Fursday Thursday - Who says I need a kindle?

This may have been made as art-car but I really think, that for our next rally (at least) we must have a car that is a tank, made of books. This is not as ridiculuos as it sounds because:
a) we'd have so much reading material we wouldn't need a kindle
b) it's a good talking point, we'd never be lost for a conversation
c) no one messes with a tank, except maybe rebels, this may be a flaw in an otherwise wickedly good plan. Maybe if we flew a white flag? Or play classical music as we went?
I love Connie, and she is going to be the best wheels in the world for the Put Foot but I can't help thinking that a rally in a tank made of books is just something one must do...

What's even cooler about this original book tank is that it's designed Argentinian art-car maker Raul Lemesoff and he drives around Argentina giving books for free to anyone that asks for them. People stopped by him on the road can just pull out books as they chose. His aim “to contribute to peace and understanding of people [through literacy]” - how cool is that!
For more on him and this go to the MAKE magazine website from whence this info comes.

The true size of Africa

Click on the piccie for a closer look..

True Size of Africa - Kai Krause

Mammal Monday - Fun Anyone?

Passed on to me by Gen on a glum Monday I couldn't resist sharing this little gem of a video. Oh to have this much fun and not fear sand in your orifices. If only we could all be elephant calves...

A quick exploration of wiki has taught me rather a lot about the awesomeness that is this week's featured mammal the elephant. Apparently, they are the only other species on the planet other than Homo sapiens and Neanderthals that have a death ritual and will bury their dead in shallow graves and with leaves. Even guarding the bodies for a day or two afterwards. There also seem to be all sorts of documented cases of elephants staying beside dying family members and trying to keep them alive, while babies appear to "weep" over dead mothers.

Another interesting thing is that elephants must learn behavior as they grow up, rather than it all being instinct. It seems that a way of measuring how much a creature will have to learn as it grows up is by measuring brain size at birth to adult brain size. The majority of mammals are born with brains 90% the size they will be as adults. Human babies on the other hand have brains 28% the size of an adults and elephants come in second at 35%, so elephants have the highest amount of learning to do as they grow, after humans. Isn't that crazy!

Hopefully, if I am wrong cousin Diane who works with elephants will correct me here (nicely of course). And you can learn more about elephant cognition here. After the rally I really am going to make good on the long-promised blog, "shit I googled today" but maybe it'll have to be "shit I wikied today" instead!

And finally, I must end with this picture because us Londoners have had lovely warm weather and thus we have celebrated the only way we know how...

Piccie from the Mailonline

Fun Fact Friday – Malawi's Flag

Malawi is definitely the country I’m most looking forward to visiting whilst we are putting foot – I’ve always wanted to go and it looks simply amazing. And just when you think things can’t get any more awesome now we also get to have an (almost) full moon party whilst we are there!! Lumo on!

I always thought that this was the Malawian flag:

But it turns out that in 2010 it changed to this one (amidst much public outcry):

Not a huge change, but apparently at independence in 1964 when the flag was introduced the rising sun represented the dawn of freedom and hope for Africa – then in 2010 they decided to remove the red rising sun and replace it with a full white sun in the centre to symbolise Malawi's economic progress. What would we do without Wikipedia. 

Fursday Thursday - It's what's inside that counts

We're going to be in the car alot. Indeed, just getting from Checkpoint A to Checkpoint B sees us covering 1700kms which is at least 17 hours based on a speed, which in Africa, is probably unlikely and it'll be more like 30 hours. With this in mind then, our Fursdays shouldn't have been so much about the exterior of the car, but the interior instead. I know Robs wasn't happy with covering Connie in fur but perhaps she wouldn't mind a kitty steering wheel?

Or perhaps we should be trying to fit in with our surroundings more. Zebra anyone?

Although I can't deny that I am hugely drawn to this. Is it the colour, is it the fabric, is it the ludicrousness of it? Perhaps it's the way all those three combine to give you the wonder that is:

It's probably sweat inducing and itchy as anything but you've got to suffer for that sort of glory!

These are but a few of the awesome interiors that oddee has found. For the full selection, and I'd say it's worth a little two minute break, click here.

Top ten Tuesday: Car-tertainment

There shall be no I-spy in the car so I’ve compiled a list of ten other options to keep us entertained during the long driving days of the Put Foot Rally. 

1.  Twilight audiobooks. Yes.
2. Learning a language cd’s – there have been debates over which language, but we could very well return from the put foot rally fluent in German. Drei Gin Tonics bitte.
3. Caraoke – Karaoke’s more mobile cousin. And yes, we will be compiling a video of this for your viewing pleasure.
4. The “what would your last meal be” game – we played the 3-course version of this on a garden-route road trip and there’s definitely room to expand.
5. The top 25 road-trip compilation tape – coming soon to a Tuesday near you.
6. I have heard of something called Car Cricket. I am still unclear of the rules but I think it's probably worth learning. It's probably the only cricket I will understand. 
7. Our very own desert island discs - if we were on a desert island what item  [technological, book, CD, DVD, as many options as we can think of] would you take.



