UB update
Checked out of the hotel, in which we had had to stay after
not being able to get our Chinese visas until later than expected on Wednesday.
That meant that our plans to visit Khustain National Park were also scuppered
because there was no time. So we dumped
the bags at the ger before going to the Oasis to borrow some tools to dismantle
the scoots.
Unfortunately, I dumped myself too, on a steep gravelly hill.
The roads are so rough that you have to really rev it to get up slopes but it makes the bike bounce almost
uncontrollably - and passing bitey dogs know this. Plus I had the bags on the
back, so the front end was light. Consequently, one charged, I revved, almost
made it but then hit a big bump and was catapaulted off. Had a softer landing
that expected though – right onto the partial carcass of a dead animal –
possibly a goat or another biker who'd not got as far as me - which was lovely
and smelt great. Not. By the time Nads appeared, I was just picking the last of
the matted decaying flesh off my arm and shoulder. Nasty.
We also picked up a parcel for Debz and Iain to send back to
the UK. Scoffed a bit of lunch there with them too which was a bit pricey,e
specially for a stale cheese sandwich , a small salad and a small cooked meal
but it was food, so it had to do. Prices at that place are odd – some things
that you expect to be expensive are dirt cheap whilst others – like coffee and
toast are not. Not sure what that's all about but its a good place so it didn't
matter too much.
By the time we left the Oasis, the sky was green and the heavens were about to dump on us. Could
we make it back before it hit? Nope, not a bit of it. The road was 10cms deep
in water in no time – mud , dust and
debris flowing out of nearby streets and ditches and into the road. Not that it
stopped UB's drivers though; they sped past as they always do, drenching us
further. The only consolation was that the water was warm, if filthy.
We almost made it back to the ger, but then 100m short we
both came off, and this time, it hurt as there was no soft landing. Again it
was on a steep gravelly hill, but this time, no dog was involved. The torrential rain had soaked
the track so much that it became unstable and the surface started to slip down
the hill. We were lucky though and were both flung off as we slipped with it.
The bike stopped quite quickly but we didn't, somersaulting backwards back down
the hill until getting hooked on some rocks.
It must have looked funny though – two whities, soaked through, covered
in mud and now lying in a mud river. The bike was hard to pick up because it
had landed with its wheels were higher than the engine, but after several goes,
we managed it ok.
But we were so cold and sore by the time that we reached the
ger that we both fell asleep, until being woken by various family members.
We've got some good bruises though – the front of my right thigh is black, as
is the top of my right arm and left knee, and
few bruised ribs. Nads has several scrapes and bruises on her elbows.
But it was nothing serious and the bike was OK. And it was a slow speed dump.
Met the charity man to try and donate some money. He seemed
nice and his project interesting – 900+ disadvantaged children being looked after, clothed, fed and educated
on very little funding. But unfortunately, we were unable to help him because
our contact threw an absolute hissy fit and created a scene, although we're not
quite sure why. She clearly had some personal agenda so we binned her; people
who behave like that are an unnecessary embarrassment and deserve to be
isolated.
She's lived there 20 years, looking after children with all
sorts of difficulties – orphans, domestic abuse, physical or mental difficulties,
or extreme poverty. Some of the kids were there too and they were very chatty,
clearly well looked after and very well mannered, a real credit to the work
that she does. So we ended up donating the money to them, and hope to help them
more in the future. We also gave them the Chinese bike to sell, our contact
having mucked the resale up too, but it all worked out well in the end.
However, another note to self ; do not allow family obligations to influence
arrangements again, particularly when those obligations are one sided.
The luck continued; just as we were about to leave to find a
hotel, Ruth's neighbour offered us a place to sleep, which we took. Nice people
again, and with just that one gesture ( plus breakfast) they wiped the
frustration of the contact fiasco.
We're now on the train to Beijing, shunting about (
literally) in no man's land between Mongolia and China. We've been on the train
since 0700 and its now 2100hrs, dark,
hot and noisy and we have another 18 hours to go. But then we get a hot
shower and a comfortable bed so we're holding that thought very close.
We have had to leave the scoots in Mongolia for the time
being ( contact let us down there too)
Iain and Debz helped us dismantle them ( thanks guys – real mates) and
Ruth is kindly storing them for us until we can work out what to do. Hopefully
we will be able to retrieve them, but until we can find a way, there remain
stuck half a world away. Shame.
