• PETRONAS Algeria staff to join expedition

September 24, 2004

Our last dune before leaving the Tunisian Desert

Everyone has emerged from the Tunisian Desert in good spirits. The cars performed well in the desert. In Tunisia, the team was introduced to a different kind of desert - the sand was softer, the dunes were lower. But the challenge was to concentrate at all times as the dunes were nearer each other. Camping on the dunes was always great as the team sat around the campfire and talked through the night, watching the shooting stars ... it was priceless.

We are now heading towards the Tunisian and Algerian borders where we will spend the night at Nefta (Tunisia). No one knows what to to expect in Algeria, but judging from what we have experienced in this expedition so far it will definitely be filled with adventure. Roberto and Marta, our desert guides, leave us today. According to them, the team has done well in the dunes of Libya and Tunisia. We have learnt the lessons of desert driving very well and they would welcome us again anytime.

Tomorrow morning, the team will cross into Algeria, the fifth country in this expedition. Besides the military escort, three PETRONAS Algeria staff members will also be joining the team during our four-day stay in Algeria. Due to security concerns, we won't be driving in the desert dunes. We will also be staying in hotels all the way to Oran, our last city in Algeria.

Along the way, we will conduct three community relations (CR) programmes – a donation to a children’s hospital, a programme with the Boy Scouts, and an official dinner with a CR programme presentation. We will be in touch with messages and reports throughout our stay in Algeria.