Who's behind The DownundereXpress...

The DownundereXpress is the work of Michael Martin (aka, gumbootspice) and Brenda Simonsen. Both are keen travellers, who have a thirst for adventure, and have large amounts of experience in travel. Gummi, with driving tours through Europe and Scandanavia / Russia for UK based tour operator "Top Deck", and managing the "in resort" operation of their ski programme in Andorra. And Brenda with leading tours for Top Deck through Europe and Scandanavia / Russia, as well as organising charter tours as Groups Manager at TD, and selling tours / training of staff at TD's Earl's Court Office.

Planning for the trip has been going on in Gummi's head for the past 3 years or so. Unfortunately that's where it has stayed. Various ideas were hatched from taking Landrovers, to Double Decker bus's!! But it wasn't until early 2001 that Brenda managed to pull the idea out of Gummi's head and say "If you want to do it, then lets do it. But get on with it would ya!!" From that point on, their lives changed a lot. Soon after those immortal words were spoken, and while Brenda was in New Zealand, Gummi went out and bought a Mercedes Overland truck!! Thats when the real planning started. Since then their lives have been pretty hectic... Gummi's had to learn web design, Brenda's had to come up with a lot of the design aspects for the site, and they both have been gathering information, talking to people in the industry and generally planning as much as they can for trip. Come December they'll both be off to Andorra to work for Top Deck, the ski company that Gummi runs the resort operations for. But planning will not go on hold. They both see the next few months to be crucial to the success and will have most of the work done with regards to the logistics of the "The Journey Home" finished by late March.

Friendship Bridge Nepal/Tibet Border