No Dakar, No Problem

Race here: Budapest to Bamako Terrorists? No Sweat. We roll baby. Starts today.

A caravan of cars, trucks and motorcycles — including an ambulance, an ice cream truck and a Hummer — left Budapest on Saturday hoping to arrive in Bamako, Mali, on Jan. 27. It’s a journey of some 5,400 miles through eight countries.

More on the Hottest Party in the Sahara — keep reading, it’s cool!

Hottest Party in the Sahara

Three hundred plus contestants and 5400 miles. This should be interesting. Is the ambulance for the contestants or actually in the race? Hope the Ice Cream truck does not run out of treats.

“Our race has not received any terrorist threats,” chief organizer Andras Szabo Gal said. “Authorities in Mauritania are aware of our itinerary and while they can’t guarantee our safety, security will be strengthened.”

No threats, but let’s beef up security anyway. Uh-huh.

Oh did I mention how you win? So sorry.

One example: Go to Sokolo, a village in Mali, and find Nelson Diarra’s home in the Amdalei neighborhood. He has four wives and four homes. Find the right home and look for the letter on the wall.

You get points for completing the challenges.

Officer, I was just out for a drive.

Some of the rally participants are in it for the drive.

Most the participants, however, are in the “tour” section of the rally. It’s an even wackier event, where vehicles include a three-wheeled Velorex last produced more than 35 years ago in the former Czechoslovakia. Other modes of transportation include a Romanian Dacia, an East German Wartburg, an ambulance to be donated to Bamako rescue services, an ice cream truck and a converted Budapest city bus.

Some may have to tour on foot.

The “K-Team” of Kevin Smith and Kevin Foster — both from Watford, England — is taking part thanks to winning a TV competition. They were awarded a 1985 Polski Fiat to use in the rally, which broke down and needed heavy repairs even during test drives around Budapest.

Duct tape, use it, love it, be it.

I like this guy

The Director of the race says pfft get real, we race.

Dear Budapest-Bamako participant,

We were all shocked to read the news about the cancellation of this year’s Dakar amid terror threats. I’d like to assure each and every one of you that the Budapest-Bamako will not be cancelled. This has never even been a consideration. The reasons listed here are not to calm your nerves or to try convince you that everything is fine. They’re simply the arguments against canceling the event.

1. We can not bow down to terror. Terrorism is a nasty byproduct of the world that we live in. We must learn to accept it. If we give in to terrorists, we legitimize their objectives and give carte blanche to the spread of violence. We must not allow to terrorists to kidnap our vacations or dreams.
2. Mauritania is not Kenya. Mauritania is a peaceful and politically stabile country. There’s no civil war, unrest or violence. The local authorities are completely in charge of security. During the past 10 days, we have been repeatedly reassured that increased attention will be paid to participants of the Budapest-Bamako and the authorities will increase their efforts to protect us. This is a very important event for the country, which is trying to kick-start its tourism industry.
3. One of the earliest guiding principles of the Budapest-Bamako is to build bridges between the people of Europe and Africa. How can we say with a clear conscience that we’d like to strengthen ties, if we don’t dare visit our new friends? How can we assure others of our solidarity if we’re afraid to visit them at home? Now is the time to assure the people of Mauritania that they have friends in the world.
4. The organizers of the Dakar made a serious error by canceling the event. We shouldn’t imitate this mistake. I believe that each participant must evaluate the situation carefully. Participation in the event must be a personal decision. This has always been the case. Now it’s just more pressing than before.

I’m the father of three children. If I felt that threat was serious, I would not go myself. However, I’d like to urge you to carefully read the Mauritanian developments and make an educated decision about your participation in the 2008 Budapest-Bamako. The decision is always in yours and yours alone.

Best regards,

Andrew G Szabo
Budapest-Bamako Director

January 4th, 2007.

Yes, this guy has more balls than liberals.

Check it out:

• Budapest times says it’s rolling — Budapest Times Article
• Even “The Travel Channel” is on board. — video
• Dakar racers are wimps — video
• Taste of the 2007 version — video
• Bendy Bus of Budapest

Tags: budapest, bamako, rally, budapest to bamako, dakar, andrew g szabo