Going to Mongolia...

Grunfeld

When my son Cameron was about 13 or 14 he heard about a little event called the Mongol Rally and said, with all the certainty of youth, “I’m going to do that one day.  I’m going to drive to Mongolia!”  

As an adult we can often dream about stuff too, but then we think of obstacles, all the “Yeah, but….” All the reasons why we can’t do it.

It’s really nice to see that Cam isn’t too much like that.  On Sunday 17th July he’s driving to Mongolia… in a Nissan Micra (which happens to look like a dalmatian).  He’s going with his mates Jake and Charlie and they’re all well over 6 feet tall, so it’s going to be cosy.  Ostensibly it’s to raise money for charity but we all know damn well it’s a jolly  — especially when they do things like just now added a week onto the return trip cos “Charlie’s met this bird in Finland and he wants to see her... and it's practically next door as we’ll be in Russia anyway.”  [ah, the call of Rumpo!] And so far most of the preparations have included lots of beer.  Like they do.

If you want to give the charities, (a local hospice which helped Charlie’s dad die well, and an eco project for water) for the cost of a couple of pints they’ll be totally grateful.  I’ll add some links for that and to their blogs.

If you’ve ever had a dream I guess sometimes it’s good to go, “Yeah but… Why the hell not?!”

Money for the hospice
https://www.gofundme.com/uzjgp9qc

Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/101damnnations/

Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/101damnnations/

Blog
https://101damn-nations.com/


With the car, L to R:  Charlie, Jake, Cameron

CabbageCat

He looks like you.

Grunfeld

CabbageCat said:

He looks like you.

What, drunk? 

scrumhalf

Mongolia is pretty near the top of my list of places to go back to. Ulan Bataar was amazing. There's a Beatles-themed cafe/restaurant that's worth a visit.

chillidoggy

A Nissan Micra, you say?

It could be a long job.

Grunfeld

chillidoggy said:

A Nissan Micra, you say?

It could be a long job.

They have one of these.  What could possibly go wrong?

chillidoggy

Grunfeld said:

chillidoggy said:

A Nissan Micra, you say?

It could be a long job.

They have one of these.  What could possibly go wrong?

Car-jacking by envious, myopic OAP's will be the biggest issue.

lloyd

Fair play, that's awesome. I've got a couple Mongolian mates, they own/run a bar in the capital, message me if they need a friendly face or get in trouble out there.

EricTheWeary

... with an aching in my heart. Ooh ooh ooh yeh.

Mongolia never crossed my mind. I used to know a chap who was a regular visitor to Tibet (did voluntary work as a doctor there) and I loved his stories.

hungrymark

I've been to Mongolia, when I did the Trans-Siberian railway a few years ago. Fantastic country. The people are brilliant and the scenery is unbelievable. We found a bloke who could do that throat-singing, two notes at once thing. Eerie.

octatonic

Friends of mine have done it- I plan on doing it one year.

Apparently getting through Russia can be a feckin' PITA- they had to turn around.

I wish him good luck.

hungrymark

The border crossing into Mongolia was the only ropey bit. You give your passport to frightening looking men with guns, who take it away for eleven hours whilst they search the train for contraband. Never felt so vulnerable.

scrumhalf

hungrymark said:

The border crossing into Mongolia was the only ropey bit. You give your passport to frightening looking men with guns, who take it away for eleven hours whilst they search the train for contraband. Never felt so vulnerable.

The worst part about the crossing was that it took eight hours, during which time they locked the train's toilets. I also remember having to list every coin and notes from every denomination that I carried.

But, you get to go into Mongolia. It was worth it. Amazing place.

hungrymark

scrumhalf;1143533" said:

hungrymark said:

The border crossing into Mongolia was the only ropey bit. You give your passport to frightening looking men with guns, who take it away for eleven hours whilst they search the train for contraband. Never felt so vulnerable.





The worst part about the crossing was that it took eight hours, during which time they locked the train's toilets. I also remember having to list every coin and notes from every denomination that I carried.



But, you get to go into Mongolia. It was worth it. Amazing place.

They threw us off the train, then rolled it away out of sight. No passport, no apparent transport, for eleven hours. Guns, strange alphabet, nothing to do but ponder your own insignificance.

xSkarloey

Best of luck to the lads.

ICBM

One of the most beautiful things I've ever seen was sunrise over the Altai mountains in western Mongolia on an overnight flight to Hong Kong. It was incredibly barren, no sign of human life at all, like looking down on Mars or something. The air was so clear it looked like the peaks were only just below the plane, although we must have been at 35,000 feet or more and they're only around 10,000.

Then a stewardess told me off for raising the shutter and letting a shaft of sunlight across the cabin, so rather than close it I put my jacket over my head and pressed myself up against the window.

I would like to go there one day.

hungrymark

It's a great country. 2.5 million people in an area the size of Western Europe, and most of them live in Ulaanbaatar. Get out into the badlands and it's the emptiest place you've ever been.

Cirrus

Will they have to go on one of those Russian roads that turns into a river of mud in summer? What an awesome adventure!

Grunfeld

So today I get a ping from the satellite tracker:
Ulaanbaatar
Somehow they've made it.  Six and a half weeks to get there.
Got this pic yesterday on way there, that's Cam hanging out of the car, that's his road buddy Megan doing the selfie.  (And a random ninja on top of Cruella, the dalmatian Micra.) All looks a bit Mad Max but a lot of fun.  Freedom.

The Nissan Micra now has a new suspension which a Mongolian mechanic added from an old Soviet lorry and although they need ladder to get in the car, basically ground clearance is no longer an issue.

Bucket

Omg, awesome. Congratulations to them all, you must be very proud.

@ICBM I just Googled the Altai mountains and... wow.

http://www.altaiexpeditions.com/altaimountains_2358.jpg