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WORLD CIRCUMNAVIGATION BY HORSE-DRAWN CARAVAN 1990 - 1997 |
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Round the world via Europe, Central Asia and North America. A family expedition by horse-drawn caravan, designed to be first around the world and, more important, to give the three children aged Torcuil (1980), Eilidh (1981), and Fionn (1984), a wide look at the ever shrinking world they will inherit. The first winter was spent near Avignon, France, the second in Slovenia and the third (1992-93) in NE Hungary. In 1993 the caravan crossed The Ukraine, Russia and Kazakstan, arriving in Almaty at the end of January 1994. Failture to obtain permission to enter China at that point meant a 1000 mile diversion to the Russian Altai, then into Mongolia, where the expedition was detained in Ulaanbaatar following an incident with three inebriated Mongolians 250 mile swest of the capital. In July 1995, permission having been obtained, the expedition entered China. However, half-way to Beijing, it was asked to leave with no reason given, and deported on the Tianhin-Kobe (Japan) Ferry. With great difficulty passage was arranged to the USA where the fifth winter was spent on the California coast north of San Francisco. 1996 was spent travelling easterly but an early stop, at Mobridge on the Missouri in South Dakota was enforced by the illness and subsequent death of Traceur, the expedition's hrose power for all but its first six weeks. During the final year, the new horse Bertha, the caravan crossed into Canada at Sault Ste Marie and completed the land jouirney in Halifax, Nova Scotia on 9th February 1997. Bertha was found a good home and the caravan shipped back to Scotland. |
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