Mongolia Entries Flying to Bangkok G Monday, October 4th, 2010 We're groggy and tired, bouncing around in a taxi that feels like it could be a louage. Our driver hums along to the radio, while every joint in the body of his rickety van creaks and squeaks and co... Neisha & Rob G Sunday, October 3rd, 2010 Every so often, we have the good fortune of meeting people with whom we connect immediately. Try as we might, we've thus far been unable to ascertain exactly what is required to bring about this exp... Tumen Ekh: Mongolian National Song and Dance Ensemble G Saturday, October 2nd, 2010 This evening marks the third time we've set off with Neisha and Rob to find the theater where Tumen Ekh performs. Jake, one of the Mongol Ralliers that gave our cycling friends a lift in the steppe,... Rest at Last G Friday, October 1st, 2010 It took five days of non-stop activity, but we've managed to sort through everything! Our car has been donated to the Mongolian government, our tickets to Bangkok are booked, and our bicycles are pa... Making Boxes G Thursday, September 30th, 2010 Looking at Air China's website this morning, we learn that the total linear measurement of our bike boxes (length + width + height) must be equal to or less than 180cm. Not quite sure what to make o... Ulaan Baatar's Gandan Monastery G Thursday, September 30th, 2010 I was pretty disappointed by Ulaan Baatar's Gandan monastery. Between the hawkers trying to sell us cheap crap, the strong warning in our guidebook about pickpockets, and the monks texting and talki... Finding Boxes G Wednesday, September 29th, 2010 My goal for the day is a deceptively simple one: find cardboard boxes. We've already failed at this once. Yesterday, we asked at the local outdoor supply shop, a camping outlet, and the huge State ... Lightening Our Load G Tuesday, September 28th, 2010 We've just noticed that our tickets to Bangkok with Air China allow a maximum of 20 kilograms in checked luggage per person. After calling around, we've definitively confirmed that the overage fee p... Decisions Made & Friends Missed G Monday, September 27th, 2010 Stumbling out of the restaurant and into the darkness, bellies stuffed with delicious stir-fry, we are more than a little relieved we decided not to backtrack our entire journey to the UK. If we had... Back to Basics G Monday, September 27th, 2010 Back to at the car park, Tara is busy journaling. Striding in to meet her, I can hardly believe we've done it! Cheering, high-fives and a recounting of the last few hours ensues. Then, as much as ... Turning in the Keys, The Fate of LRC: Part Six G Monday, September 27th, 2010 Pulling into a parking space at the customs building, I feel like I am fourteen years old again, taking our beloved but very sick family cat to the Humane Society to be put down. Walking into the br... Farewell, The Fate of LRC: Part Five G Monday, September 27th, 2010 We have less than two hours to get back to our hotel, fully unload our car, and drive the LRC back through the busy traffic to the custom's office. We race outside to hail a cab. Just seconds later... Mongolian Customs, The Fate of LRC: Part Four G Monday, September 27th, 2010 It is Monday morning, and we're about to see if we can give our car to Mongolia. Tom from the Adventurists has told us to go to the customs office, so that's where we're headed. "Okay, get psyched ... The Black Market G Sunday, September 26th, 2010 Tara: After our morning meeting with Tom, it's pretty clear there is nothing we can do with our car at the moment. It's Sunday, and all the offices we need to visit are closed. What we can do is ta... Rocking Out G Saturday, September 25th, 2010 Now that we have some semblance of a plan involving our car, we're able to enjoy ourselves a little. The team is holding a beard competition! After the elimination stages, only two members remain. ... False Start, The Fate of LRC: Part Two G Saturday, September 25th, 2010 Now that we've reached Ulaan Bataar, we have a daunting list of logistical issues to solve. Though it would be nice to celebrate the end of our Mongolian road trip, get back to journaling, and regai... Beginning of the End: Part Two PG-13 Friday, September 24th, 2010 We just want a quiet night to ourselves, maybe at a nice Italian restaurant with a glass of wine or two? But, as we get dressed, we're bit sad about the prospect of missing out on the festivities. ... Beginning of the End: Part One PG-13 Friday, September 24th, 2010 The alarm goes off, 5:00 AM glowing on our small cell-phone screen, shrill beeps sound in my ear. I fumble around desperately, barely conscious, mashing the keypad until I press enough buttons to ma... The Loving Hut, The Jimny Saga: Part Ten G Thursday, September 23rd, 2010 Eeveryone sleeps in today after the triumphant party celebrating the success of the Jimny. Nearing noon, we all pack up and head into town to pay the local mechanic a visit. Unfortunately, when we ... A Guitar String, The Jimny Saga: Part Nine G Wednesday, September 22nd, 2010 Over dinner we discussed options. We're not going to leave Richie and Freddie out there in the desert, but the question of what