'It was an empty landscape now with huge horizons in every direction, a compressed, steam-rollered desert where man had no place . We lacked the skills to carry out even basic fixes. If the van stopped working we were stuck. No one knew where we were and our last mobile phone signal had been 150 miles away.' Fifty-something and tired of arguing with John Humphrys over the day's headlines, journalists Geoff Stayton and David Treanor found themselves eagerly volunteering for redundancy. But rather than easing into retirement with the odd round of golf, they decided to buy a van and drive off to Mongolia. Well, it seemed like a good idea at the time - In an epic journey through Ukraine, Russia, Kazakhstan, Siberia and across the Gobi desert, they discover more about each other in a few weeks than they did sharing an office for years. Lying in wait are crooked cops, bent border guards and dodgy mechanics, but also welcoming and curious locals, eager to help the pair on their mission.

About the Author

David Treanor was a BBC journalist for more than 25 years, editing news bulletins for the Today programme and Radio 4's Six O'clock News. The journey was made in support of the charity Save the Children.

Reviews

'an excellent, excellent read.' -- Maurice Boland Talk Radio Europe Featured on Talk Radio Europe