18th August

Arrived at 1am outside a Ger on the edge of Bayanlig after a 36 hour cramped and bumpy ride down from UB across the Steppes. Transport was in a Russian VW Combi style van, with most of the seats removed to take luggage. There were more passengers than seats, and at times quite a few knees were being sat upon!

The Mongolian Steppes are an amazing mass of cross-crossed tracks through rolling grassy slopes, with the occasional yak, horse or goat visible, dotted with a Ger here & there. We spent one night "sleeping" in the jeep with the stars shining brightly above - could nearly have been daylight the moon was that bright.

We made several stops at Gers along the way which was all very confusing as I had no idea where we were, whether I was supposed to enter the Ger or how long we were to stay. One family fed us brunch (rice & goat) and the rest of the Mongolians in the Jeep watched a DVD for 3 hours before we continued on our way!

This morning I find that the Ger belongs to the mother-in-law of one of the sons of the family I am to be staying with near Bayangobi..........confused? Not half as much as I have been with all the inter-related connections!!

Bayangobi was a further one hour drive, and I eventually arrived at my final destination at 3pm, where I find two other English guys staying as well as me.