to do for them still remains. For now, we're thinking that one of the... Back to Tarmac G Wednesday, September 22nd, 2010 We've heard reports that a paved highway begins four hundred kilometers from the capital. Some say its smooth all the way to Ulaan Bataar, while others say the surface is patchy, potholed, and inter... Absurd, The Jimny Saga: Part Eight G Wednesday, September 22nd, 2010 Knowing they'll have to travel extremely slowly, Richie and Freddie set off a good three hours before the rest of us today, hoping they can make some headway before we catch up to them. In the meant... Wheels Falling Off, The Jimny Saga: Part Seven G Tuesday, September 21st, 2010 We've been killing time waiting for the Jimny to arrive, but eventually we have to face facts. They are not coming. What in the world has happened to them? Someone suggests we take the motorcycle ... Bad Moon Rising G Tuesday, September 21st, 2010 With the Saxo's exhaust repaired, we're back on the road. Before us, a spaghetti-like sprawl of dirt tracks stretch out as far as the eye can see. Behind us, a billowing cloud of dust obscures the ... Obstacles G Tuesday, September 21st, 2010 When we started thinking about buying a car and driving it across Siberia, we had a rough time getting reliable reports as to the conditions of the roads. It seems silly, but back then we weren't ev... Uncertain, The Fate of LRC: Part One G Monday, September 20th, 2010 Each day closer to Ulaan Baatar brings us nearer to a potentially difficult decision we'd really like to continue ignoring: what to do about our car. We're currently weighing the pros and cons for a... Farewell to the Swift G Monday, September 20th, 2010 Matt and Tom gave it their best shot this morning, but the Swift's bent connecting rods couldn't be repaired. When they went to make arrangements to leave their car with the Mongol Rally, they disco... Exploratory Surgery G Sunday, September 19th, 2010 None of us are deterred by the fact that we have no idea what we're doing. Today, we're going to tear apart the Suzuki Swift's tiny three cylinder engine. Maybe, just maybe we can repair it, or fin... Together Again G Saturday, September 18th, 2010 We need cash to pay for another night at our cozy hotel. So, I leave Tyler hard at work in our room, and head outside to search for an ATM. I seem to recall seeing a bank nearby, but I can't figure... Recreating History G Friday, September 17th, 2010 The majority of our day was spent in bed, uploading and sorting a month's worth of photos. When we weren't busy with that, we were slowly recreating history, digging ourselves out of a twenty-four j... Into the Great Wide Open: Part Three G Thursday, September 16th, 2010 We spent a lot of time mucking about in sand this afternoon. Even if the rest of the drive goes smoothly, making it to Bayankhongor today is going to be difficult. Tara calculates that I have to ke... Into the Great Wide Open: Part Two G Thursday, September 16th, 2010 Being free of this sand pit lasted roughly five minutes. While we were able to maintain humor and perspective the first time, this is too much for both of us. Composure is lost. Curses fly. We ar... Into the Great Wide Open: Part One G Thursday, September 16th, 2010 Our life has become a Choose Your Own Adventure book. This morning, as we flip to a new chapter, the one where we drive across part of Mongolia alone, a twinge of sadness overcomes me. Waving goodb... Something to Learn G Wednesday, September 15th, 2010 We start the day making apple-almond rice pudding, and cinnamon French toast for our friends. The morning feast is a huge success! As Tom (a saint) washes a mountain of dirty dishes, we receive our... Leaving Altai G Tuesday, September 14th, 2010 Tara: I've read that there is a market in Altai, right next to our hotel. As a visitor, I can't see how you'd ever discover this without being told. The only telltale sign is an incomprehensible vo... Repairs in Altai G Monday, September 13th, 2010 With the Jimny dealt with, Tara and I go driving in search of a hotel. She is feeling the aches and fatigue of impending illness, while I need a quiet place in which to work. We eventually stumble ... Showdown, The Jimny Saga: Part Six G Monday, September 13th, 2010 It has already been a trying day for Richie, Freddie, Charlie, and Tim. But, the drama isn't over yet. Thankfully, getting the Jimny off the truck proves much easier than loading it had been. As t... Leaving Early G Monday, September 13th, 2010 Tyler: A glimpse of our "old life" appears this morning when we leave camp alone, headed to Altai before most of the team wakes up. I've been leaving my work unattended for the last week – I need ... Loading in the Night: The Jimny Saga, Part Five G Sunday, September 12th, 2010 Tara: Matt has agreed to stay behind with Freddie. We are driving back to camp, feeling like a pair of medieval horse messengers, carrying news from one village to the next. As we rush to reach hom... Finding Tara: The Jimny Saga, Part Four PG Sunday, September 12th, 2010 Tara has been gone for roughly ten seconds when the reality of what has just occurred sinks in. Usually, my