MEET OUR MONGOL RALLY CHARIOT MIKE THE MICRA

'It's like new and has no rust on it.' Says the man selling the 19 year old Nissan Micra. If Tom hadn't just pushed his finger through the body work of the wheel arch I might have believed him.

We walk round the 'like new' car and notice lots of scratches, dents and poorly painted panels.

It's my first time in a Micra and it's SMALL.

The inside is perhaps in need of a valet. It has a cassette player! Time to get my mum to dig out the old ABBA tapes! We lift the bonnet up and Tom does some weird stuff with the oil, I see him touch the oil and then put his finger in his mouth, errr! Apparently there is petrol in the oil. This according to wannabe mechanic Tom could be a bad thing, he's not sure. 

Tom way too pleased with himself after an awful test drive!

Tom jumps in the drivers seat and puts the little car in gear after first accidently touching my knee. Second gear results in a second knee touch. I glance at Toms oil covered hands, hmmmmm. We are not used to such a small car or being in a confined space. The gear changes don't improve. Tom mumbles something about not being used to petrol, I discreetly chuckle.

Hole created by Tom!

I have a quick glance round to ensure the family of spiders I've surely left homeless when I destroyed their webs upon seating myself in the passenger seat, aren't in attack mode.

More funny gear changes and a passable emergency stop later and we're back at the sellers house. Tom looks like he's just had a five minute go on the bumper cars at Blackpool Pleasure Beach. He looks far too pleased with himself considering how awful the drive was. I withhold from making any comment.

We ask the seller if we can have a chat. Tom's concerned about the petrol in the oil. So like every other girl in a dilemma about buying a car, we ring my dad for advise. Tom and dad chat mechanics and I look at the little car and wonder if it has the capability to get us a third of the way round the world to Mongolia. Dad says yes.

I ask Tom, 'What do you think, should we go for it?'

'Aye, why not. You negotiate.'

Back to the house and negotiations start. It's for sale on Gumtree for £400. I offer £250 based on the worry that there is petrol in the oil. We end up agreeing on £280. BARGAIN.

We've just bought a car that most people would use for a supermarket run, that has a rust hole almost big enough to put your hand through and expect this little car to take us 10,000 miles to Mongolia over some of the worlds toughest terrain. We must be crazy.

In convoy we take the car the short drive to my folks farm, where it is to live until we are brave enough to take it to a garage to put it on a ramp.

My mum and dad instantly greet us in the yard. I'm eager to take the car for a quick spin, so jump in the drivers seat. I can't get the bloody thing in reverse! With a bit of practise I'm on the road, it's like a little go cart. How the hell will we get to Mongolia in this!

Tom (left) and dad (middle) chatting mechanics. Ana (right) happy after my test drive!

On my return my dads eager to have a good look. Bonnet up, engine revved and a bit of owwing and ahhing later and it gets the seal of approval from my dad. BINGO. My dad a former mechanic extraordinaire.

In to the field it goes and we stand at the gate and admire our bargain. My mum asks, 'Do you want a keyring for the key?'

Tom replies, 'The more hideous the better.'

My mum finds the most tasteless keyring of a pig poo-ing and asks if it's ok. 'It's perfect!' declares Tom.

The horrendous and unsuitable keyring for Mike the Micra.

'Ha', says my dad. 'That's hardly appropriate for some of the countries you'll be travelling through.'