Well we lifted the blinds on the window to the most beautiful scenery, flat plains with tufted grass and wonderful rivers which were steaming in the early morning dawn, with a back drop of mountains that were just starting to catch the sun on the peaks so they were a wonderful pink. We packed our backpacks ready for the off ( it was only 6 or 7 in the morning) and we didn't arrive in Ulan Bataar till 5.30 that evening now that was a long wait. As we got off the train all the rest of the group who had been at the other end of the train got off, and that was the first time we all met. We got taken to a coach and then off to a hotel for a quick shower, the hotel was the top dogs and the rooms were huge. We had an hour to have a shower and get changed and that shower was heavenly, can't believe how I had taken things like hot water and clean towels for granted - never again. After that we went and had some very late lunch and I had pizza and chips with loads of cheese, that was better than sex (sorry Tobes but it was) had a quick look around to get our bearings and then got back on the coach again and driven to the Ger camp where we were to stay for the next few days. Unfortunately we couldn't see anything as it was dark.

The inside of the tent was amazing and consisted of 4 brightly coloured beds and a wooden painted wardrobe and dressing table and chairs with a stove in the middle. We were sharing our Ger with Matt and Lorna and had a good laugh with them, they luckily had the same sense of humour as us. We awoke the next morning to a lovely sunny day and the most wonderful scenery of mountains and green fields and absolute quiet - heaven. We had a huge breakfast and went horse riding for a couple of hours, Toby had a really fast horse and I had the most laid back horse ever to have possible walk this planet! so I didn't get any faster than a half hearted trot which came in fits and starts. The thing I didn't like though was the grass hoppers, massive things that lived on the plains and as we trotted through them they flew everywhere ( whoppers!) The beasts had no flying or landing ability and I seemed to be the only one bothered by them, so I was sat at the back of all the riders on my comatose'd horse trying to cover every orifice from the winged monsters. After that adventure I decided to do some hand washing and write my diary whilst Toby went off to see locals doing local things.. Lorna and Matt came back first telling me about what they had seen and said it was quite interesting but the worst thing was the biscuits they were given to try, Lorna couldn't find the right words to describe just how bad they were and apparently were made from natural yoghurt stuff?? or something. She also said that they had given the token gifts which we had been advised to buy like fags and bread, to the neighbours instead of the correct host..... I wasn't disappointed that I hadn't gone and was feeling pleased with myself for cleaning my fleece which was beginning to grow legs and start grazing at odd moments, but then in came Toby with a smug look on his face telling me he had saved me a piece of biscuit for me to try!!! so I did, and it was soooo foul ! but it was nice of him to think about me , git. We then had a treat in store for us that evening as they had invited some Mongolian Throat singers to perform for us. I thought it was great but the woman singer actually made my ear drums hurt because she was so loud, my god she could shatter glass that woman and frightened poor Toby to death. There were quite a few performers and all did different things dressed in traditional clothes and had the old instruments, but the most impressive was a man who sang but sounded like a digital instrument and could change his voice by using his throat some how?? it didn't even sound like it was coming from him, freaky stuff but very entertaining. Later that evening we were entertained by Mongolian opera singers, seemed very strange watching these very small men dressed in tuxedo's in the middle of nowhere singing Italian Opera... but all good fun. We then had bit of a disco and Toby and I got a bit drunk on very large shots of Vodka, staggered back to the tent and then staggered out again to look at the stars which were the most beautiful site to behold and was quite a special moment until Toby staggered out with a blanket over his head saying he was a Russian old woman and started getting quite loud.

We packed our bags after another huge breakfast and said good-bye to the lovely staff who waved off for hours and were just little dots in the distance as we coached our way back to Ulan Bataar for the day and the luxury hotel again for the night. We went off to the Internet cafe and once again Toby had received 29 emails and spent the next hour and a half answering them and I got bored, but when I finally looked on mine I only had 4 messages!! something is not right..... We then had a mooch around the shops and sent some postcards and I started feeling a bit crap with the cold I had picked up from the rest of the group. I sat down and waited for Toby to go and change some money and found myself surrounded by very dirty scabby little children who were actually very sad souls and I think a few of them just wanted to get close just to get some affection. Toby came back and we gave them some money and the rest of our Sprite which they thought was great. Someone told me later that these children lived in the sewer at night to keep warm....that's something to think about. We went back to the hotel and found that our room was absolutely huge, with a king size bed and 2 balconies and spare room! fantastic. Thanks Gans!!

We caught the train early that morning and was pleasantly surprised at how much better the train was to the last one we had been subjected to. Carpets and lace nets at the window plus blue valour covering our beds and clean toilets!!! bonus. We shared our cabin with American brothers, Harlan and Lauren who were fantastic company and invited us to visit them when in America, thanks guys you might regret it when we come knocking at your door..! In the evening Gobi desert was lovely watching the sun disappear over the vast landscape, but the scenery was quite monotonous during the day time. We also had all the rest of the group in the carriage which was nice, so we could just wonder in and out of peoples cabins to have a chat, but everyone was tired as the evening grew closer and I was starting to get a very bad stomach ache ........ugh oh start of something very bad.

CHINA >