NEWSFLASH: Substantial gains made in the 'big push'!

Hello! After a physically and mentally exhausting 11 hour drive (including 3 hours at night) we have made it to the next city on route, Bayanhongor. Only 400 miles to go!

Yesterday started well with every petrol station in Altai having no diesel left. We ended up having to go to the Mercy Corps office and asking for mercy. One of the guys there knew someone who had a load stockpiled, so we went around his house and managed to get 80 litres. Suffice to say the 'water in fuel' warning light has been on more frequently than normal.

 We hit the road and went well until it got dark. Then we got lost. Stopping at a ger we were lucky enough to find a family who were driving to our next stop and we followed them. I thought this was a good idea until they forded a 3 ft deep river - another moment where I thought it would be the end of Maxus. Along the route we shared a can of beer, some biscuits and some extremely dodgy looking meat.

 Maxus is looking good. I have the utmost respect for the vehicle, that after the pounding she's taken she's still projecting us east. We've managed to fix all the little problems we had (i.e. the doors) and the mechanics have essentially sorted us mechanically. We're expecting some more problems with the transmission, but we're all experienced Maxus-fixer-uppers now so we're confident we will overcome. Still haven't got 1st gear and we lost 3rd, but this isn't proving too much of a problem anymore as we're getting to grips with the driving.

Tom's mum - tell him to wash his feet or his team mates will kill him.

 Hopefully we should be in UlaanBaatar tomorrow evening, and rest assured (in the words of the character from the fast show) we'll be getting 'vveeery vveery der-runk'.

COME ON MAXUS!

Hazell.