ULAAN BAATAR - WOOP WOOP!!

Oh our Goodness. WE MADE IT!!!! Simply can not believe it. Had a wonderful night with the camels then found out we were only 3 hours from UB - we had no idea we were so close! We actually exploded with excitement as we came round a mountain to see the city glistening ahead of us. The car nearly came off its wheels. We then sat in dreadful traffic for an hour playing a new game of truck dodgems to get to the centre. We rolled across the finish line to join a heap of car shells in a cloud of dust, Blaze of Glory blaring. Half of our convoy who had arrived at 01.30 this morning plastered us with beer and whiskey - the rest arrived within a couple of hours. So so magical. We spent the evening swapping wildly exaggerated (well some were, most weren't) stories from the road - about terrible roads, Mongolian hospitality and Russian corruption. Have to say DT is by far the most magnificent car of them all. We are not letting her keys go until they are prized from us.

 

A million thanks to all for their support the whole way through this incredible experience for both of us. For your messages, phone calls, donations on the website - honestly we are a little overwhelmed by the whole thing right now. 

 

Off for a beer!

Lots of love, 

J & J xxxxxxxxxx 

 

Tov, Mongolia

spent night with camels in v comfy camp after racing through dunes on horses with local kids, then celebrated wiith vodka and card games. Now 300 km from UB!! And on our first bit of tarmac road! Really cant believe it. We have the champagne in the cooler. Nearly there- POOP POOP!!

Central Mongolia - Gobi-rama!

Totally wiped out today - for jay this was probably due to the vodka and snuff breakfast; for the rest of us it was the 300mph winds, the most punishing driving in the world, the fact we got lost well into the Gobi desert and had to surf little DT (Doblo Troblo) over sand dunes and get the help of 9 children who piled into our car to get us through a 3 foot deep river; o and the full bottle of soy sauce that exploded over ALL our sand-drenched stuff. we smell gooood. for that reason weve decided to grace our presence at another windswept town and have a shower. 

Last night we just had the most brilliant night of the trip. having left the last town late, we found ourselves on a darkening, VERY windy, cold and never-ending plain acorss the Gobi and spotted a yert in the horizon under the mountains. we went cross country to it (no tracks of course) and were greeted with open arms by a wonderful family. after a bit of brilliant miming, they invited us to spend the night in their tent. We spent the night talking and not understanding each other and the mother never stopped working through the night, feeding us with mutton dumplings, noodles, fermented yaks milk (mmm). awkward moment of the century when the daughter finished nursing her baby then her 16 year old brother leaned in for a go! we slept on the floor between mum and dad in a single bed; and daughter and baby in another. the rest disappeared somewhere.

Woke this morning to a full tent of visitors and extnded family peering on at us and waking Jay with homebrewed vodka and snuff, before dressing us in their beautiful traditional clothes - and they were lovely and warm! The characters - their faces and expresions - inclding one lady that must have been over 100 - all wearing fantastic selection of hats. We have NO idea where these people came from. It is true that in Mongolia you can be in the middle of absolutely nowwhere and someone will appear from somewhere to say hello. This yert was 100km from anywhere or anything we had seen - and they all appreared from every direction- walking - simply to check us out!

We barely finished breakfast before father insisted on showing us his animals, jo milked a goat and then tried to help the herding by jumping on a rather wild horse. needless to say she wasnt much help but did provide some amusement! We all then jumped onto some huge camels - one of which took a small dsiliking to jay and spat green gunge all over him!!! We then wound down with Lise teaching the kids arts and crafts and jo making dumplings while Jay took the men for a spin around the desert. Absolutely INCREDIBLE incredible and authentic experience. we were heart broken to leave them this morning.

now for a well earned beer.

Western Mongolia!

So, here we are in a tiny mega windswept town bang in the middle of the gobi desert. Hard to make the cars, buildings and us out as we're covered thick thick in sand. we stopped off at the last town and got ourselves a load of duvets, jumpers and socks. Jo also used the opp to buy a rather lovely leather jacket for London- $20!! bargain- why not! - as it is ridiculously cold. NEVER have we been both so cold and as hot in our lives. Roads are still non existent, burst 4 tyres in the last few days but we're very good and speedy at changing them now!!! Lots of rallier-friends around. people are now abandoning their cars left right and centre and limping in any way possible on to the capital.. train, plane, camel, yak, goat. spent the morning along with a pile of others getting our cars fixed up for the big final slog towards UB. 

had a crazy host-free night last night - we went to a hotel!!!!! and another 6 cars followed us. the poor hotelier had no idea what had hit her (or her hotel with all our sand and muck). such a luxury. went off to enjoy mutton pancakes but then found there are no restaurants in the town - apart from a 24 hour market selling old boiled eggs - which even the mongolians warned us not to eat!! so we resorted back to camping back within the hotel room - literally - bringing out the gas stove and cooking up a wonderful stew - mmmm. we will never be clean again - seriously. we scrubbed last night in our first shower in days and we are still a very strange pinky-orange-black colour which is rather attractive. Putting up a few pics now. Reception is dreadful and v little internet access but hope to be in UB around Friday night - sat if all goes well through the rest of the desert - woop woop!!!xxxx

Republic of Altai, Russian Federation

Racing through the absolutely stunning Russian Altay mountains in early morning sun.it's like the Sound of Music here - Saraa youd love it!! Passed 4 rally cars this morning- race is on to the border before it closes for the weekend!

Biysk, Russian Federation

knocked on farmers door at 1am - no idea where we are - they didnt shoot our arses off but offered us melon and ham!! Couldnt understand why they were all laughing til we realised jo kept saying good afternoon to them. Wondering why theyre all half naked- vodka must be very good! Weve now set up camp on their drive, and starting the paint remover russian style- mean vodka. Picked up Lise in Barnaul - great!!

Radioactive in Semey

Having just spend the night in a cardboard hotel in an ex-nuclear testing site (over 40 nuclear weapons tested here for Russia, which perhaps explains the conditions of the roads!), we are now glowing like the Reddy Brek man (or maybe it's the Pringles we've been living on).

Heading out on our new wheels back to Mother Russia. And to its vodka. We deserve a drink after yesterday's back-crunching bump-fest.

Thanks to everyone for their emails and blog messages. Especially Uncle Ray's top tips (will drive the car back then! See you next year!)

Semey, Kazakhstan

made it to Semey, covered close to 1000 km today. Nice roads! Ha, not really- there are NO roads to Semey just many tracks covered with small truck-sized potholes and cars, cows, horses and now eagles coming from every angle. So our beautiful car has taken a bit of a beating, along with us.. Burst our first tyre, expertly replaced by pd while Jo diverted the chaotic traffic. Fun! Into russia tomorrow to pick up Lise who is laden with Pimms and chocolate. Can't wait to see her.. Having flowm to Moscow today from Mozambique to pick up a visa, and now to Barnaul- really the arse end of nowhere- we are just hoping will find her somewhere along the main road to Mongolia!!

Taldykorgan, Kazakhstan

a truly amazing day's driving alongside the Kygrz border and the Altau mountains whose foothills we began climbing just as the setting sun cast gold and red over the sky. Simply stunning and a priviledge to see it. We keep pinching ourselves that we're here. Now sat in hotel eating John West tuna and Ritz crackers, watching Boston Legal.. Superb!!@

Almaty, Kazakhstan

Crossed into kazakhstan yesterday amid threats from dodgy border guards about problems with the secret police (which we ignored), we found a charming Stalinesque hotel (thanks to Carol for researching this one) with a real toilet (albeit one designed for wide-bottomed midgets). Now leaving Almaty and burning north to find a campsite by the lake.@