Trip Highlights thus far...

###### 5 days into the Mongol Rally. Highlights so far: Set off from Goodwood Motor Circuit - the lap. Gensdarms (french police) turning up while having a drink in a lay-by off motorway. Broke into campsite and left without paying. Second night, couldn't break into campsite - ended up being woken up by the German police because we camped on a nature reserve. First checkpoint party in a castle outside Prague. First Lada spotted. Amazing women in Czcech. Crap roads in Poland. 2362km covered. 5 countries down. A few more to go…

 

**Days 5-9: 4hr meal in Hotel on the border of Poland and Ukraine (It took an hour to pour a beer!). Stopped for speeding by Ukrainian Police - managed to talk our way out of it with two bottles of whisky. Reported a missing person with the foreign office. Spent 5hrs in a ukrainian police station, felt like we were being mugged (there were more criminals in police uniforms than on the streets!). On the run from the Ukrainian police for trying to help someone. First really hot day - motorbikes overheating. Single arm window tans. Problems finding hotels in Eastern Ukraine - extremely remote. Were followed by shady characters to the hotel. Stayed up drinking with the head of police in eastern ukraine (he was also head of the mafia!). Drink driving - Theo accident. Russian border - 80 dollar bribe (forgot to get green card for Ukraine). **

**The end of Hutch's trip - bike abandoned in the Russian countryside.**

**General fatigue and hunger. Progress slowing. Realising the magnitude of the task ahead...**

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**Encounters with police: 6**

**Time spent in their fine company: 7 hrs**

**Time spent at borders: 7 hrs 30 mins**

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**3487km covered. 7 countries down**