The Daily Mail online (of course).

8. I say famous persons' name. You say another famous person's name whose first name starts with the first letter of the surname of the person I just said ie.Patrick Stewart; Sarah Jessica Parker. etc. Usually a drinking game but it involves much shouting so I think we'll enjoy it even without a sippie.
9. The association game. Bizarrely entertaining when you get going.
10. Mooning? Perhaps we shall hope that this is the entertainment that comes from elsewhere.

Mammal Monday: Bush BABY!

Given that this blog is being written at night, and just before, for many of you, it won't be Monday anymore I thought I'd chose a mammal that you almost only see at night. And they are pretty cool little guys with their big eyes, long tails and little hands. Also, if you watch enough videos on youtube of people petting them and them loving it you can't help but want one for yourself. Proper name, galagos.

Now watch this hilarious video. The baboon is bizarrely kind for what I've convententinaly thought of as  unkind animals. And the reporter is pretty awesome too. And just look at the bush baby's giant eyes!

Fursday Thursday - Autopotamus, Ducktern & Toddler Terror

Every time I think we may have exhausted the possiblities for epically covered cars I find a new website, filled to overflowing, with cars in crazy designs and outlandish forms. This week, Amazing Data takes the cake with an incredible range of cars and floats.

This being a blog about going about Africa first up are the autopotamuses. There's a boy and a girl!

Next up is this delight which I think could be used not only as automobile but also as living space. See how nicely lit-up it is. It even appears spacious. I really think we could be on to something here. Maybe not the best camoflauge but somethings have to be sacrificed....

But perhaps my favourite is this one. I know it's absolutely not suitable for the rally but I've got to give a shout out to the parents that gave this to their toddler. How epic are they?

These are but a teensy, tiny glimpse of the awesomeness that Amazing Data contains. Other favourites, which can be seen here, are the giant open mouth, the dragon, some sort of giant insect, and the bubble car - to name but a few!

Top 10 Tuesday: Reasons to give us your money

With 98 days till we hit the road I thought it was about time to remind everyone why we're doing this and to give you ten reasons why you should give us some of your hard earned cash - at least I'm honest.

1) Rally contestant funds and other donations will help The Put Foot Foundation to put 600 pairs of shoes on underpriviledged kids feet. The Foundation itself works as an umbrella organisation investing in and supporting social development projects and so any money going to us and on to the Foundation is, as they say, for the kids.
2) A fully equipped anti-rhino poaching team - I'm not going to include links to all the horrible photos I've seen of rhions without horns, and baby rhinos next to their dead mothers - all I'm going to say is that poaching is a real problem and the Put Foot Rally organisers, in association with Project Rhino will put any monies we raise into helping to stop poaching. So if you're not too worried about the kids maybe spare a penny for the rhinos. They really are awesome and one of the closest things we'll ever see to a dinosaur.
3) We write this awesome blog which has entertained you with buzzfeed, animal facts, ridiculous fur-covered cars and promises to continue providing all manner of amusing, bizarre and sometimes important content.
4) We really really don't want to be the 3 girls that got lost leaving Johannesburg (you laugh, but this has happened to me before) AND didn't raise any money for the kids, or the rhinos. Save us from that shame at least.
5) The warm fuzzy feeling giving is meant to provide - why not test the theory by giving us some money. If you don't get a warm fuzzy feeing, don't admit it, that's not normal.
6) We're mad enough to travel 7000kms in 17 days in a Toyota Conquest which wouldn't be IDed if it was buying booze (it's definitely old enough). Surely that deserves some money just for comedy value.
7) We'll be really really happy.
8) And grateful.
9)  If we don't raise any money then this is just a glorified holiday and we don't take 3 weeks off, spend everything we have and create a blog for a holiday. That would seem...excessive. But if it's for the kids and the rhinos then our fun is totally definitely not completely selfish.
10) And finally, we're pretty. That's probably not a good enough reason. But it was worth a try.

Thanks in advance.

Most important  - this is how to give us your money:

1) Go to the Put Foot Give Gain account - HERE
2) Hit the DONATE NOW button
3) Don't forget our CREW NAME in the comments box
4) And you are DONE.

