Yakin' AroundHey, Martin here! So why the Mongol Rally? Why we decided to join this crazy adventure and risk our lives for charity?
I think it all started circa 2012, when I saw this video. Besides having a great (and catchy) tune, it encompassed everything I love about travel. Travel for me is not visiting Miami, staying at 5-star hotel, not meeting anyone or trying anything new. Travel is about new things. Meeting new people, experiencing new cultures, seeing something completely different from what you are used to, learning new tricks, and hopefully, come back a better (or at least different) person. That’s what I saw in that video. Not just any travel, an epic adventure.
After seeing it, I thought to myself, “I have to go!”. Immediately I started watching every rally documentary, planning a route (thanks Google Maps) and reaching out to every single person I thought would be interested in doing something crazy like that. It was only around late 2014, when a long time friend was visiting the Bay Area, that I managed to find a team mate!
That’s when Igor and I formed Team Yakin’ Around! To be fair, this wasn’t our first name. We signed up as “The Other Polos”, but after some intense voting, we went with “Yakin’ Around” instead. Horsin’ Around, but with Yaks :-)
I firmly believe that once you’re old, you will hardly remember everything that went well in your life, but you will definitely remember all the scary and difficult things you had to deal with. That’s what the Mongol Rally is for me. A chance to let go of your daily life, experience new things, face new challenges, help the world and change your perspective on life itself!