Gulf News website will be following the journey of Allison Amour and Elise Baverel, two French girls driving from Dubai to Paris to help strengthen ties between France and the Middle East.
We spoke to Allison to see how the girls were feeling just hours before they were set to leave Dubai to catch the ferry from Sharjah.
The girls were making last-minute preparations before they attempted to cram all their belongings into their tiny Mini Cooper and hit the road.
Making a 12 day road-trip in a large off-road vehicle would be difficult enough, but Mini's are notoriously small. And if that wasn't bad enough the girls have the extra worry of a spare tyre that they have to pack in case of emergency.
Because of this they limited themselves to packing very few clothes and no food. Allison said they were "not worried about being fashionable" and would rather have enough room to fit in essentials, including first aid kits for both the drivers and the car.
When asked if it was going to be tight squeeze Allison said, "We will push hard enough to make everything fit in the car."
The girls say one of their main worries for the trip is the issue of security. Due to a possible lack of ATM machines on the route and differences in banking methods, the girls have no option but to carry enough cash with them to last the journey. They decided to take the bare minimum in case they were robbed at any point of the trip.
Although the girls say they are "excited, but very nervous" about the journey, they are reassured about their tiny mode of transport.
The girls got their trusty Mini checked at a garage to ensure it would be in top condition for the journey, which takes them through Iran, Turkey, Greece and Italy. The garage fitted the bottom of the car with a steel plate to ensure it will last through any rough terrain.
Faith in their car is essential, as the girls will spend a lot of time travelling alongside trucks, and off-road vehicles. They say dangerous driving is a worry on the roads, as well as fatigue. The girls have opted to split the driving equally, and will help each other out when they get tired.
They have also packed enough music to keep them amused through the journey, which will mean them spending around 70 hours in the car.
With the journey about to begin, Allison said they girls were going to have one final meal to fill them up before attempting to cram the car with everything they need and setting on their way.
