The finish line

After a whistle-stop tour of Ulaanbaatar we left the city heading north to try and reach ulan-ude that night. The roads were pretty good so we made good pace right up to the border. At the border we started to hear our car making horrible scraping noises when we were at slow speeds. We hoped we would be fine till ulan-ude so after getting through the border pretty much trouble free we crossed our fingers and headed north.

It had just got dark when we pulled into the Finish line and our epic journey of over 10,000 miles was complete.

Ulaanbaatar

This morning we got up early and drove the final 100km into Ulaanbaatar. We managed to find a cool statue and take photos before heading on to the Russian border and the official finish line in ulan-ude.

The convoy dwindles

On Wednesday, after a lovely nights sleep and feeling clean, we eventually set off just before 12 after waiting for a few teams to find cigarettes. The road started off as perfect tarmac which eventually petered out into dusty tracks again after 100km. The going was pretty slow but steady as we were the only team without a sump guard so had to be extra careful. After taking a few big hits we discovered we had knocked off the front of our exhaust again and had to re wire it up. Unfortunately it didn't line up as good as last time so our car sounded pretty loud again.

Not long after this we reached a giant river, bigger than any we had crossed before. There was a bunch of yurts huddled together on the shore with lots of locals and tractors that were evidently used to tow cars accross the river. After parting with 20,000 it was our turn to go across and the driver of the tractor made our car totally impenetrable to water with a single rag in the air intake. As we got towed through what seemed like an endless number of sections of river the water came right up over the bonnet. Amazingly none actually got into the footwells and after getting out the other side and removing the rag the car started perfectly first time. Some of the other teams hadn't fared so well. All the others had flooded footwells and the Irish boys had lost their number plate.

After the river we hit the road again eager to make up ground. We were in the lead with team perod skwod who were on a parallel track. We soon realised the tracks seemed to be diverging so we cut across and stopped with perod skwod to wait for the others to catch up. After about 5 minutes a lorry turned up and signalled to us that there were 2 cars back the way so we figured the others were in trouble and headed back to find them. We traced the route Perod skwod had driven on their track keeping an eye out for them. When we made it back to a small puddle where we had all been together we assumed we may have missed them and headed back. On the way back we managed to spot them on the track to the far right which we had originally taken and cut across to them but perod skwod didn't seem to notice. As we arrived at the other two cars it became clear team Jesticles were in trouble. Their sump had been torn open through their sump guard and they had lost a lot of oil. It was looking like the end but we had to get the car moved to where it could atleast attempt to be fixed. As the Irish boys car was having break issues it fell to the little plucky 106 to tow the Corsa through the rough roads.

Meanwhile this was happening perod skwod could be seen driving past again on the other track so the guys started waving the union jack on top of the car to get their attention. Unfortunately they never saw it and when we started towing till darkness we couldn't catch up with them. All of a sudden our convoy was down to two working cars...

The next day we got up early and continue to tow the car on the remainder of the 100km to the nearest town. After about an hour of towing we rounded a corner and off to the left was perod skwod camped by the side of the track. We updated them on what had happened and they said they would catch us up in town. The last of the tracks went on for ages and we took some big hits as we had to try and keep a constant speed whilst towing. We eventually got to the town and managed to find a mechanic that said they could fix the sump, much to our disbelief. After quickly welding our exhaust on for a second time and pointing out that we had a slight oil leak due to a ring seal they got to work on the Corsa. It took them a while but after a couple of hours work with lots of epoxy and a beer can the hole was gone. Whilst waiting for the epoxy to dry the Irish boys and perod skwod decided to go ahead as they wanted to keep to a tight schedule of getting to ulan-ude on the 26th which was the next day. After waiting till 2.30 we finally left town and the Corsa was running fine. Both of us had to keep an eye on our oil levels but apart from that it was plain sailing.

After we left bayankhangor the tarmac began and we finally had a pretty clear run to the finish. We managed to make a lot of progress driving right up till it got dark and ended up camping just over 100km from Ulaanbaatar which we planned to get up early to reach in the morning.

Just before bed we noticed that one of the rear clamps that holds on the roof box had pulled right through it so was no longer holding anything but itself to the roof bar. The front bar had also moved considerably further forward which we expect is due to the large amount of vibrations from the rubbish roads and tracks.

