Couldn't let this trip simply end in Mongolia so me and a few guys went to Soeul and I have not moved on to Thailand. Currently sat in a bar in Chaing Mai about to head into Loas tomorrow.  Will be back in the UK a week Wednesday (sad day) but not back to work until the 16th (definetly a black arm band day). Still chillin at the mo, if that is possible as it is damn hot and very sticky!

Ulaabatar was one amazing finish to the Rally. Those CDPF people really looked after us all. We had a great time. To round it off, on the night we left Mongolia won their first ever gold medal (Judo - lets face it it had to be) and the whole place went wind. And I mean the whole of Ulaanbatar!! People hanging out of the car windows flags every where, firework and even the parliment (or thats ho we think it was) came out onto the main square to join the party. Just gutted we had to leave at midnight to get the flight.

Soeul was very different, and just so happened to be celebrating their 60th anniversary on independance! So we came out of the sub way to be greated by loads of roit police. All a bit wierd. Had a couple of great nights out, again the locals looked after us well taking us out to a club and for food afterwards. I like Soeul!!

Anyways, this will be the last post from me, so see you all later.

Stephen

What a mad day yesterday was.
Started by us all sorting out our flights. I'm off to Soeul tonight with a few other ralliers and then onto Bangkok by myself to meet up with a friend from home. Then back to the Uk probably some time next week. Paul is off to Bejing today with an 18 hour stopover which we think he can't leave the airport (cos of Visa) then onto London. He has got on the same flight as 3 other ralliers.

Then a load of ralliers went to the charity head quarters where they piled us all into some of the nicer rally cars and took us off to one of there projects. A orphanage (of sorts) just on the edge of town. We all took loads of sweets, pens and pencils, footballs and a basketball. So after the sweets where given out the games began!

First it was basketball, and they do like their basketball. Proper court (be it on tarmac), so five aside us vs them and first to 10. After a very hot and knackering game they beet us 10-7. Damn it! Chris from Ulan Battered ripped his foot on the tarmac, so we did lose one of the better players.
ANyways, then onto the football and we took revenge. Don't think they play as much football as basketball. Think he hammered them about 8-3 or so. Nearly taking there goalies (a 12 year old) head of a few times (I was to blame for one of those). All of us now were well and truely knackered.
Then started a bit of wrestling - Mongolian style. and we didn't fair that badly. One comical moment when one of us spun one of them around (check out the photos below).
Thinking we were heading back, they took us some where on another edge of town to a Gur. Where the Ariag (fermented Meres milk) came out! Man that stuff is discusting. So after forcing a bowl of that down we where then taken to the horses, and a few of us taken for a bit of a ride. We all looked rubbish, compared to the 10 year olds galloping around.

We did then go back and after some pizza (these guys really do look after us) we all went to our hoels to get cleaned up before going to the Mongoloian BBQ restaurant. Choose your meat and sauce give it to the chefs and they perform all sorts of tricks with your food on the hot plate. Great fun and good food. Cheap too.

Then the beers started flowing and we all piled to a club around midnight where the vodka came out. 5 bottles later and sat drinking with the band we all stumbled out and got a taxi back, be it after a bit of an issue with some locals and a prostitute! So about 430 we got back to the hotel.

Now just trying to sort out all our stuff before flying on tonight!

Some more photos:
http://picasaweb.google.com/stephenjameselliott/Ulaanbaatar
There is some on the Flickr account too.

Stephen

We made it! After a bloody long day driving from te Lake (which wasn't all that) we have arrived in Ulanbaatar! The road turned to Tarmac about 500 km from UB so we were making the most of it and bombing along at 65mph and after a 50km in the wrong direction detour, we were making good progress and thought we might make it for a beer ot two. But at about 100km south west of UB, at about 11pm so very dark and the Mongolians never dip their lights which makes it impossible to see anything, the road just stopped. We left the tarmac at around 60mph straight onto a very rough dirt track. Bit of a shock I can tell you! We thought this can't go on for long, the road to UB must be one of the best. But no, all 100km to the capital was a dirt track. In places about a mile wide with lights of other cars all over the place, we just heading north east-ish and hoped for the best. We did finally make it and roled into UB at 3am, so no beer for us, just founf a hotel and got some sleep.

