The "China-Australia Desert Crossing" expedition sounded its assembly call yesterday, officially forming an international adventure team. This multinational team, composed of adventurers from China, Australia, New Zealand, and Japan, will depart for Australia on August 24 and spend 15 days crossing the world's largest expanse of inland deserts—the Australian Outback.
Completion of the crossing within Australia scheduled for September 7
Completion of the crossing within Australia scheduled for September 7
"Long-awaited and finally here," the international China-Australia Desert Crossing team was officially formed yesterday, with the event organizer, New Express Newspaper, announcing the list of team members for this transnational adventure.
"This international crossing team is made up of adventure warriors from China, Australia, New Zealand, and Japan," introduced Li Yuyu, Secretary-General of the China-Australia Desert Crossing Organizing Committee and the leader of the international team. He noted that the crossing team is not only multinational but also consists of "varied backgrounds"—"The adventurers come from all walks of life, including government officials, Olympic champions, desert experts, explorers, business professionals, and journalists."
It is reported that after completing the desert crossing feat within Australia as part of the "China-Australia Desert Crossing" on September 7, the adventurers will also tackle China’s highest-altitude desert, the Kumukuli Desert in Xinjiang, on October 10.
Signing a "waiver of liability" before departure
Reportedly, among the international team, none of the Chinese adventurers have been to Australia’s inland deserts, and many are embarking on their first overseas "expedition." "We’re still largely unfamiliar with the Australian inland deserts." Zhang Xiang, who lives on the northern edge of the Taklamakan Desert and is known as the "living dictionary" of the Altun Mountains, is making his first trip abroad and is filled with anticipation for this pioneering crossing. "I want to see what the deserts of the Southern Hemisphere are like in Australia."
Reportedly, due to the massive area of the Australian inland deserts being crossed—155,000 square kilometers—and the fact that most of the crossing zones are uninhabited, although the organizers have provided comprehensive safety measures and plans and purchased travel accident insurance for the adventurers, they may still face unpredictable dangers in these vast, foreign deserts. Before setting out, all adventurers must sign a "waiver of liability" with the event organizers.
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