delayed reaction to external stimuli while programming is cause for playful teasing. It i... Further Afield: The Jimny Saga, Part Three PG-13 Sunday, September 12th, 2010 I am barreling over the sandy terrain as fast as I possibly can. I am so pissed about being separated from Tyler in the middle of Mongolia, him having no idea where I am, that I secretly hope some o... Finding a Truck: The Jimny Saga, Part Two R Sunday, September 12th, 2010 It has been an hour and a half, and still no one has come to help. I am journaling and Tyler is working when Freddie leans over to us and asks, "Could you drive me back to town to ask about the guy ... Unrepairable: The Jimny Saga, Part One PG-13 Sunday, September 12th, 2010 Our distributor cap fix is working flawlessly. We're now at the head of the convoy, blasting over the steppe, perhaps at inadvisably high speeds. For once, the road is flat and straight and relativ... On Cars G Sunday, September 12th, 2010 Tara: I've never been the least bit interested in learning about the inner workings of a car. In fact, they always seemed mysterious and scary to me. Until recently, fixing them was certainly outsi... The Rock Tumbler G Saturday, September 11th, 2010 Tyler and I have talked many times about how this trip has been one gigantic exercise in personal growth. All of our silly idiosyncrasies, the many niggling things we do to get in our own way, and a... Dry and Dusty G Friday, September 10th, 2010 I'm not entirely sure where the boundary begins, but I'm pretty sure we're in the Gobi desert. What started as intense mountain scenery has transformed into flat, rocky desert, complete with sharp, ... Herding Cats PG Thursday, September 9th, 2010 Sometimes, getting anything done in this convoy roughly resembles herding cats. This morning, we are packed and ready to hit the road before anyone on our team is even awake. Hoping they'll be up s... To Hovd G Wednesday, September 8th, 2010 Tyler: We awaken with joy this frosty morning, overcome by an intense sensation of relief. We're still incredulous about the bizarre circumstances which reunited us – it will be well into the even... Driving at Night in Mongolia: Part Two PG Tuesday, September 7th, 2010 Green, blocky numbers glow faintly from our digital clock above the tape deck; the time reads 11:30 PM. We know better than this, why on Earth are we out here? We are lost in a maze of barely-lit t... Driving at Night in Mongolia: Part One PG Tuesday, September 7th, 2010 It is already wearing on us that we can't get anything accomplished with our writing. This doesn't bode well; we've only been in Mongolia for three days. Even though we've decided to throw ourselve... Back to Ölgii G Monday, September 6th, 2010 Glorious morning views are waiting to greet us as we reluctantly crawl out of our warm sleeping bag today. Yellowing fields stretch far and wide around us, hugged by a series of awe-inspiring mounta... Mongolian Hospitality G Sunday, September 5th, 2010 Light is fading fast as we drive off-road, over green fields towards our host's ger. Pulling up next to the round white homes, we are welcomed enthusiastically by a man we've never seen before. Per... Dead Doblò G Sunday, September 5th, 2010 The roads of Mongolia have claimed another victim. Just a few minutes ago, Mette's red Doblò had a collision similar to our own—some unseen obstacle smashed into the underside of her van. Th... Exhausting R Sunday, September 5th, 2010 I knew the roads in Mongolia would be bad. I've seen pictures. I've heard first-hand accounts. I've even watched documentaries about people traveling over them! I was prepared for river crossings... Slow Start G Sunday, September 5th, 2010 Nobody is in a hurry to get moving this morning. In fact, when I rouse myself from a comfortable night's sleep around 9AM, everyone is still cocooned under their down comforters, or wrapped up like ... Mongolia! PG Saturday, September 4th, 2010 It is early afternoon by the time we're prepared to leave the Mongolian border. As we make our way towards the gate, the guards on patrol smile and wave enthusiastically. After we pass them by, the... Morning at the Border G Saturday, September 4th, 2010 My nose feels like an ice-cube this morning. The rest of my cramped body is, thankfully, much more inhabitable – safely wrapped in numerous layers of clothing and sleeping bags. It was a group ef... Rallying Together G Friday, September 3rd, 2010 Well, it looks like we'll be spending the night at the border. Locked in on both sides, with no real identification, now in the dark of night and a swirling blizzard, what else is there to do? Luck... Border Crossing & Blizzard in No-Man's Land G Friday, September 3rd, 2010 The wind is blustery and wintery, whipping through the mountains and flying across the plains as we head closer to Mongolia. It smells like snow. As Tyler drives, I realize I've missed this particu... The Way to Mongolia G Friday, August 27th, 2010 As Tyler journaled this morning, I began doing some research about the next phase of our road trip: the Altay region of Siberia. As I did so, I noticed that Chuisky Trakt, billed as one of the most ...