Blog 8 - China to Mongolia
August 2010
Coming down off the crystal clear air of the Tibetan Plateau to smog, smog, smog. Cancer is the main cause of death in China – no wonder. The traffic is horrific and we pass 4 very serious truck accidents in one day! There are hundreds of huge trucks, carrying massive loads. Most are 22 wheelers, but so overloaded! Roads, tunnels, overpasses are excellent, but tolls all the way!
INNER MONGOLIA (Chinese)
At first, mountains on the north, and miles of flat cropping plains on the south. No English now! Visit some massive sand dunes, but don’t play. Pass a huge city being created way out here.... weird????? Seeing different architecture now – more Russian, less Chinese.
Our chaperone/ guide (compulsory in China & Tibet), Andy, has been awesome, and has arranged some incredible overnight parking for us, in museum grounds, etc! We could not have asked for a nicer guy. He leaves us after 6 weeks, as we head to Mongolia.
Entrance to Mongolia
Gers 
Typical Mongolian Farm
We have now arranged a guide (compulsory) to spend 2.5 weeks with us, taking us to restricted areas, so our adventures continue!
Coming down off the crystal clear air of the Tibetan Plateau to smog, smog, smog. Cancer is the main cause of death in China – no wonder. The traffic is horrific and we pass 4 very serious truck accidents in one day! There are hundreds of huge trucks, carrying massive loads. Most are 22 wheelers, but so overloaded! Roads, tunnels, overpasses are excellent, but tolls all the way!
We are starting to hallucinate – craving Western food and a good cappuccino! But, the food is good – mainly Chinese, and expertly wielding chopsticks we are gaining weight again!
Xi’an and Terracotta Warriors. A unique display. Really awesome. Emperor Qin Shihuang was a brilliant, but cruel leader, and is credited with the Great Wall; measurements; money; consolidating and unifying the kingdom for many years, etc etc. We visit the First Gate & Tower of The Wall, at Yulin.
INNER MONGOLIA (Chinese)
At first, mountains on the north, and miles of flat cropping plains on the south. No English now! Visit some massive sand dunes, but don’t play. Pass a huge city being created way out here.... weird????? Seeing different architecture now – more Russian, less Chinese.
Our chaperone/ guide (compulsory in China & Tibet), Andy, has been awesome, and has arranged some incredible overnight parking for us, in museum grounds, etc! We could not have asked for a nicer guy. He leaves us after 6 weeks, as we head to Mongolia.
Entrance to MongoliaAs we travel north across the famous grasslands, we see lots of ‘gers’. The land is barren, and can see 360deg of nothing! Occasional mudbrick homes, quite tidy, with several chimneys, courtyard, motorbike, and herd of sheep, on the farmlands, but in the towns, they are very run down.
Gers
Typical Mongolian FarmMONGOLIA (Russian)
No roads! Just tracks! What fun! We can drive 4 abreast and choose or make our own route! Our first excursion is into the Gobi Desert, of course! And we spend hours winching each other out of sand! Very hot work! A Mongolian horseman rides into our camp from nowhere! Sits, rolls a cigarette, accepts drink and biscuit, and just watches us, then rides off into the sunset! Friendly, but uncanny!
Camels wander past our site in the clear moonlit evenings. It is spectacular!
We have now arranged a guide (compulsory) to spend 2.5 weeks with us, taking us to restricted areas, so our adventures continue!
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