The cast of the Oasis Overland ballet

Okay, time to introduce the rag-tag cast and crew of this travelling yellow container.

1. Mary and Steve - Our US couple. They've have had the added joy of several countries not liking their country. They have become visa and bureaucratic olympians. If there were a medal for the red-tape high jump, they would take gold every time.

2. Claire - Sweet girl who hangs out with Laura a lot. She has the unfortuate honour of having hurt herself in every town we've been to. One of the funniest was when the gang plank of the felucca collapsed underneath her, dumping her in the Nile. Very funny, but unfortunately painful. We've stocked up on bandages now.

3. Stan - Kiwi softball coach. One of the funniest people I've ever met. He has a story, directly involving him, in almost any situation you care to imagine. Usually in New Zealand and usually involving poo. V-funny

4. Alan - Has travelled all over the world in the last three years. Is tagged as the man who likes his luxuries a little. This is rather convenient as I can say he needs a latte in the morning and then make myself one after he has taken some heat for liking the good life. Sound bloke.

5. Laura - Aussie girl. Hangs out with Claire and Calum. Very funny, but not always intentionally so? Occassionally will get excited by someone's comment like "I can't fit my hand into this glove" and she would say something like "Yeah, I hate it when it is too big. I just use vaseline and it slides right in", much to the amusement of all us smut smirkers.

6. Katherine - The girl with the tome of a trip diary. We are all very curious as to what could possibly be recorded in there. This calls for a midnight raid I think.

7. Olya - Runs to her own time schedule, which seems to be reminiscent of communist era railways (or modern era British railways for that matter). Holds the record for receiving most free things from Egyptian traders. This might be due to the power of her flat exposed midriff. She can also bargain harder than anyone in the truck. Some traders have sat there confused as she walks away with half their stall for as little as five pence.

8. Brian - He has been my room mate with Stan for a lot of the trip. Brian is an ace guy. He has a special hidden blog with comments on all of truck people that I have been trying to find. I hope I rate highly.

9. Barry, Keith and Steve - The three Irish boys. Barry tips the charts with the funniest comment on all of the trip. Someone said "playing the bongos is like riding a bike" to which he replied "you just swing your leg over and start peddling". Keith refers to himself as a strawberry blonde. He helped chisel rock in the desert to clear the truck which was very impressive. Steve loves New Zealand which is cool. He is going to work in a mountain bike shop there. Awesome.

10. Gavin - I only found out that he was eighteen yesterday. He is a very interesting guy, very passionate and will do amazingly well. He also holds the record for the most souvenirs purchased (actually all of them). He raised Egypt's GDP singlehandedly.

11. Rich - Master of deadpan delivery of funny lines.

12. Calum - Hangs out with Laura. He is the best at roughing it due to his Scottish training. He also gets in amongst the locals and isn't afraid to mix it up. At eighteen, he does very well to be so at ease.

13. Gary and Alison, Duncan and Robin - Two recently married couples from Manchester. Very nice people. They have a tendency to be grouped together by people like myself but are each very cool in their own right. Duncan wants to raise Alpacas in New Zealand! Cool.

14. Gunter - The oldest on the trip and he puts us all to shame! This man, nicknamed the German ninja, goes out independently on tour missions all of the time. He is ace. He has travelled all over the world and a couple of years ago went to the everest base camp. Did I mention he is sixty five!

15. David - In the same boat as me, he has a girlfriend back in Ireland. She might head to South America soon and he might go meet her there. Go get her Dave!

16. Bear - Nicknamed the grizzly (just kidding), she is very sure of her ideas. She is a wonderful cook and we all vie to invite her to help us cook.

17. Debbie - A big time accountant in the movie industry. She last did "The Davinci Code". I haven't actually had the chance to speak to her much so will have to fill this space once I've found out her cool aspects.

That's the cast, let the personality and interaction crescendo begin!