On Sunday 3rd August on the Upper Market Square the residents of Wieliczka said goodbye to the young globetrotters who decided to travel to Mongolia by the means of four Fiat 126p cars.Accompanied by the sounds of orchestra, vice-mayor of Wieliczka, Henryk Gawor, handed a symbolic fuel voucher to the departing travellers.

The daredevils from Wieliczka, on everyday basis - the students from Cracow's university and colleges - Dorota Pietruszka, Marta Kryskowiak, Rafał Łabuz, Marcin Nawrot, Damian Klimowicz, Marcin Kalęba, Tomasz Turchan - decided they had to accomplish something new,unusual, pioneering.

Among them there's also a Slovak - Jano Pośpiech.

It isn't the first Fiat 126 p expedition. The daredevils from Wieliczka have already visited European countries such as Ukraine, Hungary,Slovakia, Tchech Republic.

The photo coverage of the hitherto trips has been presented to the public during a special meeting in the assembly hall of the Culture and Tourism Centre in Wieliczka.

The expedition's organiser, Tomasz Turchan, has observed that while the Polish Lajkonik legend has been created for the literary needs, it still is inspired by historic facts.

It epitomises strength, wildness and the boundlessness of Mongolia.

We have to feel it, we've got to experience it!

The boundlessness of Mongolia and the many faces of this country have also been discussed upon during the meeting with the public in the Wieliczka's Culture and Tourism Centre assembly hall. The representative of the Poland - Mongolia Society, dressed in the traditional Mongolian outfit told about the specificity of this country, its boundless horizon, different attitude to time and the victory of the spiritual over the material - because the Mongolian shepherd is an independent person, living in harmony with the nature surrounding him.

The multimedia presentation of the photos showing the steppes,the historic objects and the yurt, accompanied by the texts of the Mongolian folk proverbs along with the traditional music, complemented the exposition.

The gathered residents, family members of the travellers, friends and acquaintances also had a chance to view short films showing the preparations before the trip:renovation of the Fiat 126p as well as numerous deliberations concerning the expedition.

All of this has been presented in a convention of a youthful dash for adventure and the immense steppe.

Before the young travellers departed, vice-mayor "baptized" the Fiats with champagne before the long trip and once again wished all the best to the participants.

The representative of the Wieliczka Salt Mine handed a "dutchka" to the travellers - a special dish filled with lumps of rock-salt - which they shall give out while traversing Ukraine, Russia, Kazakhstan and Mongolia.

Then the time came for interviews and souvenir photos.

On this hot summer day the residents of the salt town had an opportunity to admire historic cars such as:Warszawa, Mini Morris, BMW from the Twenties or the Chevrolet, which followed the Fiats onto the Upper Market Square.

The expedition has been organised under the patronage of the mayor of Wieliczka, Artur Kozioł. All the participants received T-shirts as well as other gadgets promoting Wieliczka.

The coverage of the expedition to Mongolia shall be available under the web address www.dzicz.pl

We wish our travellers a safe trip!