DJ - In our part of the world it is midday on Saturday, October the 11th. A warm fall day with clear skies. Reporting this update to you having just crossed the border of Turkey into Greece. We just had an experience that drives home the meaning of the political discussion involving the European Economic Community. Our experience was to go from Turkey to Greece it required only twenty minutes, which compares with other border crossings where it had taken anywhere from two to six hours to get across. The implication of the European Community is that Europe ultimately will become one economic unit without borders, potentially, the same currency and each with its own set of cultural and domestic public policies. When they combined economic units that would represent something equivalent to North America (United States, Canada, and Mexico). So the border aspects of the European Community have worked for us. A lot of discussions and decisions to be made by many countries throughout Europe as to what adjustments they will have to make in their local budgets and their local practices in order to comply with standards that have been set forth for the Economic Community.

The unrest in Italy, where the leader of the country has been voted out of office, within the last 48 hours. This is a result of budget discussions in Italy. There is no confidence for of the social policies that are necessary for Italy to comply with meeting the standards of the Economic Community. We have arrived in Greece, yet another country on our journey from Beijing China to Paris France.

On this update, we are joined by a fellow competitor who has accomplished the journey in an open automobile. The car is of a 1930's vintage. He has also accomplished the journey with his co-driver, who is his father. I would like to introduce our family and friends to Duncan Ashby from Great Britain. Duncan, Carl and I have traveled in a modern car, in the comfort of a bench seat with a roof. You and father have traveled nearly 10,000km without any roof and elbow to elbow. What is that like?

Duncan It is very tiring to be shaken continuously. It was very nice to get into to Iran with the smoother roads. I think being shaken for 8 or sometime 13 hours a day can reduce you mentally as well as physically. It is very nice to be on better roads now.

DJ - You, as we mentioned, are traveling with your father. There are six groups of teams here of father/daughters and father/sons. There is a father/son team from Denmark. A father/daughter team from Canada and from the Luxenberg. It must be something very special and there must be some highlights and some lowlights. Comment, if you would, about having a parent as a co-driver.

Duncan We know it other very well and we get on very well. On this journey, I think we have found out many new things about each other that we didn't even know before. Thankfully, we were only shouting at each other once. Generally, we confined a lot of shouting to other people or other things. Yes, it has been testing but I am sure we will look back at it with great pleasure.

DJ - For example, what would you find out about your father that you might not have otherwise realized?

Duncan I can not pin point anything in particular. Just that we both have very similar temperaments and different flash points. I think, I should have bottled it up and suddenly go and he should have relaxes if he could put it like that by shouting sometimes. I found that to be the most important thing, I think.

DJ - Many school children have been following our updates and our reports. They often ask, "What does the person who is not driving do? Do they sleep? Do they daydream?" It is hard for them to understand and perhaps you could elaborate that it is quite imperative that two people be alert at all times. So for young people who are interested, explain what the navigator does and the significance of the navigator to getting through the journey.

Duncan I normally navigate first thing in the morning, which can be very early in the morning. Normally, the instructions in our route book come every km or sometime less than a km, just 300 meters. So you are half asleep and you have to read these instructions to make sure that your trip meter is the same as the route book. I have to give instructions to the driver to turn right, left, or go straight on. I then look forward to the first time the route book say more than 30km. I can then catch some sleep for 30km and then wake up again for the next instructions. But in towns, the navigator keeps a look out for other vehicles and people crossing the roads, animals, and all kinds of things. So, it is a very involved participation.

DJ - It is required that every vehicle have two persons in the car or else they are not allowed to make this journey. Describe the automobile that you and father have brought from Beijing. Duncan That is very easy. We brought the wrong one. It is a 1930 Delage with a straight 8 cylinder and four liter car. It is a very powerful engine, but not that fast. It is the right car in terms of power and construction, but it is just that bolts keep falling off the car. We are surviving.

DJ - Lastly, reflect back over the last 10,000km. We are moving into move comfortable circumstances of Greece and now into Europe. We have all been through a lot but what sticks out in your memory.

Duncan I suppose it is a saying that we keep reminding ourselves about which is "triumphant over adversity". Which may sound a little contrite but many other people other than ourselves have suffered more indignities and more problems than we have. But we have had our far share. It is difficult sometimes to enjoy the moment but perhaps just reflect back at the end of it to what will undoubtly be an amazing experience.

