DAY 6 Shit roads and hot bums

There is a street market across the road from the hotel and we have a quick scoot through to get some fruit for the Gobi crossing. We leave at 9 heading for the border.  The traffic is not too bad but we have been told that the main road is closed for maintenance so we have to take the old road. The Gobi Desert starts today and the scenery has changed to vast barren land, but in the middle of nowhere will be a man sitting on the road side with a flock of sheep nearby. He must have a very long walk home as there is nothing as far as the eye can see.

The day started at 18 degrees and rose to 30 degrees throughout the day. Even with the air conditioning on I noticed that it was getting pretty hot under my seat. I could feel the heat coming through. We stopped and checked and worked out that the exhaust must be not very far from the underneath of the seat! Of course the defender is a top of the line vehicle but I didn’t know it had seat heating.

We are in Erinhot for the night. Just 5 km from the border. We wait here until we are called to the border then go through a long process of stamping, inspection etc. I hope it will be easier to get the car out of here than it was to get in. Then we do the same again to get into Mongolia. Being a border town of about 17k people; it is a bit dodgy. 

The boys went to the blackmarket this afternoon to change our RMB Yen into Mongolian which we call toerags – can’t remember the real name. Everyone is a little tired today. I think the sun is much harsher here. The locals are a lot browner. I have been tracking my fuel whilst on the road. My consumption is just a smidgin higher than the landcruisers which could just be my driving style. It cost  500 Rmb for 69litre of diesel. That’s about NZ$100. Diesel is hard if not impossible to get in Mongolia. We have heard of an English guy who is stuck there at the moment with no fuel! We have prearranged for someone to meet us at Ulanbatur with 50 litres each. If he is not there we might possibly just make it with all of our fuel containers.

Internet is near non existent in Mongolia, so this may be the last post for a couple of days.  If I don’t make it through – Gabby, you can have my marble collection, Janine my knives, Ange my debt! Xx (J-Fk Yeah!  KNIVES WIN! :))