Sorry for the gap. I’ve had another brief foray outside Mongolia – the second this year already, and possibly the last for at least the next 6 months. Most time was spent back in the UK and a big shout goes out to everyone I bumped into with special mention to: Becca for the lift and discussing life (as always, it seems), Mum and Dad for another lift and being there, Neil and Sorrel for the wedding, Andy B for putting up with me (again), sharing the Quantox mud and rain and being daft enough to let me steer the kayak, my big Sis for yet another lift and feeding me, Jonesy for beer, dodgy tales and toothpaste (and a short lift), Greg for a great Polish evening and many toasts. On the way out and back I enjoyed stops in Beijing taking in some favorite temples and hanging out to photograph Wangfujing’s night market - a great introduction to meat-on-a-stick cuisine (roaches, snakes, starfish, water-beetle, scorpion, centipede etc. etc. etc). It’s one of the best evenings out in the city and comes with a full stomach for a cheap price.
So, now back in Mongolia. It’s heated up a little since I left but seems to have entered the rainy season along with the normal dust storm or two blowing through. My favorite poster of a leggy Russian girl in a pink cocktail skirt hitching up her stockings on the bonnet of a Porsch has been covered up (it was by the old Russian Tank traffic island, don’t worry, I’ve got a photo of it) but on the bright side we’ve found a new café (aka ‘The Green One’ because we forgot its name) and a new restaurant (Emerald Bay) which get 6/10 and 7/10 respectively on the UB scale. You need to really impress me to get a 10 – so far nowhere in UB rates more than an 8.5…
The planning is still on for a Mongolian road-trip in July. I’ve decided probably not to take a translator and instead rely on a sat phone for emergency translation use. The route is still open, I’m thinking of taking in Naadam at UB cause I’ll probably be a bit too late ending work to get down to Dalanzadgad for it. Then I’ll have around 10 days in which to drive out somewhere photographic, chill for a day or two, and drive back. Some offers of interest have been received but I may have an extra seat or two if not taking a translator… Be warned – I’ll probably be taking a load of digital video during the trip, maybe even try to get enough stuff to make into a 20 minute video diary of the trip.
