The Mongol Rally is a 100-day expedition over 27,000kms, crossing 23 countries. In this year’s rally, there were 70 New Zealanders participating across several teams.
All teams must use a vehicle with an engine capacity less than 1200cc, and all teams take part to raise money for charity. This year, GWE sponsored a team…
The ‘Goodbye Pork Pie’ Team
GWE was approached for sponsorship by two of its staff members, contemplating their OE and considering participation in the Rally. It looked like a lot of fun, an incredible experience and of course one that would raise valuable funds for the Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand.
Along with several other sponsors we decided to help out Stewart Marshall and Gray Morrow to achieve their dream.
An Employers Responsibility
As employers, it is important to know when to support staff in their own life journeys and enable them to adventure further afield. This is never more important than in a small country like New Zealand. As much as we would welcome both of them back to our team on their return to NZ, we also hope we have in some way contributed to their individual development beyond engineering.
A Tale of 2 Pandas
Now, several months later, the team has finished. Fanny and Bessy, their two Fiat Pandas, performed well, but sadly only Fanny made it through. There’s a trail of broken shock absorbers, clutches, wheel nuts, engine mounts and a few muttered expletives from the drivers left along the trek! Bessy’s engine fell out somewhere around the middle of the Gobi desert, and so ended her adventure, only 1500km from the finish line.
