inner mongolia

it's difficult to appreciate how big Siberia is without actually traveling across it. it is absolutely massive, awe-inspiring.
we're in mongolia now, once you cross the border the scenery changes quite alot and you can begin to appreciate just how big it is. huge plains with mountains in the background.

mongolia is a brilliant place. the people say that they have eastern philosophy with western culture and that pretty much sums them up. SO much friendlier and warmer people than the russians. they cannot do enough to assist us.

coming through the border was pretty hairy. we'd heard so many scare stories about people having all their cash taken off them and cameras and such by mentally unstable border patrol guards with guns, but we saw nothing of the sort. it took a long time, but mainly because there is such a huge amount of bureaucracy in russia. it's trying to shake off it's communist roots, but some things are taking longer than others.

from tomorrow we're in jeeps touring around northern mongolia, seeing the scenery and living with local nomadic families. the people at the hostel here share the mongolian warmth and spirit and are basically sorting the whole thing out for us.

the weather has been incredible since we got off the plane in moscow. i think our coldest day has been 23*C. today in ulan bator i think it must've bounced over the 30 degree mark. not at all what we expected at all, certainly from siberia!

the internet is a precious thing in this part of the world, there is a queue behind me, so i'll be off again for now. not sure there will be much in the mongol countryside (or mobile phone signal) so communication may go blank for a while. until then, be excellent to each other...