Day 17: Heading to the Mongolian Border

At 5am stopped at Ulan Ude - and our empty cabin is now occupied with two new mates. Petr - a Russian guide for Intrepid - and Alfonzo from Mexico.

Tim thinks that it is only 1.30am - so gets off the train ti buy beer and vodka - not realising that it is really 6.30am (local time) and that his early morning drinking scared our new cabin mates.

120km until we get to the Mongolian Border.

Arrived at the border town between Russia and Mongolia. Tully is the arse end of the earth. For 3 hours we were able to explore this place - which was mostly some very polluted and rubbish filled farm land, a shitty bridge and lots and lots of gnatty flies (which Tim ate 5 of and breathed in 2 of).

Made several visits to the local store where we had Siberian ice cream and beer.

Went to the local post office and licked 22 Siberian stamps - and posted off our first round of postcards (have any of them arrived yet??!!)

Our train has been reduced to just 2 carriages. All of the other carriages have been taken off - and before we can continue into Mongolia we need to wait for our new engine, dining car and all of the other carriages.

Spend another 3 hours sitting in our cabin waiting for the border guards to give back our passports and check all of our documentation.

Mongolian money changer comes on board. We exchange what we have left in Roubles (about $US4.17) and get back a huge wad of Mongolian Togrogs (the local currency).

After 7 hours we finally start moving - and to celebrate the border crossing we all take a couple shots of vodka. Welcome to Mongolia.

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