The steppes of Mongolia

After the late night before we had a bit of a lie in but after waking at 9.30 we discovered if we didn't make it to the Mongolian border by 12 on Saturday we would have to wait till Monday to get in. We hastily got our things together and got in the cars to start the 1000km drive. We also sadly had to say goodbye to team ulanbantoir again who were having to go Straight to ulan-ude through Russia due to time constraints. It was a pretty monotonous day with not much to see till the evening when we reached the altai mountain region which was stunning. We managed to make it 650km before it got dark even with the late start.

We rose early at 4.30am and it was absolutely freezing. The tents where wet so we just stuffed them in the car so we could get going and dry them later. We hit the roads which were very clear as the sun rose and made good progress to the border. As we drove we passed another mongol rally team camping and when we got to the border we met about 6 other teams. After chatting with the other teams we got the tents out and hung them over the open doors as the queue moved very slowly forward. Leaving Russia was actually a very slow process and we only got through at about 1. Luckily after the 30km drive through no mans land the Mongolian border was still open and hadn't closed at 12 as feared. Whilst waiting to get through, team hiley unlikely arrived in the three wheeled car which all the locals loved.

The Mongolian border was quite painless and we didn't have any mention of the deposit that the adventurists and the British embassy had managed to get round for us. Team Jesticles also managed to buy a visa on the border which was lucky as we had feared they might have to turn back and drive to ulan-ude through Russia. After leaving the border and waiting for other teams we got swarmed by kids for the first time who all wanted free things. We couldn't believe we had actually made it to Mongolia and looked forward to driving through the spectacular scenery.

We hit through road into Mongolia with a convoy of six cars. The roads where corrugated again and it wasn't long before the three wheeler hit problems and we ended up going on without it. The roads made the cars vibrate a lot but if you got up to 45mph it wasn't too bad. It did give you less control on the gravel though and you could feel the back end sliding around. When we pulled into the first town one of the teams needed to get a shock absorber welded and the local they found invited us all into his yurt for the night and gave us all local food and drink. We were even lucky enough to be treated to Mongolian vodka and beer. After a long day we were all pretty tired and bedded down in the centre of the yurt at about midnight.

The next morning it took a while for all the teams to get ready. We ended up leaving at about 11 and we made it to the local town to get money out,do a shop and get fuel before the long drive through the Mongolian step. We left the town and had the windows down when a peice of paper from our important documents folder managed to catch the air in the back and fly out the window. I had to swiftly stop the car do a three point turn and drive back then run up the mountain side it was blowing across. After running about 300m I finally reached the Russian car insurance document and managed to put it away more securely.

Later that afternoon we started to get to the many water crossings that cover Mongolia. We zoomed through them but not long after the old citreon hit some engine trouble so we all stopped. After a bit the aussie team needed to keep going as they had a tight schedule to keep. Not long after they left the citreon sparked into life and the convoy could move off again. We went down the hill and round the first corner to discover the aussie team stuck in the middle of a river crossing. After initially trying to pull them out with one of our cars a passing 4x4 got them out in seconds. The aussies then decided it would be best to stick with the convoy. About an hour later and after a couple of successful river crossings team Jesticles got overly confident and drove into the biggest one yet. They got stuck right in the middle and had water up to just under the top of the wheels which fully flooded the inside of the car. Two cars in the convoy had to tow them out. Luckily the engine started first time and there was no lasting damage. Carrying on down the bumpy roads it turned out not to be team Jesticles day. They suffered a flat tyre and because they couldn't get their locking wheel nuts off, tried to use one of the emergency tyre fillers. Unfortunately, although it initially looked to have worked, a couple of kilometres down the road the tyre was flat again and they had to attempt to get it off. It was 7.30 when they finally got lucky and managed to get the locking wheel nut off so they could change the tyre. After that we drove a little way down the road and we all set up camp. With the 7 cars and two bikers from the Czech Republic who joined us we formed a little village of cars and tents. The Czechs even managed to find enough fire wood to keep a fire going for hours even though there were no trees in sight.

The next day we set off for the town of ugli and a mechanic to repair the 2cv. After a guy finding us in town saying he was a mechanic and taking us to his yurt we spent about 5 hours there and in the end they couldn't help and just ended up removing the exhaust. We had a quick ice cream stop at a shop and hit the road. Luckily we had good tarmac for a fair bit and stopped to pick up two Czech hitchhikers. Not long after the roads got bad again and we ended up camping half way to altai. Neither me or oscar were feeling very good so we cooked some Tuna pasta and went straight to bed. Unfortunately we didn't get any better and we were both sick in the night.

