09/07/10 by James Morrow | Expedition Updates, Stage 2 : Moscow to Beijing | Comments Off on Day 52 – “Roads? ….. Where We`re going we don’t need Roads!!”
Location : Choir to Sainshand
High Point: Being Back on the unmade roads of Mongolia for one last time as we made our way to the Chinese border was something we all enjoyed in tough and long day on the move. You really feel like you have earned your dinner on days like this!
Low point: It the first day when I really thought about FTFE having to leave Mongolia. Living each day as it comes has been wonderful here and its hard to imagine being anywhere else right now.
No Point: Steve’s “Sleep talking” at 12.30AM that panicked me into thinking we were about to be run over…… In fact the train was about a kilometre away.
Read more →
09/06/10 by Ross Shepley-Smith | Expedition Updates, Stage 2 : Moscow to Beijing | 1 Comment »
Location : Terelj to Choir. Mongolia.
High point: Playing the inaugural FTFE Mongolian Golf Open. Now who would have thought it, that in the middle of nowhere in a stunning national park, that resembled the Rockies more than Mongolia, we would stumble across the one and only golf country club in this country. Not planned according to James our route planner and pro golfer! Hmmm.
Low Point: James forgetting to buy tees and only realising when Steve was standing on the tee with the crowds awaiting in anticipation of the opening shot. Don’t forget this was Mongolia’s first FTFE open! Read more →
09/05/10 by Steve Moore | Expedition Updates, Stage 2 : Moscow to Beijing | 3 Comments »
High Point: stretching my legs climbing to a peak overlooking Gorkhi-Terelj. Nice to get a bit of a sweat on and great to lap up the wonderful vista.
Low point: the last few days have been a real struggle. After 7 weeks on the road, momentum and purpose have done a magnificent job of masking the true pain to both body and mind. 3 days in UB and 2 slow days after opened the flood gates to the true agony. I was proper home sick for the first time as London felt an awfully long way away in either direction. Long haul flights, coupled with the digital age, have squashed most people’s perspectives of the size of this wonderful world of ours. Drive just a third of it in a silly red truck and you will feel every inch of its enormity!! A few restless nights and general poorly feeling was massively knocking my motivation. The road has become less desirable. A nice cup of tea and a little sit down sounds simply glorious. It would be nice to pop home for just a few days. I am sure that once we hit the road again in earnest, my enthusiasm will return in earnest. Read more →
09/04/10 by Ailsa Fereday | Expedition Updates, Stage 2 : Moscow to Beijing | 1 Comment »
High Point
Personally – actually getting out on the open road, after months of anticipation and a few days in limbo in UB while Martha was in service, this was it, the day had dawned! Bye bye city streets – the rumbling roads and big skies of Mongolia were beckoning. Yee-ha!
For all of us – finding a fantastic little ger for the night in the most brilliant setting near Terelj was a really welcome treat. Looking out across rolling hills dotted with gers, horses & goats and towering rocky mountains to our backs, scenery so perfect it hardly seemed real. Read more →
09/03/10 by James Morrow | Expedition Updates, Stage 2 : Moscow to Beijing | Comments Off on Days 46 – 48 Ulaanbaatur
High point : Mongolian Karaoke, just when we thought the singing in the cab had improved our voices . . . We were wrong, in a big way!
Low point : The traffic, forget all you know about jams and dangerous driving until you visited UB. It was a miracle that I saw only 2 accidents in my time here! Read more →
09/02/10 by Steve Moore | Expedition Updates | 2 Comments »
It is people like Peter and Mongolian Star Melchers that not only helped Martha get on the road, but stay on the road. Peter didn’t know us from Adam as we turned up in Ulaan Bator all dirty and tired from 7 weeks on the road. Martha, the poor girl, was in a bit of a state and they very kindly donated their time and effort for free, to get her match fit to continue her journey. Now this wasn’t your usual service, we produced quite a long list of things that were wrong but Peter still took Martha in, top man. Read more →
08/31/10 by Ross Shepley-Smith | Expedition Updates, Stage 2 : Moscow to Beijing | Comments Off on Day 44 – 45: The road to UB. Bulgan to Ulaanbaatar.
High Point: There is certainly a couple here; the monastery at Amarbayasgalant Khiid (pictures attached) finally reaching Tarmac roads (and then realising they were still wet and Martha was doing a great job of churning them up) and a splendid game of night cricket outside our gir. I think the score is now 3 – 1 to me on the stage 2 cricket fest.
The feeling in the cab was one of excitement, and banter was most definitely plentiful. To finally have UB in our sights was a great feeling, and although not technically the end of stage 2, with both Ben and Dave leaving us there, there was a feeling of accomplishment and achievement. Read more →
08/29/10 by Steve Moore | Expedition Updates, Stage 2 : Moscow to Beijing | Comments Off on Day 43 Moron
High Point.
I never thought I would love camping as much I do. Tonight was magnificent. As per normal in Mongolia, you simply drive until it gets dark, pull over in a cheeky valley and set camp. Nothing around as far as the eye can see. Wonderful. The temperature drops significantly at night here. By the time dinner is finished we are pretty much wearing every item of clothing we own. To help with the warming, and in keeping with the locals, we crack open a cheeky bottle of vodka and toast the highlights of the day. It’s moments like this I will cherish. The moon lighting up the fire engine, the mountains and our faces. A full debrief of the day and then onto the big subjects of the world. Lovely. Read more →
08/28/10 by Dave Orders | Expedition Updates, Stage 2 : Moscow to Beijing | Comments Off on Day 42: The lakes near Khatgal to Moron
High Point: It has to be the lakes. The crew were in serious need of a rest day and to spend this sat on the banks of a huge freshwater lake (3 trillion litres of water!) was incredible.
Low Point: The hangover. It was similar to the movie only with slightly more recollection. And all crew members were also still present in body – but definitely not in mind. Read more →
08/27/10 by Ben Haslett | Expedition Updates, Stage 2 : Moscow to Beijing, Uncategorized | 2 Comments »
Oranges and Mutton Stew
High Point: Today’s chat in the cab was hilarious. Plus we the lucky recipients of more amazing generosity from our Mongolian brethren. See below.
Low Point: When James played Michael Jackson’s Earth Song and four-fifths of the cab’s occupants burst into chorus. First time thus far I’ve wished I was at work. Hats off to you Jarvis Cocker, that song sucks. Read more →
