Around The World in 1,000 Days

Around The World in 1,000 Days

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It’s called the ‘Millennium Adventure’ and when completed at the end of this year, two explorers – Paige Parker, 32, and Jim Rogers, 58 – will have covered more than 150,000 kms in their Mercedes-Benz SLK after having started the drive around the world on January 1st 1999.

Though having far higher technology available than Phileas Fogg in the classic story ‘Around the World in 80 Days’, the duo’s drive is no still no ‘Sunday drive’. After starting from Iceland, they spent the first 12 months motoring through Central and Eastern Europe heading towards Central and East Asia (through Mongolia, China and up to Japan). Then they crossed Siberia and Russia to make their way back to Europe.

Relishing the symbolism, the duo became a married couple on the first day of 2000. Over the next twelve months, after crossing into North Africa at the Straits of Gibraltar, they drove up and down the African continent, crossed the Arabian Desert and reached Asia via Pakistan and India. Cumulative mileage: over 136,000 kms.

After passing through Southeast Asia, including Malaysia, they are now headed for Australia and then cross the South Pacific to Patagonia in South America. Their plan is to drive all the way to Alaska and then finish at New York City, their hometown, by the last day of 2001.

Predictably, the adventure is documented on two websites (www.paigeparker.com and www.jimrogers.com) and images as well as video are uploaded daily for the global audience. To assist in the uploading, a webmaster and videographer are also on the journey with them.

Parker is focussing on the lifestyle and social aspects of the many diverse cultures they come across, with a particular view on the role of women, ethnic foods and fashion folklore. Rogers monitors and analyses the sociological, political and economic interdependence in the countries they pass through, always with an eye on potential investment opportunities. Thus their reports are an ever-changing, educational yet entertaining kaleidoscope of first-hand tales on the micro and macro scenario of our world at the beginning of a new millennium.

Their car is a specially-developed vehicle which combines the comfort and styling attributes of the Mercedes-Benz SLK 230 with the ruggedness of the legendary 4WD G-Wagen by the same manufacturer. The vehicle was put together by Prisma Design International in California, a design studio owned by Gerhard Steinle, former president of Mercedes-Benz Advanced Design of North America. Steinle conceived the concept of merging the body and interior of the SLK with the chassis and diesel engine of the G-Wagen.

The SLK and short-wheelbase G-Wagen, together with a second long-wheelbase G-Wagen used as a support vehicle, were donated by Mercedes-Benz USA as a tribute to the ‘unprecedented success’ of the brand in the US market as the changeover of millenniums occurs. And a well-established network of service centres all over the world, technical support is available in virtually any country.

Metalcrafters Inc, a body-building specialist, spent three months to create a vehicle worthy of the “Millennium” name. The team not only had to link the mechanical components but deal with the greater challenge of connecting the vastly different computer and electronic systems.

The result is a vehicle that resembles a SLK because the yellow bodywork is of composite fibreglass over a steel frame. Its ground clearance is 300 mm higher than a standard SLK, an important modification in view of the fact that some motoring will be over unmade roads or no roads at all. For tyres, Bridgestone 265/60R-18 Duelers are fitted on the original Mercedes G-Wagen’s 18×7.5 alloy wheels.

The engine is a 3-litre 6-cylinder 24-valve turbodiesel with an output of 130 kW/177 bhp at 4400 rpm and 330 Nm of torque at 3600 rpm. Power delivery to all four wheels is via a M-B 5-speed automatic transmission and for added capability the full-time 4WD system has 3 differential locks, a standard feature on the G-Wagen. A 146-litre fuel tank is used and gives a range of about 1000 kms.

Towed along behind the Millennium SLK is a special two-wheeled utility trailer which echoes the lines of the original SLK. It was designed by Prisma Design and is probably the most charming accessory of this challenging undertaking.

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