This morning we left at 06:50 to get a head start on the way to the border. It was 176 km away, 84 km of which was on rough tracks over which we would have to take it easy.
We set off so early because we wanted to be one of the first cars to cross the border and into Russia. We ended up making it across the Mongolian border just before they took their two hour lunch break.
The Russian border was relatively quick as well. I was wearing a cap with “Mexico” written across it and one of the customs officer jokingly asked if I had bought him some tequila.
As we set off early we also made it to the “hotel” quite early for once. The “hotel” was more like a camp site with wooden huts and yurts. Some were lucky and had en suites. Others, like us, were not so lucky. There were public toilets but the shower was in fact just a steam room with no shower. Not quite ideal for trying to wash your hair!
In the evening we found out that for many it was quite the eventful day. One of the Alfas took a wrong turn and ended up in a river. A number of participants also didn’t make it across the border before it closed and are stuck in Mongolia for at least another day as tomorrow it will be closed for a public holiday.