Category Archives: drive around the world

Help a couple drive their 1984 Vanagon around the world

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Meet Brad, Sheena and Nacho

Drive Nacho Drive

Driving through China is a pricey proposition. The couple will need to pony up a staggering $19,514 just to cover the fees.

Brad and Sheena Van Orden are in the midst of a life-defining campaign to travel around the world, and they're doing it in a 1984 Volkswagen Vanagon custom built for the occasion. The past 15 months have seen the couple quit their jobs with Gore-Tex and drive from Arizona to the very southern tip of Argentina after spending a full two years saving and preparing for the trek. Now they're in southern Asia gearing up for the next leg of their journey.

Currently, Brad and Sheena face two options when it comes to making their way west toward Greece. Right now, the couple plans to point their faithful van, Nacho, toward Cambodia and drive through Laos before entering China. No one said the Van Ordens were taking the direct route.

The only problem is that driving through China is a pricey proposition. The couple will need to pony up a staggering $19,514 just to cover the fees associated with obtaining a Chinese driver's license, registering Nacho in the People's Republic and paying for an official, government-required guide's food and lodging during their time in the country. Considering Brad and Sheena have budgeted $2,000 a month for their entire adventure, the price tag is a bit out of reach. Or at least it is without our help.

We caught up with the Van Ordens while they were stopped at a campground in Thailand for a quick chat.

Continue reading Help a couple drive their 1984 Vanagon around the world

Help a couple drive their 1984 Vanagon around the world originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 22 Apr 2013 19:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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75-year-old woman to drive around world in 91-year-old car

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Heidi Hetzer is a serious driver, she always has been.

An accomplished businesswoman and local German celebrity, Hetzer has no intention of taking the easy road. She never has.

The 75-year-old racer plans on circumnavigating the globe along the same route taken by the first person ever to drive a car around the world: Clärenore Stinnes.

Stinnes did it in 1928 and Hertzer plans to one up the original driver by using her 91-year-old Hispano-Suiza roadster.

Of course, Hetzer will have no problems if the Hispano-Suiza breaks down. One of her first jobs in the '50s was as a mechanic at her father's Opel dealership. When her father died in the 1960s, Hetzer took over the dealership and then built it into one of the largest dealerships in Berlin.

In between fixing and selling cars, Hetzer also raced them. She has collected more than 150 prizes from numerous races spanning more than 50 years, the most recent in 2007 in a classic car rally, according to Wikipedia.

The legendary Berlin native will begin her newest journey in 2014.

Scroll down to see the video.

Continue reading 75-year-old woman to drive around world in 91-year-old car

75-year-old woman to drive around world in 91-year-old car originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 25 Oct 2012 16:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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