Ulan Ude

Well after 12 hours crossing the border and a truly shit quality swedish tire that blew out the tire wall on us we are in Ulan Ude and heading for the finish line!

The car and our marriage have survived!

Ulaanbaatar!

Ulaanbaatar for a few days then Ulan Ude....

Ah so heres the login......

Well having realised a few things we thought it wise to add a pin in the map.

Things we have learned:

1. It wasnt getting dark early - we had the wrong time zone set. 2. When registering for the mobile updates it helps if you put the right details in. 3. One person driving for 30+ hours in 2 days, through monotonous flat muddy marshy farm land, does not a nice person make.

So we are sat here using wifi about to head towards the Mongol border then onto Ulan Ude after the Mongol capital.

In other news we have not killed each other, are still married, and divorce is not yet on the table - Bonus!

Kurgan - Pyromania capital of Russia....

Kurgan, seemed like a nice place to head through and find some shut eye - that was until the burning car and such so we effed off rather sharply!

Thought afterwards that we should have snapped a piccie and didnt (busy effing off) but it looked not unlike this:

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A quick wee note from the Wife here - It may have looked like a nice place to my Husband, to me it did not! The minute we stepped foot in the place, I knew it for what it was. It took seeing the vehicle on fire for my Husband to agree!!!

Russian - Ukrainian Border....

Border people - neither terribly bad actually - the Russians were very helpful as we dont speak a word of Russian and helped us fill out the import forms and such - good job too - still took nine bastard hours though :( During those nine hours, had a smoke waiting for the return of passports and papers, when some Russian and Ukrainian lads made the effort to speak with me despite the language barrier, thought we were crazy, and believed mongolia could not be done!

Kiev - The city of odd drinking establishments....

So when in Ukraine it seems to be a good idea to meet up with your fellow adventurists (All pain no gain) go to a bar, slam drink shots while your russian lid is set on fire, has fire blown over it and rounded off with a sharp blow to the head from both a pair of bolt cutters and a barrel and some fire breathing - FUN:

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Polish - Ukrainian Border

On our way into the Ukraine via the polish border, managed to ninja into the miles long queue and gave some cans of pop to the helpful souls that let us in, they then helped us get into the right lane at the checkpoint and we finally got through after about five hours.

An S bend then nearly killed us but we kept hauling ass towards Kiev after a quick car nap.....