So after that fun evening, we found an Irish bar that did breakfast and had a full English (well English/German/Mongolian) which went down a treat. Spent yesterday going to CPDF (the charity head quarters) dropped off all the hats and gloves we got from Chill Factore which they were very appreciative for and then started to sort out our stuff.

In the evening us and 3 other teams went to the charity for an official thankyou of sorts. Where we all got presented with some fortune telling bones (very cool) and a plaque saying we have been certified with "Envoy of Honour" (also cool).

Going to sort out the flights today, Paul is heading back to the UK where I am going on to Thailand or somewhere, not decided yet.

Think we are also going with the charity to meet some of the kids they help, so will finally be able to give away all the sweets (misus a few that have been munched).
Going to give Bruce away tomorrow, who has a bit if a lean on now, the shock has definetly gone. Have to say though he held up very well, got to thank Mitsiland again there!! The only on going problem was the over heating when going up hills, which wasn't that bad, we just had to keep an eye on the temp. Other than that we blew a spot light while lost in a dry lake in Mongolia (it literally exploded), a cracked windscreen caused by the bumps in western Mongolia, the roof bars holding the tyres on where ripped on the rails when we hit a huge bump (are now all a bit buckled) and most annoyingly the drivers seat squeeks like mad! But all in all, not that bad and with a bit of TLC should be as good as ever.

Have uploaded a few more photos, in the usual place.

This may be the last post but you never know.
Stephen

Got bored went north. 200km 6 hours 30+ river crossings 1 broken shock! Good fun tho. But then out of nowhere 30km of tarmac. Very nice while it lasted. But then 100km of the worst roads so far well maybe not but with a broken shock it seemed it. And all to see a "nice" lake which was alright. Now we are limphing back the way we came to UB. Stephen

rough dull roads. Gave been battered around a bit. Roof bars bounced off earlier. Got a cracked wind screen but worse the drivers seat has got a squeek! Not doing too bad tho gave seen loads of other rallyers on the road a few broken down. Food is better than h thought lots of mutton. S

Russia. Just had a night in barnaul now heading towards mongolia. Going to camp in the Altai mountains 2nite. Have teamed us with Ulanbattered. As no one knows the mileage we have left the guessing open. Come on people we want at least 50 guesses! For a clue it won't start with 7.

Outermancunians. Just camped in russia after the slowest border crossing so far. At least 5 hours! Bruce took a battering in kazak the roads were shocking, but kyrg was amazing! Just had some advice from a german mongolian guide and may re-think the northern route due to millions of mozi's. Were forced vodka upon us at the border! Really need a wash. Stephen.

Heading to the kazak border. Should be in almaty 2nite. Scenery was amazing in kyrg camping in the mountains. Over 3000m. Even had a bit of dinner in a yurt which was discusting. Got pulled by the cops & they wanted $100 but got away with $12 after saying we need the bank. :) Laters Stephen.

An easy Visa to get. My arse. Waiting around all day outside the Kyrg embassy, they finally let us in and we managed to beg the guy to take cash and give us the visa there and then.

So, heading to Kyrg today will hopefully be camping in the mountains tonight. Maybe in a yurt.

Going to stay in Kyrg for two days then do some long days bombing it through Kazak to get to Russia. Hopefully meeting up with Team Ulanbatterd for the long trip through Mongolia - the west entry and the northern route. Meant to be the hardest but nicest route.

Laters

Stephen

P165 second day in uzbek. Food is a lot better than turk. Going to get a visa for kyrgistan and camp in the mountains. Quite touristy here which is odd. Stephen