Jan the Welder

When Neil sent me the link for the Mongol Rally, he already knew I'm always up for fun and a challenge so I’m sure he wasn’t THAT surprised when I texted him saying ‘Are we going then?’

We talked about how much fun it would be and the type of car we could take and one Saturday afternoon on one of our pub crawls, after ‘quite a few’ drinks we decided to go for it.

I refused to go in a Reliant so we watched Ebay for suitable cars and decided on a 2CV, late one night Neil woke me with a text, telling me he had bought us a car. I jumped out of bed and raced to the computer to talk to him and to look at the car he had bought, it was a 2CV - we named Marvin (because of the registration number) and he cost us the pricely sum of £20. He was quite a distance from us and we had to wait for him being delivered so we could have a good look at him. It turned out his condition wasn't THAT bad but he would need body work done and needed welding.

Neil couldn’t spare any time to go to college to learn welding and I suddenly found myself volunteering (or should that be – being volunteered) for a welding course.

I enrolled at the local college – bought the safety gear. (Argh! – Neil encouraged me by telling me I would look 'really cute' in overalls, safety boots, gauntlets and welding helmet) and looked forward (?) to my first week.

I was a nervous wreck as I set off to college on my first night, but was soon put at ease when I was asked why I wanted to weld - I don't suppose many women turn up to a welding course because they are about to drive over 8,000 miles to Mongolia in a car that cost just £20. It's certainly an ice-breaker!

I’m not called ‘Jan the Jinx’ for nothing…..

The first week I burnt my arm and the helmets were far too big for someone who isn’t quite 5 foot tall. I was pretty hopeless.

The second week – after the tutor had cut down a helmet for me – I burnt the lower half of my face, because he had cut it down far too much and I was left wearing a bikers buff over my face, which didn’t protect me from the heat. I ended up looking like half a tomato that had been sunbathing in sub tropical heat.

Third week – I burnt my arm yet again but my face was protected due to Neil buying me my own helmet (bless) and the equipment broke down on me. I brought some of my welding home for Neil to look at and I think he was quite surprised that it was halfway to being decent.

Forth week – the equipment broke down on me three times. So I now know how to change gas cylinders and repair the welding equipment. Neil also sent me off with a mudguard from one of his many precious bikes, that needed welding. My tutor did most of it but it gave me a chance to see oxy-acetylene welding as opposed to the MIG welding I had been doing.

And so it goes on … BUT – I have to say I’m really enjoying it and I’m actually not THAT bad – which is quite a shock. I should get my City and Guilds at the end of the course, so I will be able (hopefully) to weld Marvin in order to prepare him for his trip to Mongolia.