9th July 1992 Day 355

The Diary

By the time we woke up we were 4 1/2 hours late and going through the Gobi Desert. The Mongolian scenery was really beyond my powers of description but it consisted of endless desolate plains, some desert, some fertile, surrounded by hills that were covered with dark rain clouds. Rabbits, strange birds, camels, goats and wild horses wandered by the track and occasionally there would be a few inhabited white tents and then a few brick houses. The few towns we passed were like derelict 60s council estates complete with children's playgrounds and low rise tower blocks connected by muddy roads. Paul Theroux should be consulted for a full description. 

At Choyr and Ulan-Bator we all jumped off & started taking photos even though we'd been warned it was not allowed. Locals crowded the platforms trying to buy leather jackets from the Chinese who were flogging them from the train windows, and selling badges, souvenirs and home baked bread in the hope they could get some Chinese money or some dollars. I discovered I had 10 Yuan left (1 pound), gave it to one of them and then was inundated with gratitude, handshakes, medallions, bread and big smiles. Ulan-Bator looked pretty inhospitable but it was the only decent sized town & the only place with real roads that we passed all day. The plains & hills continued until it was too dark to see any more. I crashed out early having realised that because we were 4 1/2 hours late we would be up all night at the Mongolian-Russian border. 


And that's exactly how it was. The Russians searched the roof, the cabins and everywhere else for smuggled people & goods. I don't know whether they found anything but we were soon 6 1/2 hours late.

Choyr

Debbie

Ken at Choyr

Timetable

Ulan Bator

 

 

An urchin

An urchin's dad

Seaton Carew (maybe)