DJ - Finally, will you tell us where your home is?

Duncan We are both from Darby England. That is 40 miles north of Birmingham. We are looking forward to driving back there.

DJ - Duncan is in his mid-30's, as I recall. Your occupation?

Duncan I am a real estate surveyor.

DJ - Thank you for taking your time out of your journey to visit with our family and friends. We have been visiting with Duncan Ashby from Great Britain. He and his father are operating 1930 open cockpit car all the way from Beijing and eventually, a week today in fact, to Paris. We are all looking forward to arriving there. We have a week of unknown things waiting for us, down the road as they say in Great Britain. Thank you Duncan. Here is my co-driver and survivor, Carl, with his comments as we have arrive in a place that is special to his family, Greece.

CS - We are in Greece now on our way to Italy. I know that we are going to have some good food in Greece. We are going to meet the Greek people, who are so friendly as my daughter Mary knows. Last night we received an award from the Dedemann hotel for our activities driving across Turkey. It came as a big surprise. We now have a trophy to celebrate with. We had a good meal, entertainment and had some fun. We are all feeling much better now. We are in Europe. It seems like it is a down hill all the way. I want to say that we have endured a lot challenges from Peking to here. Don and I, of course, started in New York. We thought we had some challenges as we crossed the United States in the 110 degree temperature. We learned that was good training for us but not entirely what we need to get us ready for dust, sand storms, boulders, and getting through unbelievable roads. Our speeds will now be more regulated and we look forward to seeing the sights of Greece. Here is Don. We will see you in Paris.

DJ - Carl, I want you to comment on the improvements and the maintenance to the 1954 Packard, as we have kept people abreast of the mechanical things that we have had to deal with. Carl sacrificed his entire rest day in Istanbul. He discover that there is an automotive bazaar with some 2,000 small shops just like the commercial bazaars of the Asian countries. He succeeded in finding people who had knowledge of electrical and brake repairs. Lets share for those who are following the mechanical aspects of keeping the Packard on the road. What improvements were made yesterday?

CS - We had to realign the front brakes and tighten up the suspension as a result of all the pounding that the car had taken. We solved our little electrical problem that we had in the short. Generally, the car is running as good as it ever has. The bazaar, that Don mentioned, was really amazing to me, being in the car business. There were over 128 acres with some 2,000 different individual shops, all located in one location on the hillsides. Something like going to an outlet mall. It had new car dealers, used car dealers, tire dealers, upholstery, glass, individual little shops with 2,000 square feet that would take care of only brakes. The next shop would take care of only the front end and the next one would only take care of the cooling system. Many restaurant, buffets, snack stands and even a couple bank outlet, it was really something amazing to me to see this much in one place. The car is running good and we are on our way to Paris.

DJ - We have entered Greece where we have to learn about drachma, which is the currency here. Here is a little piece of information, there are 30,000 square km of beaches in Greece. We will have an opportunity to see them but probably not use them. The population of Greece is 10.24 million. That is divided between 5.07 million males and 5.17 (51%) females. 5.5 million Greeks live aboard. Unemployment is currently at 8%. So those are some facts about Greece.

We drove along the Sea of Marmara, which is feed by the Black and the Aegean Sea, which is connected by the Bosporus. You have to know the water circuit in this part of the world. We are now traveling along the shore line of the Aegean Sea, having just left Turkey and entered Greece at mid-day. We promised a commentary on Iran and we are going to do an extra special update in 12 hours at the end of our day today, Saturday. We will reflect back on the very special experience we had in Iran. We want to do that for many reasons, being an American, being in Iran, there are many exciled Iranians who have joined our update and are interested in hearing about their homeland. We also have a debt of courtesy to pay to host in Iran. We will be doing that update in 12 hours, off schedule of our normal 24 hour update. We are using the satellite telephone. We have delayed our entry into Greece to be in contact with you. It is a warm, sunny day in Greece. It is a good feeling to be here and to be and to be this far in our journey. With the repairs to the automobile, we are highly confident that we can complete our goal of getting to Paris. So for Carl this is Don wishing you a good day and saying so long until the next time. Good-bye from beautiful Greece.