Eventually the border opened and we got out of Russia. However, getting into Mongolia took a little longer due to importing all the vehicles. We went through customs, passport control, had our vehicles checked then were sent to wait in a compound with the dusty road of Mongolia tauntingly laid out before us behind the gates.
It got to about 6pm and when some of the border guards appeared to be leaving, it became clear that we weren't going anywhere that night. The wind picked up and so the two Ambulances also stuck in no mans land formed a wind shield for our tents. After struggling for a while with our tent, and realising that putting it up in a concrete compound with it trying to take off like a kite wasn't going to be possible we were contemplating sleeping in the car when a face from inside a coach on the opposite side of the compound beconed us over. He didn't speak any English but offered us some Vodka and after a few minutes of us both chatting in our own laguage he made an obvious sleeping mime and pointed to the back of the coach. It was an offer we couldn't refuse.
We followed a few other ralliers to a shop just outside the gate for supplies (which were essentially the locals living rooms stocked with a few biscuits and booze varieties) as it was just our vehicles that had not been processed yet, and when we got back the coach was full of music,drinks and everyone getting warm and swapping stories. After a while a few people sleeping in the tents and Ambulances left and we got to sleep.
Tuesday went by slowly with us finally getting our paperwork back at about 10 and the Alex's bit later (James and Sammy managed to get through last thing the day before so we had to catch them up) but we were finally in Mongolia!
The roads swiftly deteriorated into rocky tracks but the scenery was beautful. We met up with Sammy and James and drove until dusk when we reached an enormous lake and stopped for the night. We were just putting up our tents when we were aware of three shapes making their way over the tall grass towards us. It was a man and two little girls who came from one of the Gers next to the lake. He didnt speak any English but we got out the map and (in true JP style) we mimed our epic journey from London to Ulaanbataar. He guestured to one of the girls and she got what looked like a large white rock out of her pocket and gave it to Alex. He thanked her but clearly not knowing what it was the man took it back and preceeded to break it in to pieces handing one to each of us then began nibbling on his own it. We all followed and discovered it was a very strong hard cheese not dissimilar to a goaty salty parmesan. He then invited us to see the Ger so we all locked up
our cars and followed him back. The Ger's were amazingly warm and colourful inside with rugs all round the walls and four metal beds round the outside. They were also surprisingly big and full of lots of people! The metal burner in the centre of the room (burning cow dung!) already had a large kettle of tea cooking and the women inside beckoned us all to sit down on the floor round a little table. Seconds later we all had a bowl of milky tea infront of us with a platter of different shaped bready doughy balls a bowl of what looked like home-made butter and some more of the strong goat cheese. We sat and chatted as much as we could through the language barrier assisted by some photos and a few crude drawings and after some time had passed and we made motions to leave and put up our tents we were invited to sleep the night inside.
Yet another night that we wouldn't have to put up our tent, which was fantastic considering that two of the rods had snapped after they got too brittle in the cold the night it tried to take off at the border. Before we slept he took us across to the second Ger to meet what we think was his brother and his wife and children. We had only been seated in the second Ger for about 5 minutes when more tea was placed in bowls in front of us as well as a bowl of some milky substance a bit like soured cream and an enormous plate of pasta sheets and meat served in the middle of the table. We were invited to dive stright in with our hands to which of course we had to oblige. The head of whatever animal we were eating was being picked clean at the table and sporadically our host would reach out and hand each of us an indeterminate chunk of meat which we had to gratefully receive and try not to image which part of the animal it was, although once we were privilaged to find out one of the pieces was ear.
After eating and listening to the brother of our host play a citar like instrument, we returned to the other Ger and went to sleep. In the morning we were supplied with more tea, bread balls, butter and cheese and we then followed our host whilst he went to milk the goats. There was a stone enclosure next to the Ger encompassing about 100 goats and one cow which he climbed into and began to line up the goats to be milked by knocking two pegs in at each end of the enclosure then tieing a rope between them and then pulling eack goat so that its neck was resting on the rope enabling hm to twist another rope round the head to keep them in place. Once we had seen the women milk all the goats, and in Justin and Sammys case, had a go for ourselves, we gave the families the little gifts that we could spare from our cars and got on our way.
The roads went from rocky minefields to sandy skid tracks laced with hidden rocks and unfortunately at some point the roads claimed the Matiz's last spare tyre. We tried patching it up and filling it with foam tyre filler but neither worked so our only hope was to wait for a team that we saw being towed a few km back to roll past in the hope that they might have a ridiculously small Matiz sized spare tyre we could borrow. About half a hour later they were tugged into view but after we explained our plight and checked their tyres we were no better off as the Matiz was having none of it. Our last choice was to try another can of foam tyre filler. This seemed to be holding a little better so slowly we trundled on. Two shallow river crossings, sand up to your ankles and several rocky roads later we were stopped by the flat tyre again. It was clear the puncture was too big for the filler to stay in the tyre and the Matiz was going nowhere. Not able to leave a man behind we agreed to go on to the town find some spare tyres or inner tubes and take them back.
When we arrived in the town we found a Mongol Rally camp straight away and they were able to help us locate a new tyre. A bit of too-ing and fro-ing later Justin and Alex.L went back for the boys nd we were all re-united. Unfortunately for us though, our valiant attempt at a rescue led our tyre to puncture meaning that we would also have to go in search of another spare the next day.
We slept last night again in Ger at the campsite,but this time we each had a bed. The Alex's had to take a trip to the mechanic to get their exhaust welded back on, and their brakes fixed whilst we needed to go in search of new tyres. At this point Sammy and James, having to get to Ulaanbataar on the 7th (in six days) made the difficult decision that they would not be able to wait for us and (with regret I hope) left us at the campsite :( Boo...
After the Saxo had its various repairs and Justin got back with tyres for the Micra we noticed that our new tyre had alredy gone flat. It was taken back in the Saxo but the time they had gone out,een to the market and gone back,our other tyre was flat! This ridicuous charade of changing tyres lasted all day! We were just sitting at the campsite, chatting to some other ralliers whose car had died, debating whether or not it would be worth staying another night or tryng to get a few more km done before sundown when the dog Alex had been stroking suddenly deced to bite him. Rabid? Probably not but generally this is not good news. It was only a scratch but to be on the safe side we will need to get to the hospital tomorrow so he can get the jab. Another night in Khovd tonight then hopefully we can hit the road afte the jab tomorrow.
We have already been warned about the next 200 odd km by the guys who had to be towed back here, so by the sounds of things we've got an interesting few days ahead of us.
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