Birtles and Bean recreation ride hits Saudi Arabia as part of charity drive

More than 100 years ago Lawence of Arabia crossed the uncharted Nafud desert by camel over months. Now a vintage roadster has taken on the same task. Here’s why.

Just over 100 years ago Lawrence of Arabia was crossing the uncharted Nafud desert by camel for months at a time – The Daily Telegraph’s vintage Bean flashed over the sands from the Red Sea to the Persian Gulf in a week.

Admittedly, Saudi Arabian petrol-dollars have provided excellent roads and – Telstra take note – unbroken 4G coverage for the entire route.

But it is still blisteringly hot with sand whipped across shimmering roads by fan-forced oven winds and sand storm warning signs between camels loping beside the highway.

The Bean was built just after T.E.Lawrence completed his campaign in Saudi Arabia and has crossed the desert in the latest stage of the recreation of Francis Birtles epic 1927 drive from London to Melbourne.

Birtles and Bean, the trip from London to Sydney with Daily Telegraph journalists Warren Brown and Matthew Benns. The pair are in Saudi Arabia crossing the desert.

Birtles and Bean, the trip from London to Sydney with Daily Telegraph journalists Warren Brown and Matthew Benns. The pair are in Saudi Arabia crossing the desert.

Alnjeel charity director Turki Albalwi pulled up next to the Bean as mechanic Tony Jordan was refilling the radiator to find out more about the trip.

“I was astonished to see such a car in the desert,” he said. “You must join me for lunch because in our country every stranger is our guest.”

Over lunch at Al Ula he was fascinated by the operation of the Royal Flying Doctor Service which the Bean drive has so far raised $100,000 towards.

See where in the world the adventurers are in the map below:

“Our charity also provides medical assistance to remote communities but we don’t take the supplies in by plane or even camel but by four wheel drive,” he said.

We then headed to the Ashar Valley, home of the giant Guinness world-record holding mirror building, set in a natural amphitheatre of towering rocks. Except we could not get in because the guard at the gate told us a conference was underway.

“Is it true?” asked an English lady as we argued at the gate. “You are driving this car from London to Melbourne?”

Warren speaks to a passer by who is admiring the roadster.

Serendipity when you are travelling is a funny thing. It turned out Kate Hall-Tipping runs the mirror building.

“I am holding a conference on mobility through the years and you guys in this car certainly qualify with this crazy, magnificent adventure. Come on in,” she said.

Just down the road is the UNESCO listed site of Hegra, the perfectly preserved ancient tombs that make up the second Petra where Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade was filmed.

Ms Hall-Tipping also used to run that and made a quick call for the site manager to guide the Bean to one of the most famous tombs just as the desert sun sent its final vermilion rays over the horizon.

It would have been perfect if the Bean’s headlights had not shorted out – but travel is all about adventure.

And that was typified by our leg of the journey into the capital Riyadh when the heavens opened for one of only four rainy days of the year to turn the sands into red mud.

Australia’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Mark Donovan from Ben Lomond in northern NSW, said news of the Bean’s arrival had preceded us on Saudi social media.

“I am not surprised you are all over social media with such a unique vehicle,” he said. “I think this must be one of the first Australian cars to come into Saudi Arabia.”

He said the home of Islam is opening up under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s Vision 2030 plan to reform a society where just eight years ago shopping was the only permitted form of entertainment.

And there is another big incentive for other Aussie motorists to consider exploring Saudi Arabia – filling up the Bean’s 40 litre main tank with petrol costs just $15.

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