After a night in a local yurt with yak meat and milk we went fully off piste and headed to ulaamgom with no maps and just our compass. It ended up being a massive success and resulted in us finding the best camping spot of the entire journey. We even managed to not break the car
Relatively easy trek to the Mongolian border in terms of roads. Less easy in terms of timing as we crossed into Mongolia minutes before the border closed for two days
Entered russia at 12:00am on the 25th. Probably the most perfectly timed border crossing of all time considering our visa starts on the 25th. Unfortunately the stern lady at the desk failed to even crack a grin. Trek from there to Barnaul arriving at 4:45am. Car running like new(ish) after we professionally botched all previous issues in one go. Preparing to enter Mongolia, feeling pretty confident about our chances of making it.
Somehow managed to break a brake pad whilst driving and fully destroy both our brake disc and brake piston, leaving us stuck in a car park in Semey. It doesn't help that Suzuki doesn't exist in Kazakhstan so spare parts are hard to come by. Fortunately a trip to the car parts market and a metalworks allowed us to get a new brake disc and have it cut down to size and refitted for less than $20.
Stop off in Almaty for one of the three men and goat's birthdays. Safe it say it didn't end as well for some as it did for others
Successful purchase of a Mongolian visa in about 5 minutes. Seems people are less fussed about paperwork outside of England
Sprint to the Mongolian embassy in Bishkek to attempt to get a Mongolian visa
Going from broken springs to a broken rear axle. Fortunately a bloke in the mountains with a welding kit can fix just about anything
Some less than ideal roads, resulting in some more broken springs
Start of the Pamir Highway
Wagon r+ 420 we liiiiit
