Background

The 35,000 km overland route from Perth, Scotland to Perth, Western Australia contains examples of most of the world's varied cultures. The 19 countries occupy 16% of the world's land mass, produce 1/3 of the world's cereals and are home to over 1/3 of the world's population of which over 1/2 are rural. Yet most of us know very little about everyday life in their communities, relying on the sensation seeking international news agencies to update us whenever there is a major story in a particular country.

Ever since the days of Alexander the Great and Ghengis Khan people have travelled between Europe and Asia. Most travellers were specialists and keen just to get from one to the other or to trade goods between the continents. But as infrastructure links improve and western companies seek new unsaturated markets, the potential of many of the less developed countries along the route is being looked into by all types of businesses. Visitors too, are becoming increasingly interested in escaping from traditional tourist venues to more remote places far away from the pressures of modern western life - as evidenced by the huge growth in independent travel.

Not wanting to concentrate on just one market, this expedition aims to capture a taste of life in all the countries en route. As most are predominantly rural, the expedition aims to spend its resources finding out about rural lifestyles and the potential for future development in these areas. Who will be farming the land in the future, what will they be growing and how will they be growing it? What is daily life like today and how might it develop?

Our Mission
To help make the world a better place through improving general understanding and reducing prejudice towards different cultures.

Our Values
Unquestionable integrity - our actions mirroring our intentions
Patient understanding - always seeking first to understand before being understood
Objective views - remaining free from commercial or political bias
Professional performance - delivering world class results

Our Strategy
We aim to achieve our mission by driving 35,000 kms across the world, spending time in key rural areas, learning about local cultures and describing our own. We will share our knowledge with others around the globe through modern communications technology.

All members of the team have a specialisation or particular interest, and we will aim to meet with our counterparts around the world to share experiences and best practice. Areas we shall be looking into include lifestyles, customs, diet, agriculture, mechanisation and wildlife.