The next morning we felt a bit worse for wear and couldn't stomach much. With the rest of the convoy we set off on what would be the most eventful day yet. The roads were being redone which meant we had to drive on dirt tracks along the side. It was very sandy and the citreon was being towed again. We had just passed a small village when the citreon got towed into a dead end and had to turn around. Whilst attempting the manoeuvre the steering column sheered. We all new this was a bit of a game ender and we would have to get a tow truck of some description. 2 cars went back to the village to try phone for help and tried calling the British embassy. After about 4 hours of waiting for help they managed to flag down a lorry to take the citreon team to Ulaanbaatar to try and get the car fixed. With only four teams left in the convoy we carried on. The dirt tracks were so sandy that all the cars kept getting stuck and we spent ages trying to push them out. Perod skwod got stuck and ended up ripping off their bumper for a second time after their crash in Aktau. Eventually though the tracks started to harden and all of a sudden we could see a tarmac road. By coincidence we bumped into another rally team coming the other way who had already finished but because of the Mongolia issues where doing it the other way. They told us good things about the road ahead and we let them know what they were in for. We eventually made it to altai and checked into a hotel for a much needed shower.

Arriving in Russia

On Wednesday we awoke in our field of Lavendar and set off north again. Once again Jesticles screwed up and overtook whilst we drove through a village with a cop car behind us so they had to wait their way out of more trouble. After finally getting going again we stopped for lunch under a bridge by a river. We had the reliable combination of bread and honey and washed it down with some tinned peaches.

After lunch we headed north again and got to the most gloriously potholed stretch of road i have seen. We had to slow to a crawl and another aussie team caught us up so we stopped for a quick chat before they headed off again. We drove on as far as we could and the roads did eventually improve which helped our progress. We stumbled across a fancy statue of gengis khan on horse back and had a quick photo stop. Not long after we set up camp on a small track of the main road and over the hill we could hear the army start up some training with gun fire and tank shells. We could even see tracer fire going above the hill. Luckily we weren't in the target area and we all got a good sleep despite being eaten by mosquitos.

On Thursday we packed away quickly to try and get too the Russian border. The driving was pretty fast but not much to see. We managed to get to Semey by about 2 where we found a pizza place to have lunch and then got to the border with Russia at about 6pm. After speaking with the border guard about visiting London and speaking on the phone with his girlfriend we were through the Kazakhstan side of the border. We then waited with anticipation for the Russian border. To our surprise it was actually the easiest border so far. We didn't have to pay anything but just had to buy insurance after we were through the border. To our surprise just after we got insurance our old friends Ulanbantoir turned up but the mosquitos meant we didn't want to hang around.

After a bit of a drive on some amazing Russian roads the illusion was quickly shattered when we got to the local town. The potholes were as big as the car and we went round the town several times before finding a place to stay and nearly getting stuck in the mud in a back alley.

Finally we found a hostel called hostel amigo and got a recommendation on where to eat food. We also discovered ulanbantoir had beaten us here and we heard how they had turned back on the pamir highway after tearing their fuel tank. The town seemed pretty dead but we ended up at a restaurant with pumping music and lots of dancing again. We ordered and before long Jesticles let the drink get to them and ended up doing a slow dance together which may have have contravened the local gay propaganda laws. After a woman in a hi vis jacket took photos of them both nothing else appeared to happen and they may have gotten away with it. We finished our drinks with Jesticles managing to buy the most expensive rum in the bar and pay extra for their lemon with the tequila.

Russia

About to be beaten up in Russia because team Jesticles thought it would be funny to do an all male slow dance.

Crossing the Pamirs to Kazakhstan

On Friday we finally set off onto the actual Pamir highway. We ended up leaving khorog at about 10 and straight away the roads were better than the previous three days. After a couple of hours of driving and just before the first high pass we caught up with a group of Czech travellers who we had met the day before and were going the same way. They joined our convoy and we headed up the road to see the spectacular views. Once we had reached the first pass at 4,200m, the roads opened up onto a vast plateu that reached out for miles between the giant mountains. We managed to get through the small section of bad roads and then made good time to ensure we got to murgab before sunset. Murgab itself was still very high up at 3,600m but luckily everyone coped with the change in altitude well. When we arrived we went to a hotel to see if there was any room for us to stay but unfortunately they were full. The hotel went the extra mile for us though and let us sleep in one of the upstairs lounge areas for free with was actually better for us than getting a room. We also ate in their restaurant which served up fried yak meat which oscar, edd and ollie had.

