Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
After 6 amazing weeks the Bongolians have made it to Ulaanbataar. Unfortunately the ambulance had to be donated in town of Altai in Western Mongolia; time constraints and rapidly deteriorating patience meant we had to say goodbye to our vehicle after another bumpy flat bed journey. However we are safe in the knowledge that the Mongolian mechanics will be knocking it back into shape and putting it to good use. So after an extremely cramped 24 hour minibus journey, complete with driver nodding off at the wheel and kids throwing up from motion sickness, we arrived in sunny UB, where we celebrated our arrival in true Bongolian style. The journey across Mongolia itself was barren, dusty, bumpy and cold; but home brewed 'vodka' poured from a jerrycan from some steamingly drunk local famers helped us along the way. All in all an incredible adventure, thanks for reading and stay posted for photos.
Khovd, Mongolia
We have made it into western Mongolia! Appalling roads and leaks from the ambulance leave Ulan Bator looking a long way still. Dramas here with some lovely irish guys rolling their car overtaking us (they're fine now), pringle and jamie killing a goat with spade and blade before a fine skinning effort from george and subsequently a fine bbq meal! Now staying in a Yurt with a local lager ready to crack on to UB! x
Almaty Province, Kazakhstan
The ambulance rolls on! Now sat in Almaty's San Siro 24 hour pub ready for a big night sampling the Kazak lagers, mankinis and working girls! Some dramas en route with will driving over a stray rock tearing our exhaust off again, jamie careering a friends car into a roundabout and pringle locking us out of the ambulance at the Kazak border! Travelling with a jolly Welshman and some miserable English girls so all is good and we're well on our way! x@
ОшÑÐºÐ°Ñ ÐžÐ±Ð»Ð°ÑÑ‚ÑŒ, Kyrgyzstan
Settled with an uplifting lager after being towed 50km. Ambulance at deaths door with people offering pennies for its scrap! Battling on with plans to be towed 180km to garage in Osh tomorrow, which we're told is 'a fucking warzone' by teams ahead! All sorts of joys though with firing guns, vodka with tajik police, a captured marmot in a bag offered as food, jumping off bridges by Afghanistan, a sub-zero night stuck on a no-mans land glacier, befriending a Kyrgyz major and falling off donkeys. x
ОшÑÐºÐ°Ñ ÐžÐ±Ð»Ð°ÑÑ‚ÑŒ, Kyrgyzstan
I'm writing this blog update from the passenger seat of a kyrgyz lorry, which is towing our beaten up ambulance to the nearest mechanic after a pamir highway crossing frought with incident. Broken exhaust, lost doors, suspension overhaul, and unresponsive engine to name a few. Bu ** some text is missing **
Gorno-Badakhshan, Tajikistan
A potentially disastrous dramatic three days drive from Dushanbe! All sorts of offroading including being pulled backwards through a raging river. Dust inhibited breaks in the valleys, new dramas on suspension, a collapsed exhaust and a door fallen off but we've limped to the Afghan border ready for a check in at the garage before hopefully heading on our way along the Pamir towards Osh. x
Region of Republican Subordination, Tajikistan
the ambulance's suspension has been restored to it's former glory, and we've climbed up through the fan mountains to dushanbe, where we are having lunch in a crumbling old soviet hotel. Now we are gathering a strong convoy for the pamirs; an interesting few days await...
Bukhara Province, Uzbekistan
Sat in gorgeous central Bukhara having a lovely chilled Azia. Ambulance is in the garage apparently ready to go in the morning so all is looking good for the famed Pamir highway in Tajikistan. All going to plan we'll have a cracking night this eve and be in Samarkand tomorrow. x
Rally photos!
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Rally photos!
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