British adventurer and world record holder arrives in New Zealand to continue next record-breaking mission

British adventurer Mike Perham, who in 2009 was the world’s youngest person to sail solo around the world, hit New Zealand shores today in his next record-breaking quest to become the first person to solo circumnavigate the world by land, sea and air.

The driving challenge, which is the second of three challenges, takes Mike through over 20 countries in a campervan from New Zealand owned and operated business, Spaceships and is expected to take four-and-a-half months.

Mike has been driving his Spaceship campervan across the world to raise money for the international disaster relief charity, ShelterBox, whose New Zealand based response team assisted Cantabrians after the February 22, 2011 earthquake.

Mike says he is excited to arrive in New Zealand where he hopes to meet with Christchurch Mayor, Bob Parker and the Shelterbox Response Team who assisted after the earthquake.

“This journey around the world raising much needed funds for Shelterbox has been very humbling as I’ve not only got to meet the amazing people who have assisted in the recovery but also the victims who have lost so much after disaster has struck. The stories I’ve heard so far about how they have coped after the news disappeared off our TV screens are just phenomenal.

“In Thailand I visited a family outside of Bangkok that was hit hard by the floods last year. The mother gave birth to her child as the floodwaters were rising. Soon after, ShelterBox arrived on the scene and began to distribute boxes and midi tents out to the families. This meant the family had a clean and private area to bring up their baby and the box even became a crib for the little girl,” says Mike.

While driving his Spaceship campervan across the world, Mike has had some interesting experiences. He has cooked on open fires burning horse dung and driven on hair-raising roads with seemingly no rules. Border crossings have also proved challenging with Mike often becoming an object of curiosity for the local police. In the Ukraine alone he was stopped eight times.

While in New Zealand, as well as visiting Christchurch, Mike will stop in Queenstown, Hokitika, Wellington, Napier, Gisborne and Auckland, before heading to the United States, Canada and Europe and then returning home to the United Kingdom where he is expected to arrive in November.

To follow Mike’s adventure visit http://www.spaceships.tv/where-in-the-world-is-mike/

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For further information contact: Sarah Alexander-Willcox at PR ink Ltd, mobile: 021 400 458 or email: sarah@pr-ink.co.nz

Notes to Editors
• All Mike’s mileage and CO2 emissions are being offset to make it as green an adventure as possible.

• About Mike Perham
Guinness World Record holder:
2006 Youngest person to sail solo across the Atlantic Age 14
2009 Mike was the youngest person to sail solo around the world Age 17
Mike’s Spaceship Adventure of New Zealand:
Oct-05     Friday  Christchurch 
Oct-06     Saturday    Christchurch
Oct-07     Sunday  Christchurch 
Oct-08     Monday  Queenstown 
Oct-09     Tuesday  Queenstown 
Oct-10     Wednesday  Hokitika 
Oct-11     Thursday Wellington 
Oct-12     Friday  Napier 
Oct-13     Saturday  Gisborne 
Oct-14     Sunday  tbc
Oct-15     Monday  Auckland 
Oct-16     Tuesday Auckland

www.mikeperham.tv
• About Spaceships
Spaceships is a New Zealand owned and operated campervan rental business with a long history in the tourism industry. It prides itself on offering good vehicles to drive with innovative features exceptional service and a unique, social on road community. The vehicles are custom designed, award winning and qualmark endorsed with enviro silver for sustainable business practices. The company plays an active part in the Responsible Camping Forum of New Zealand and strongly believes in educating travellers about the great facilities around New Zealand. To read more about the Spaceships New Zealand story visit: http://www.spaceshipsrentals.co.nz/contact-information/spaceship-story/
• About ShelterBox
ShelterBox provides emergency shelter and lifesaving supplies for families around the world who are affected by disasters, at a time when they need it the most.

For further information on ShelterBox in New Zealand visit: http://www.shelterbox.org.nz/about.php
To find out what’s in the box: http://www.shelterbox.org.nz/about.php?page=9