The flat, straight monotonous tracks of Kazakhstan have been replaced by the steep winding roads of Russia, and in place of the sun, cornfields and tumble weed we now have mountains, wind and forests. We also have the cold. The driving also seems a lot quieter and less banterous without the occasional crackle of the radios and a quick quip from Dave or Jp. We all miss you guys!
So the night before last we made as much headway towards the border as possible then pulled off the road to camp near the river. It had been raining and the road was pretty boggy but the cars were not to be defeated and we slipped and skidded our way down to the river bed.
We set up camp and had a very civilized group dinner of burgers and sausages,no pasta in sight!
We wanted to get up early yesterday and bomb it straight to the border as it said in our handbooks that the border shut at 3pm on Sundays, however we managed to oversleep. We got up at nine but despite our best efforts on the windy roads there was no way we were going to cover the 500 odd km before it shut. Having resigned to this fact we stopped again by the river for a spot of lunch and the boys went for a dip in the freezing river. And when I say freezing I mean freezing, as in you half expected a lump of ice to float by at any second.
Eventually we trundled off to the border expecting to camp the night then cross early the next morning. When we got there there were several other teams already there! They had been there all day as it turned out the border was closed all day anyway. They had already started a fire which drew in the crowds as it soon started getting chilly. Throughout the evening several other ralliers pulled up and I believe there are now about 2 Ambulances and 8 cars queuing at the border.
We put up our tents which seemed to attract a lot of interest from the local children who hijacked ours and began running in and out of it shrieking. They were either very sweet,or very well trained as when it came time for us to out our bed in they started sweeping out all the dirt they had kicked in! They did then ask for money which I believe was the only English word they knew. We gave them a chocolate croissant each which seemed to satisfy them enough then they ran off.
This morning we got up and it is still freezing cold. I have even spotted a teeny tiny sprinkle of snowflakes falling and actually just as I started typing that it has begun to snow/hail a bit harder.
We were told the border opened at nine and that we had to go and get our passports stamped which we have done. It is now 11:30 and no further movements have been made.
I'm hoping the border will open at some point today but who knows.
A game of football has been started now which everyone has joined, even the Mongolian guy who is parked infront of us.
Will try to update when we get through.
Hopefully we can find somewhere with wifi in a Mongolian town and preferably a shower!
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