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Published: September 15th 2009
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Hello,
Well we have now completed our trans mongolian train journey and are in
China. We spent our week out in the desert which was amazing, we drove for
seven days through complete nothingness in the snow and the scenery changed
everyday, we saw snow peaked mountains, sand dunes and rolling hills. Each
night we stayed with a different family, who survive on there sheep and
goats so the meals were very basic, mutton and home made noodles most days
which looses its appeal after you just seen this lady peeling the last bits
of raw meat of the bone and eating it with her hands which are probably
covered in goat poo!
Everynight we go to bed sweating because the stove was so hot and wake
frezing in the middle of the night in about -30 in a tent. The last place we
stayed had a lady who was 71 who was crazy all she did was laugh as us all
and her crazy husband who rode his camel around with a big hat and huge
goggles, he was such a character. When we
arrived we had our mutton dinner
and they invited us in for a second round of mutton as it was nationals
womens day along with camel vodka(made from camels milk) and fermented
camels milk. The vodka wasnt too bad but the fermented milk was cold thick
creamy fizzy off tasting gunk- im sure they make it to make you sick. So we
had one more night to look at the amazing stars, im never seen stars like
they were out in the desert there are millions, and then it was vodka for
breakfast! Then one more stop on the way home where we were fed 3 more shots
this was all before 10am! So we all had a merry trip home and a 360 spin in
the snow which was a bit scary and it was so nice to shower when we got
back.
Then we spent a couple more days in Ulaan Baator and got our last trans
mongolian train to Beijing, it was one of the best train journeys coming
through the mountains and paddy fields and we passed through the great wall.
When we arrived we were picked up by the UN and taken to our lovely hotel
which had a lovely duvet and fluffy pillow(dont get that often out here!)
this was all arranged for us by Aarons Dad as he used to work out here. We
visited the Forbidden City, Summer Palace,the great wall and we went to all
the markets which were great fun sometimes it ended up with the stall
holders pulling one arm of mine andAaron pulling the other until they gave
in to our prices!
I had my hair cut by some chinese man and we couldnt speak to them so I just
made a scissor sign with my hand and pointed at my hair, so now I have this
haircut all the chinese seem to have!
I love it here the people are so friendly, they just start talking to us in
chinese even though we dont understand and all the kids shout hello when
they see you, and its so interesting just walking around watching people,
lots of them seem to spent there life sitting in the pavement playing
cards
on a cardboard box. Oh and the food is amazing and really cheap, we had
dinner for both of us for 40p the other day!
At the moment we are in Xi'an, we went to see the terracotta warriors
yesterday and went for a hot spring bath which was really good. Now i'm on
my own for a couple of days while Aaron goes rock climbing up a mountain
(not for me!)
Love to you all, come and visit!
Sarah xxxxx
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