And we are smiling :)

Image from therealtimscott.com

Mammal Monday - Mobile Compost Heap

I did intend, with less than 100 days to go till we set out on the Put Foot Rally to only speak of Southern Africa creatures from here on out but then a friend sent me a link (see the onsie video below, not the Attenboroug video) and I simply can't resist taking a moment to speak of these awesome guys. Why? Because they have pretty epic lives. So with thanks to Gen and Stylist magazine for reminding me how great these South American mammals are I give you, THE SLOTH.

Epically titled "Attenborough: Saying Boo To A Sloth". And yes, he does say boo, to a sloth. I do love Attenborough.

Sloths, move only when necessary and even then very slowly. In fact, one of the few times they move is when searching out a mate and this is at some ridiculous speed of 2 metres per minute. I guess, with only about a quarter of the muscle weight of animals of a similar size they can't really afford to rush around. Any why should they when they can hang out in trees using no energy and their fur is not only camoflauges them but provides a little ecosystem for all manner of creepy crawleys, which keep the sloths clean. Yes indeed, they need never groom themselves. Sounds like the perfect world.

But here is the video that lead me to Sloths in the first place (thanks Stylist.co.uk). There's totally a onsie involved:

and if you're really bored you can watch this. I mean, sloths please me but I'm not sure this is ever normal:

Fun Fact Friday - Empty Namibia

Namibia has the lowest population density in Africa with only 2.6 people per square kilometre. This is the second lowest population density in the world after Mongolia, which we’ll be going through if we ever get to the Mongol rally - one day girls!

So basically Namibia is not a place we want to break down in – it could be a while before we come across another human being. But damn it is beautiful - can't wait!

THE ROUTE!

It's been announced! 

EXCITEMENT! 

With only 104 days to go till we hit the road the official Put Foot Rally route has been announced. Bad news is we won't be going through Botswana anymore (although this does mean an excuse to do a 2 week tour just of the Okavango in the future...poor me) and we'll miss Swaziland (I can probably include this on a different SA trip) but the good news is we pass through Zimbabwe - yes mum, you might see me on route.  The official CHECK POINTS in the various countries haven't been announced yet but a basic outline of where we'll be when is here:

Note the number of rest days, phew! And note the amazing places we'll get to go through and via - Caprivi, Etosha and Vilankulos to name but a few.  I'd like to state now, and for the record, that I am not strong on the navigation side of things but I am good at "planning" so get ready for a range of posts on the awesome things we are going to see enroute and why you should be pretty envious (as if you weren't already!).

We also end in Mozambique which will be awesome but also allows me to feel vindicated for not having booked my flights yet - that might have been a balls up. Procrastination saved the day - nice.

Mammal Monday - Naked Mole Rats

Ever since I saw one in a Chicago zoo, I've loved naked mole rats. Then in Cape Town I had a conservationist friend who took me to see them in real life. Studied for a range of reasons their tunnel life was recreated in plastic tubing on the walls of the zoology building and watching them run backwards through these tunnels and clambour all over each other in their day-to-day business made me really happy. It's probably odd to like something so traditionally unattractive but Kimpossible has one so they can't be all bad. I mean if Disney is willing to include them...right?

Then an episode of QI recently made me think that these little guys totally deserve to be lauded in Mammal Monday because they are pretty amazing creatures. Some awesome mole rat facts:

They live in the drier parts of Eastern Africa (Kenya, Ethiopia, Somailia - so were unlikely to see them, boo) in tunnels underground. These conditions are harsh to say the least but the mole rat is more than equipped with:

•  lack of pain sensation in its skin
• low metabolism
• its blood has a very strong affinity for oxygen, increasing the efficiency of oxygen uptake

Also, while mammals they regulate their body temperature completely differently - lying on top of each other when cold to keep warm (cunning, I like it) and moving deeper underground when too hot. 

But the reason they are being studied and what makes them particularly intriguing is their longevity. It's the longest living rodent and can live up to 28 years because it's "living its life in pulses" ( Sciencedaily.com. 2007-10-16). That is they can substantially reduce their metabolism during hard times which is sort of like rodent cryogenics, but not quite. This ability is so effective that scientists are trying to sequence mole rat genes to figure out how to make us live forever...sort of.

Thanks to the wonderful wiki for all this info. To learn more about naked mole rats - because there is lots to know click here.

Whole Naked Mole Rat gallery. Epic. 

Photos: wikia.com, arkive.org & flickr.com

Friday Fun: Happy Animals

My productivity at work has gone done several-fold since my discovery of the awesomeness that is buzzfeed. It's better than youtube for killing time at work because you don't need sound but it will still make you laugh and you can still spend hours just following the links they tell you to. It's like some sort of epic mind control.

So today, because it's Friday I give you my favourite buzzfeed of the week (it's a close run race):

The 26 happiest animals in the world - don't just look at the pictures, the captions are gold!

Picture from buzzfeed via sanitaryum.com