Tuushin Hotel Ulan Bator

... of the capital (not even the country’s second city a normal road going to it!) so most of the time we were offroad on some ridiculously bumpy dirt tracks. We hadnt been driving long when we spotted seven or eight MASSIVE vultures by the side of the orad feasting on a sheep carcus. I’d never realised the were that big, I reckon they could have picked up Sarah if they’d wanted. Our first proper stop was at one of the national parks where the wild ...

... blocked the only road out... Back then I was actually delighted at the excitement of our mishap, but then we were sleeping in basic accomodation with an indoor loo and a simple cafe dishing up bowls of noodles, and while the temperatures were desperately cold, we could at least get out and walk in the fresh snow. This time we were holed up in a ger crammed with seven people, serving foul milk products, with no loo at all... and whether you opt ...

... for us food from Ulaanbaatar. Even so, we were mainly eating milked based food and mutton filled dumplings.

The family are dressed traditionally for herds people. Their son tends to the livestock on horseback.

Each night we were surrounded with the noise of goats, sheep, cows, horses and the dogs that guard them.

After breakfast, we set off through the Orkhon Valley (a World Heritage Site) and arrived at Harhorin, about 2 hrs drive on ...

... in France, two years ago: "RIP Hilary: I rode for you."

The mongolians I have encountered are also in my dedication because they are the most caring and thoughtful people I have met so far....I know I'm in Asia.

I'm off to spend a week in Gobi at another Ger Camp en route to Beijing where I can get to camel ride amongst other things but news of that will come from China as in the desert there is no internet, funny that?

... very exciting because the previous session did not go to the circus. It was mostly acrobatic, but very cool to watch. They made these giant human towers 4 or 5 people high, and always on top was a child. So I am sitting a the circus watching these children get sprung up by a seesaw, doing a back flip and landing perfectly on the shoulders of another person who was standing about 15 feet above him, and wondering how, as a parent, I can get my 10 ...

... disco at all but what they call a dance party a disco. The kids had fun and it was a good way to end the session. At the very end when they put on the sad music and the slideshow every single child was weeping, it was beyond crying. I never thought I would hear the sound of 500 children weeping, but it was loud and terrible sounding. The three leaders including myself went around our group and gave everyone hugs and said goodbye. It was ...

... could have probably bought an entire vodka factory with the money we were carrying, he harrasses our driver, who says no. What ensues was probably the most terrifying hour of our driver's life - he was chased into the bathroom shed, which was nearly knocked over by the Land Rover, and then, while running for his life, hit by the Land Rover and had his leg run over. The thud I heard was probably him. There is no way he can drive (his entire leg is at ...

... welcome - a true oasis! We are all looking forward to heading out of civilisation and into the wilds tomorrow - the true adventure and the reason we are all here. As I said earlier, we probably won't be able to add to the blog for some time now so don't worry - we will all try to keep in touch with home via our phones where we can. I hope to get to an Internet cafe this afternoon an sent this entry - it's snowing now and blowing a cold wind! What could possibly go wrong? Rick.

... km away and that he was re-joining the tour, so after our lunch stop in the dusty town it was on to pick him up in Arvatheer. This was pretty cool as we had no idea he was joining up again and his news was that Heikki was doing fine and already back in Finland. We stocked up on the usual supplies again and it was on then to another Ger for the night where we were to start our horse riding tour the next morning from. I've only been horse riding a couple of times before and the ...