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It's July tomorrow... then there'll only be 19 days till we set off and I get to emigrate to Mongolia. I can't wait for some better weather - it does nothing but rain here. I booked myself in for a Spa this weekend - a great way to recharge your battery, literally, and I'm getting some new bits and bobs fitted - fuses, points, fuel hoses. I'll be like a new car by the time I'm done.

I'm starting to worry that those friendly Russians don't want us in their country... yep, am still waiting for the official letters of invitation so I can apply for the Visas. I'm not too worried yet as the Mongolian visas have only just been sent off so there's still time to get everything in place. I feel like the clock is ticking - (I don't know that it's ticking because I don't have a clock) - and with only 22 days till we leave there is an awful lot to do.

Well, better late than never.

Sent off for the first visas today. We're working on a pretty tight timeframe but I think we'll get there although a brief trip to the Russian Embassy may be required if the Mongolian and Kazakh visas take too long to come through. I guess we should have done this a little bit sooner but... nevermind. Everyone keep your fingers crossed that everything goes smoothly for us with these visas pleeeeeeeeeeeeease.

I've done some research... (*cough* asked the Road Dwarf team car *cough*).... about LOIs and Visas and the general consensus is that I've left this a little late. Nevermind, I'm sorting it out for them, the drivers, now. You'd have thought that two seasoned travellers might have got this sorted out by now, rather than leaving it for an "old banger" like me. No, that wasn't a typo. Yes, that was a dig. That's what they've been calling me. In the press, on the radio, even on the TV. How embarassing. My friends from the yard keep texting me.

We leave in one month today. I'm starting to get nervous as there's so much to do. I'm just not ready yet. My bodywork's a mess, my engine hasn't been oiled or fine-tuned, and I still don't think my lights work. I'm probably just panicking. I'm sure everything will be fine.

I'm up early this morning - we're on the radio again. My stardom is ongoing. There's a really nice guy, Graham Mack, who's featuring my journey to Mongolia on his radio show on TFM. It's incredibly exciting for a little old car like me.

Being a car of mature years, I am reluctant to admit that I do not in fact know everything there is to know about travelling. It would appear, however, that I do not. And nobody thought to inform me that I might need a visa to get to Mongolia. So, I've done my own bit of research and I need three visas; one for Kazakhstan, one for Russia and one for Mongolia. I'm sending off some application forms tomorrow. I wonder if, being a car, I'll need a passport?

I was in the papers today. The Northern Echo. I knew I'd be a star one day. 49 years stuck in a field, a nobody, and now... finally, I'm getting the fame and glory I always knew I was born for. Of course the newspaper was just the start. Before the print was even dry I had the television on the phone wanting to come out and see me.

Tyne Tees Television came out today to get some footage. I had time to give my body-work a quick once over this time though so I was really looking the part. I drove round and round for them. The car park is my stage. The roads are my catwalk.

I knew it would come in the end... stardom. I've been waiting, patiently, for what feels like years, (but is actually only weeks), and finally it has come. They came to me today. The photographers!! I'm going to be in all the (local) papers and they even want to interview me for the radio tomorrow. I'm going to be a star.

.... and there wasn't light. Of course, we've had an awful lot of rain lately. You can tell that from the pools of water just behind the driving seat. I'm wondering if something wet has got into the electrics and somehow affected my lighting circuit. I swear, they were working the other day and now, suddenly, nothing. Guess I better get that looked at.

Going to really start looking at a route through to Mongolia now. Time is getting on and 19th July - the day I emigrate - is getting nearer. I haven't even packed!!

I felt like I was back on the farm yesterday with all the snow and rain turning everything to mud. I didn't mind though because, unlike on the farm, the drivers took me out for an adventure. We went for a short drive. It felt good to have the tarmac between my treads again. It was soft and warm, despite the falling snow, and I could have gone on for hours. We went down to the next town, staying on the minor roads because I'm still waiting for my new seats to be fitted. We were in search of something the drivers referred to as "T".