Km 3820, Pitesti. A quick calculation, we took our delay of 4 days in 7 days. Accordingly, we spent much time in car and for this reason, we always arrived late at our friends’s homes. Fortunately, they are very understanding.

We take the time to start the day with a Romanian breakfast. I believe that this is the first time for me. In the menu, we change Iberico ham for the Romanian ham, accompanied by smoked sausages, eggs, bread and many fruits. We take a few moments to update the blog with articles that we had wrote at the travel. During all this time, Madi and Adrian have tried by different methods to convince us to stay one day more in Pitesti. But we have to give all the material to the Istanbul school and also withdraw our visas for Iran. More delays possible!

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Until today we have made 4000 Km, that means, a quarter of the entire route. We crossed 7 countries and we met with colleagues and friends in 5 different sites.

Today we left quietly Budapest to 10am and we arrived to the Romanian border in a short time by highway. This is the first time we have to wait a few minutes and show our passports. Without doubt a foretaste of what we will see later. After cross the border, we stopped for lunch. One hour later we took the route to Pitesti, a 100 km north-west of Bucharest.

At Pitesti, we saw the factory where Dacia was manufactured our Logans. Also Adrian has his home and his family. Adrian was very pleased to present Madi. She makes us taste the Romanian specialties, including the eggplant cooked in a different style of Spanish and French version, which we had eaten a few days ago.

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Km 0. This time, we go! On Monday the 21st we started the first step of the Challenge Logan 2008. This makes concrete more a year a preparation which involved a lot of people in Europe, Asia and even more. 

The Challenge’s start has the chance to happen the same year as the 50th anniversary of Renault factory in Sevilla. To celebrate it, the Direction of the factory had invited the Mayor of Sevilla.

We took advantage of this celebration to present our project to the numerous journalists (press, radio, TV) and members of Renault’s personnal present there.

Then, the Mayor the city of Sevilla officially gave the start of Challenge Logan 2008, with the audience applause! We were surprised and very touched by this.

During this first step, we drive from Sevilla to Valladolid, that is to say 580 km to the north. We start with a 40-degree temperature and arrived 800 m higher, with 22°C. We already experience contrasts.

Photos and soon videos after the break to come…

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Thursday, July 17th, false start!

We comme back to the starting blocks beacause of some logistics problems and will start on Monday July 21st from Sevilla. Actually this few resting days are welcome. We hence have more time to verify the last details and especially to rest a few days before this big adventure.

So we have set up very scientifically a program for our mental and physical preparation, based on sun, swimming-pool, shopping, jogging, siesta and parties. Strangely, our ideas come clearer in the swimming-pool rather than during an audioconference in our offices. That’s not so true in the evening, maybe are we a little tired…

So note it in your agenda, we remember it to you, we start on Monday, July 21st!

Nobel Automotive is an expert in fluid transfer domain. We thank them for supporting the Challenge Logan 2008 and we let them introduce themselve !

Nobel Automotive is a design and production company sepcialized in fluid transfer domain. For 30 years, Nobel Automotive is partner with major car manufacturers. Facing a changing market, we study and design new generation products, in line with always growing environmental, quality and economical requirements.

Nobel Automotive Group is part of Orhan Holding, the headquarters of which are located in Bursa, Turkey.

Orhan Holding represents 6.400 employees on 24 sites, in 3 continents and 8 countries. It is present in automotive domain for 36 years, achieving 92% of its activity in this sector with a turnover of 584 million euros in 2007.

For more informations : http://orhanholding.com/index_eng.php

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