to leave the mechanics yard after nearly 5 days. Fear & roaming's car has been brought back from the dead, reinforced rear axle, repaired petrol tank & 5 new tyres. Jizzy's skoda has a near rear axle from a felicia in the scrapyard! Felicity is still in good shape minus the exhaust, hopefully she'll stay that way! Heading on into the gobi desert again towards the next city, don't know what its called, probably something ridiculous with 20 letters. Loaded up with water, bread.........& a few sweets to take the edge off our hangovers. Hit it hard last night, sampled the local karaoke scene & emptied the bar at the hotel. Everyone was sick! Everyone. Met a canadian team of 2 girls & a guy today. He's just got back from hospital after they rolled the car into a ditch @ 50mph. Vauxhall agila probably isnt the best car for the rally - 10cm wheelbase!

Ben Hurtley
Of Asphalt Arsonists
On the The Mongol Rally 2010
HIGHLIGHT ON MAP
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Altay, Mongolia

Mongolia: Our convoy of 4 cars were split up in the desert inadvertedly yesterday due to a combination of the worst tracks known to man, constant punctures & more dust than you could shake a stick at. Asphalt arsonists were the only team to make it to altay city, missing big tom who had swapped seats with bigger tom from team jizzy disco. We've heard that the other skoda's (jizzy's) rear axle has snapped & luckily they are getting a tow here as we speak. Team fear & roaming are also on their way here (hopefully puncture free as they're out of spare wheels). Tom m is in their car along with the legend who is john the amateur cagefighter (who was abandoned by his knob of a team mate) - probably one of the most sound guys we've met so far! We've just had our two punctured spares repaired so all ready to set off when we're reunited with tom m, hopefully by this eve. Next update when I get signal!

Ben Hurtley
Of Asphalt Arsonists
On the The Mongol Rally 2010
HIGHLIGHT ON MAP
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Biysk, Russian Federation

Russia: 6 hours to get out of kazakhstan yesterday & just as we breathed our 1st breath of russian air we got pulled over due to the fact we were speeding (apparently) & paid our 1st bribe of the trip. Camped about 100m from the roadside down a disused track (it was more we were hoping it was disused so we didn't get woken up by an angry russian farmer armed with a pitch fork). Ate another meal consisting of pasta (suprise, suprise) made more interesting with salami, sweetcorn, peas & some dodgy sauce. Driven for around 8 hours already today, currently in the altai mountains which is probably the most picturesque place we've been since the tranfargassen highway in romania. Hoping to set up camp here tonight if we can find a flat dry spot! Pushing on for the mongolian border 2mrw, should get there by late afternoon. Just hoping we make it through in less than 2 days.....@

Ben Hurtley
Of Asphalt Arsonists
On the The Mongol Rally 2010
HIGHLIGHT ON MAP
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Astana, Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan: Stayed here in the capital last night. Found a hotel after an hour of searching, turned out an absolute gem; satellite tv & a double bed each. Don't think the management were impressed though when we were caught short still in bed at 12 (hadn't realised the clocks had gone forward an hour again) & we were supposed to have checked out. Still obviously didnt mind too much as they let us leave the cars in their cpark all day whilst we went to use the net etc. Mostly due to the fact the receptionist was loving it - thought we were pro racing drivers, even cooked ben & tom a meal at 2am when we strolled in after getting a taxi to a restaurant & ending up at the dodgiest strip club you have ever seen. The guys outside advised us to leave the area as it was also dodgy & would probably result in us being murdered. Cheers for the advice mate you saved our lives. 8pm & we're back on the road!

Ben Hurtley
Of Asphalt Arsonists
On the The Mongol Rally 2010
HIGHLIGHT ON MAP
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Kostanay reg., Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan: Didn't make too much progress yesterday due to bad roads, distractions (thought we'd found a safari park in the middle of the desert, turns out it was a collection of stone animals) & a suspected petrol leak on tom & felix's car. Just woken up to a campsite that would turn ray mears to tears after getting on the vodka again last night. We can't wait to start clearing up. Heading for the capital 'Astana' today, about 700km away, will hopefully get a shower. We need to register our presence with the police today as well to ensure we get out to russia again. Might even get a night out, although everyone's a bit sceptical after we ended up in a club brawl in aktobe, the locals were a bit jealous of all the attention we were getting! Don't worry no one was hurt, well apart from the guys who made the advance on us.....the bouncers kicked the crap out of them. Result! Next update soon!

Ben Hurtley
Of Asphalt Arsonists
On the The Mongol Rally 2010
HIGHLIGHT ON MAP
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Aktobe, Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan: mental 24 hours. Last night, met some kazakh guys at a roundabout after we'd pulled up to look at the map. Turns out one of them owns a spa, you can guess the rest. Massive homoerotic session. Had a meal & few beers & shit loads of 'churchill'?! Camped in salin's (owner) back garden & had breakfast with his family this morning. Even sorted me out with a cheeky herbal remedy for my dodgy chest. Took the car in to a garage & got the exhaust re-welded. Then smashed 3 bottles of vodka with the mechanics & spoke through the universal language of disco dance. Is niiice!