The next morning we rose early and set off for the highest bit of the Pamirs at 8am. On the first long straight a whole section of the road had been washed away and there was a makeshift gravel track to get around it. The cars managed it fine though and we carried on. It wasn't long before we reached the highest pass on the Pamirs at 4,667m. That's over 15,000 feet high which I am more use to jumping out of planes from. After taking lots of pictures and getting very cold as it was only about 2 degrees we carried on and reached the dreaded corrugated roads. After bumping along them for what seemed like an eternity we heard a clanging noise and straight away we thought of the exhaust. After having a look under the car we weren't wrong. This time the front end of the exhaust looked like it had sheered off from where it attaches to the engine. Not to worry though as we quickly jacked the car up and got out our trusty fencing wire to fix it in place. Within 20 minutes we were on the road again with a slightly louder exhaust that was now held on by wire at both ends.

Luckily not long after that the roads improved and we were rewarded with stunning views of Tajikistans largest lake. We stopped in a small village to buy some supplies and then stopped off for a nice picnic. It then wasn't too far to the border but the roads got worse again and there was a small river crossing where some of the road was washed away. Once through the Tajikistan exit border there was also 20km of no mans land and a further 2 river crossings. When we finally got to the Kyrgyzstan border we managed to get through it pretty quick and made good progress past Sary Tash and over another pass before finding a spot to camp. We managed to get all the tents up before the rain arrived and ended up cooking and playing cards in the Jesticles large tent with the porch open.

On Sunday we headed to Osh to buy supplies and then the plan was to get as close to Bishkek as possible. It was pretty slow going with the Czech guys and we only ended up leaving osh at about 3pm. When the Czechs car overheated we decided to part ways as we had to make more progress and our destinations differed anyway. After that we managed to drive right around Uzbekistan before setting up camp by a stream in a small canyon. After setting up camp we had our first campfire of the rally and a nice warm beer from the car.

On Monday our plan was to drive to the Kazakhstan border. We started early at 8 and made good time on the steep mountainous roads. By 11 we had made it to Tok Tugal where we stopped off at a mechanics were we got the front of the exhaust welded back on. The car sounded a lot better straight away so we celebrated by having dumplings for lunch. We hit the road again and changed drivers. No more than 10 minutes later we were pulled by the cops for speeding and after a long chat ollie ended up paying about 1,500 som. After the mountains we then noticed cops in almost every village but with the help of locals flashing their lights we didn't get stopped again.

We finally managed to reach the border and bumped into a team of six Americans(some may be Canadian) who were all squeezed into a Nissan micra. The queue went past a stop sign and we had a final cheeky run in with the Kyrgyzstan cops for trying to get us for not stopping at it when the queue moved forward. After pointing out that noone was stopping at it and them realising they didn't have it on camera they gave up. We then queued for a couple of hours before having a little fracas with some locals who skipped the queue and jumped in front of us. The woman were very aggressive and even ripped ollies shirt of him when we tried to ask them politely to move back behind us. Eventually we got through the first barriers and then it was just the usual long drawn out border process.

On Tuesday morning we got up early again and were off by 8. We needed to stop for petrol and even though the night before there were loads of places we appeared to have entered a black spot. After driving for a couple of hours and just before our petrol light came on we found somewhere. At less than 50 cent a litre it was pretty cheap to fill the tank.

After hitting the road again we soon hit the almaty traffic and we lost a couple of hours getting out the other side. When we did we headed for a supermarket in the next town where we bought supplies and had a mini picnic in the parking lot. Jesticles had some tinned meat which looked like dog food whereas we went for bread with honey, cream cheese and ham (not all at once). Not long after we changed drivers and ollie and Oscar took the wheel and as happened the day before they got caught speeding through a random 50 section on the motorway. After spending a bit of time playing dumb and saying they had no money we were allowed to leave.

That evening we set up camp in a field of Lavendar after checking with a local on horseback who was shepherding a hard of cows. We had set up camp a bit earlier than usual which meant we had time to cook and wash up before the sunset. Team Jesticles then treated us to a lovely wine and cheese night with some great Moldovan wine.