Is it just a daft idea - thoughts?
 

Hi there,

I'm hoping to drive to Oz from UK in my Landy in 2009. I have lots of ideas, some of which are sensible, some not so. Anyhow one of these is to paint the landy (Dino as he is known) purple with black spots, in dedication to the cartoon charecter that he is named after.

Now, obviously this means he is going to stick out like a sore thumb, but part of me thinks he's going to whereever he goes. Our route may well include the following countries :

Turkey
Iran
Pakistan
India
Nepal
China
Laos
Thailand
Cambodia
Maylasia
Singapore
Indonesia

The two main reasons for this idea are a) it will be a bit of fun and b) It will raise our profile and hence our ability to fundraise.

What are peoples thoughts on this idea? Am I just being stoopid, or should I go ahead.

Feel free to let me have both barrels over this one!

Thanks

Not daft. Inspired.
 

When you ask about this idea, are you refering to the paint job or the route?

The former is a very good idea. The latter even better.

The possible snag is China, which will cost you a lot of money. It's a pain - makes the route impossible without shipping. Darn it. Have hunt around on these pages and you will find lots of China talk.

Simon

Thanks Simon
 

Hi Simon,

Yes I was asking about the paint job.

As for the route I'm praying that the Olympics will open up the chances of driving through China. If not then I am bracing myself for a cost of $150 a day for a guide. Obviously the route can't be nailed down until nearer the time, but I mentioned it in case any of the countries have irrational fears of purple dinosaurs!

Thanks for the vote of confidence .....

pointless
 

Why draw attention yourself, or rather, any more than you have to?

I travel a lot and I crave anonymity but 'chacun a son gout'.

jljones

Yes ....
 

Hi JL,

This is going to be my maiden long overland trip. Hopefully not the last. What I have noticed just driving round the UK is that in a fully kitted out Landy you get attention whatever. I suppose I am thinking, once you're getting those looks, why not draw the sting out of it with some humour.

Also, I am keen to use this as an oppoutnity to raise some funds for charity. I have a guilt gland that works overtime when I let it.

I really don't know my own mind, and with a for and against reply, with each one my gut feeling has swung. I'm not depserate to do it, but at the same time when I think about it it makes me smile.

Still two years to think about it .......

Hardly
 

Any oik who paints his Land Rover purple with black spots deserves a damn good horsewhipping , YE GODS !!
Land Rovers should be painted Bronze Green , just as mother nature and Maurice Wilks intended .

Purple indeed !

I think that is .....
 

.........another maybe then ........

paint job
 

2 years and all you can think about is the paint job...? In that time you could sell the Landy, work your xxxxcks off to earn enough to buy a TLC, kit it out and then spend less time with a spanner in your hand on your trip...and the money you save on not getting the paint job done could be spent on beer, fuel, oil, food etc etc.

You've either got too much time on your hands or you need to get out more. Or both. Or...

Lack of Oxygen to the Brain
 

I'm blame it on lack of oxygen to the brain. I'm currently training for the marathon (20 st and 20 fags a day at the beginning of the training), and these long periods of free thinking time, combined with lack of oxygen cause many a strange thought to enter my mind.

The frist one was to drive around the world ...... it all followed from there!

similar idea starting from NE China
 

I am in NE China and have thought about the possibility of going all the way to Singapore and trying to be apart of a fund-raiser of sorts for a good cause. Our group has 3 members and I had the thought of traveling the distance but not sure if the plans will hold together or not. If you had a way to start from here, maybe we could 'team up'.

THE answer . . . . .
 

Hi 'Cornish'

do both !

Paint drivers side (or passengers - your discretion !) only in the purple n black. Consequently you have solutions to any questions of 'what colours best' !

'Anon' is nice, but let's face it, you are a Brit jumping in a spruced up landrover and heading across some real 'long way from home' places. You WILL NOT be anonymous.

Our truck draws attention (not coz of colour) and that makes it a point of conversation, interest and yes humour. It is also not a vehicle that is prone to be either stolen or for that matter broken into.

I admire the people that offer something back by either raising some charity or helping out on the ground. If you want to do it then you should (you'll feel (and be) a far better person for it).

Go ahead, paint the thing.

(but only half !)

phil.

Another vote for painting the car. Will probably draw attention, sure, but the right kind! People are way too po-faced about their vehicles. And, without wishing to make any sweeping generalisations, 4WDs are quite intimidating vehicles (which is why they are so popular with frightened soccer moms!) after all, they are essentially the preserve of the military/rich in the third world. So I think anything you can do to make that big fearsome exterior a little more cuddly sounds like a good idea!

Matt :)

My landy is not very subtle. In Swissland people practically had heart attacks when I pulled up at the border. In West Africa people couldn't believe that I could paint it such a cool colour. Land Rover enthusiasts tend to hate it - woman usually quite like it. Locals can clearly differentiate between it and a military vehicle.

I wanted a distinctive vehicle for film making - guerilla marketing if you like (though be warned, the colour in the tin is not what you will end up with).

Will your vehicle look as good if people don't know who Dino is? Most on your trip won't.

You will have just as good a trip with the original colours as opposed to painting it something distinctive - they only difference being your ego will be better served by something distinctive.

Yep paint the car!! all of this hiding under trees and not being seen!!! I know there are many views but mine is The brighter the better, Yes you are seen but if everyone has there eyes on you then then bad guys will leave you alone!! thats my thought anyway!!
Check out Margo our Discovery on Baltic ice road challenge she sticks:D out just a little!!!

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Im'e with Jones'y on this one.
I would rather get from A to B with as few people knowing as possible.