Ölgiy, Mongolia

We're in M O N G O L I A. We arrived at the mongol border lastnight, infront of about 12 other teams we thought we would be there for atleast a day like all the previous teams, YET to our joy, we were met with the news that we need not fart around in the courtyard waiting on the long car exportation process as we weren't, like the rest. So we were last in first out, with a grin and a wink, we headed out of the gates and hit the....roads? No, there are not roads. We only just made it up one of the montains, dropping down onto a fully conventional super smooth Tarmac road, odd. Its a shame it's raining. X

Ölgiy, Mongolia

We're in M O N G O L I A. We arrived at the mongol border lastnight, infront of about 12 other teams we thought we would be there for atleast a day like all the previous teams, YET to our joy, we were met with the news that we need not fart around in the courtyard waiting on the long car exportation process as we weren't, like the rest. So we were last in first out, with a grin and a wink, we headed out of the gates and hit the....roads? N

Republic of Altai, Russian Federation

We saw an eagle today. A few. We are about half an hour from the Mon-FRIGGIN-golian border. Funny landscapes, getting vast. Very vast. Our russian camping experience has been wet and super cold. Alex is truely feeling it in his 'founditintheattic' sleepingbag. Laurence and charlie have matching sleepingbags and are holding out just fine, although Charlie whipped out his thermal lining. And am finally loving my winter -22degrees sleepingbag. Sorry if I have developed a mongolian swagger by the next text.

Rubtsovsk, Russian Federation

Ok, Russia. We found somewhere to camp close the the border lastnight, it was a cold and windy night sleep, quite refreshing though! Atlast being able to sleep in our sleepingbags(fartsacks). Woke up thismorning to hit a surprisingly easyeasy border. Let's hope it stays that way. We booked our flights home yesterday, from Irkutsk to heathrow on the 9/9, feeling nervous and hoping we have left enough time to sort out the car 'getting rid of' in Irkutsk. It's cold in Russia so we're going to head straight for Mongolia, get as close as we can tonight! After yesterdays poor poor potholey roads these cracking European roads. We have travelled for 8000 miles and we are still in Europe...can't wait to be in Mongolia. 5 hours ahead of you all and loving it.

Rubtsovsk, Russian Federation

Taldykorgan, Kazakhstan

H A P P Y B I R T H D A Y ALEX! Alex lovers out there, worry no more, he woke up to a shaded tent, 'ahmad tea', a full English(fried egg and beans), he played baseball hitting the ball as far as he could watching us run to through it back, he threw orders left right and centre, he got given a bottle of long awaited 'heaven' vodka, had a midday birthdaycake, chose another bottle of vodka (mainly for it's outrageous bottle), spread his legs as far as he could in the front of the car whilst we drove, we found a fantastic spot by the river to camp with our hilarious swiss mates, had cold river child beers, ate glorious pasta and sipped heavenly vodka. What more could an ageing man want! This message is dedicated to Alex and Alex only. Peace birthdayboy lovers. P.s. Mission is to currently get him naked in the icy river, the naked bit isn't going to be hard.@

Zhambyl, Kazakhstan

We get given melon wherever we stop. Today we have had watermelon from breakfast, a two ft long oval honeycomb melon for lunch and watermelon is on the menu for supper. Give us meeeeeat! Academically; Charlie has read one book and is halfway through his second, Laurence read charlie's first book in an afternoon for a laugh then sank his head back into the maps, Alex has nearly finished 'Auto repairs for Dummies' and still thinks that pretty much all cars are rear wheel drive, and I (Jackson) have pretended to read one book whilst getting bored and starting another one which has a magical power to send me to sleep. Kazak is hot damn and we are making not-so-steady tracks but will be in Russia by the 24th, Mongolia hopefully by the 26th. Peace out to those (if any) (hopefully atleast our mothers) who are reading this still. Love.

Zhambyl, Kazakhstan

We get given melon wherever we stop. Today we have had watermelon from breakfast, a two ft long oval honeycomb melon for lunch and another watermelon for tea. Totally meloned out! Give us meaaaat. Academically; As the days have passed, Charlie has finished a book and is onto his second, Laurence read that book that Charlie read first in an afternoon for a laugh, then returned to sinking his head into the maps, Alex has just about finished Auto repairs f

Tashkent, Uzbekistan

We are driving between sumerqand and tashkent. Charlie just flew through a police checkpoint at 50mph skidding to a holt after the waving batons and whistling whistles. They wern't happy. They expected 200dollars. After disgustions, arm wrestling and all of us and the surrounding truck driver sharing melon we managed to solve it with an McWhippy t-shirt. Nice one Charlie.

Bukhara Province, Uzbekistan

We had slept on the forecourt of a restaurant lastnight, pitching up as the bride and groom left their wedding reception from the upstairs restaurant. Odd. We were shattered and collapsed in a heap. The men from the restaurant had taken a shunning to me because of 'michael jackson' and woke me minutes after falling asleep, practically dragging my limp body to a table set for four of us where we ate deep fried lamb off the bone and did shots (small cups) of vodka, Whilst Alex (who had been wishing this would happen all night) and the boys were asleep. 3 bottles later after plenty of hand gestures and laughing Alex arrived from his tent and joined for the fourth. It was great, then I got into bed, that was not. I was straight back up again and stumbling around the forecourt, then......yes ugh. Today has been horrible! After dragging our paws around the beautiful town. We found a fantastic square lined with bars and cafes looking onto a central fountain. Next thing, there are rally teams everywhere. We are trying to leave now to head east to sumerquand(summat like that). Uzbek is nice, apart from the angry parking ticket guy we ran away from. Byebye@