Hertfordshire, UK

I think we have a beautiful contender for largest phone bill of the rally...

Big Trouble in Little Mongolia

Its been a little while since our last proper blog, so I had better update you as to our recent trials and tribulations. To start out our car is vaguely ok - it has two broken rear shock absorbers and no rear bumper. Oh, and it has taken to over/underheating, which is a bit of a problem when we dont have a working temperature gauge. Soldiering on anyway.

In terms of Greg's previous (and short) blog entry, that happened when he got in Will of Team Outsmart's Smart car which sped out of Olgii without us and promptly tore his oil sump off. We didnt know this and were happily off to Khovd with the other Smart car and the Skoda. Well I say happily, actually the other Smart got a oil leak which meant we had to patch it with resin and bubble gum and tow it. The locals at the town we took it to then decided they wanted it and didnt much want us to go; so we hightailed it out of town at 10 at night. This led to a series of nighttime towing hijinks up Mongolian mountains, including some river crossings. Eventually our valient Skoda would tow no more and we had to test out the chewing gum 'improved' Smart which actually worked. After some sleep at 3am in the cars we then proceeded (at 6am)to Khovd.

This story will be contined after lunch.

Tom

Bayan Olgii, Mongolia

Joined OutSmart for one day and ended up losing the Skoda and stuck in Olgii for another night! Hopefully the guys will get my txts soon!

Altai Republic, Russia

Camping next to a river having spontaniously gone white water rafting. Good day, great roads and some Aussies. Mongol border tomorrow.

Barnaul, Russia

Had an excellent night with our new Russian friends. Good to be over the border, but dont expect much movement tomorrow.

Too expensive to text blog!

 

After a number of complaints from back home about not blogging nearly enough I have a proposition to make. I will text blog in at least twice a day if you're willing to pay my phone bill afterwards! I could even set up a paypal account just so that you can pay for individual texts (50p a pop). You'll have to let me know on facebook or twitter or something though so that I can set one up ;) (Greg Horsfall on Facebook, airheadgreg on Twitter)

We're cracking on, lost our Kazak convoy yesterday with the Amborigionals heading north to Astana to fix their ambulance and us landing in Karagandy and heading out on a two day trek to Semey in an hour or two. Hopefully we'll reach Russia in just over two days, and hopefully two weeks to reach Ulaanbaatar!

We actually stayed in a hotel that the 'Long Way Round' guys stayed at in Kyzylorda a few days ago, with pictures of Ewan McGregor all over the place. Currently in a hotel that the Russian cosmonauts used to stay in after landing back again.

We're feeling a bit weary but still enjoying things a lot. Right, I've got to go and re-pack the car now and one of the others may do a blog. 

 

 

Karaganda, Kazakhstan

In a Scottish pub about to try Kazakh haggis, fish n chips and horsemeat. We are the only english speakers in, good sign.

Dust, Dirt & Damned Strong Winds

As we've been driving along through Kazakhstan's glorious and horrendous roads I thought of many great blog posts that could be made and the story that would be strung between them, but now I can't remember them so I'll just give a brief run down of the highlights...in bullet form because I'm that lazy:

- Driving through dust devils

- Roads that are more like giant potholes with small strips of road joining them together

- Glorious straight roads riding the Steppes for miles on end at 90mph

- Broken fans in our car

- Millions of mozzies

- Convoying with Team Amborigionals

- Losing our rear bumper

- Having lorries repeatedly drive over an ambulance wheel

- Setting fire to an ambulance wheel

- Soviet hotels claiming to be 2* but are absolutely crap and bed bug infested

And yeah, that's the short and skinny of it all. I'm sure Tom or Aaron will be keen to provide a more in depth assessment ;) 

Kyzylorda, Kazakhstan

Paid hobos to look after car and sprayed beds with bug repellant. In for a good sleep. Road went from a carpet to a rally stage, fun. Tom

Transcontinentally Speaking

There will be no Borat jokes.

We are currently rocking Atyrau, which is a rather pleasant oil boomtown with a remarkable number of expats. It also happens to mark the border between Asia and Europe, which is the Ural River. We have now crossed a number of times, notably from our hotel in Asia to TGI Fridays in Europe. Because we are Transcontinental people.

We are now anticipating several (more) days of brutally bad roads on the way to Almaty (via Aktobe) and some lovely camping on roadsides with the camals. All very Bear Grylls.

Anyhow, I need to get going now as I should be driving.

Tom