Photographs (June & July 2004).

This page contains photographs of the group during June and July 2004. The time (if given) on a photograph is GMT and therefore differs from local time by up to 9 hours.

Peter tries on a hat (I think).

2004-06-23. Kazakstan. John's leaving party in Almaty.

2004-06-26. Kazakstan. John fills OJ up with water from an artesian well.

2004-06-27. Russia. A decorated bus shelter.

2004-07-02. Russia. Even Clive thinks the flowers are worth photographing!

2004-07-03. Russia. A massive energy flow is detected, with lots of vibrations, probably 50Hz. No, don't ask what they are doing in the foreground.

2004-07-03. Russia. Near the Mongolian border.

2004-07-06. A Mongolian road, look hard.

2004-07-07. A Mongolian rock that K-Nine underestimated.

2003-07-07. Mongolia. The view from Mog, but how deep is it? One option is to get out and wade through, or keep your feet dry and let Mog go first. This one was fairly shallow.

2004-07-07. Mongolia. So Imp takes it at speed.

2004-07-07. Mongolia. But OJ takes it slowly.

2004-07-07. Mongolia. With two wheel drive on a smooth, firm but very lumpy road it is possible to loose all traction when driving slowly just by getting one wheel off the ground.
(Top right insert shows Peter's hand under OJ's front wheel.)

2004-07-07. Mongolia. Lots of flowers everywhere in parts of the north west.

2004-07-07. Mongolia. The worst type of dirt road, corrugated. Passable at 5kph or 45kph but not at any intermediate speed!

2004-07-08. Mongolia. We meet up with with Jacques and Danielle Peyrin in their VW Synchro on the left . We met them about 80km North West of Khvod.

2004-07-08. Mongolia. A local truck collecting sheep skins.

2004-07-09. Mongolia. Mog tows Imp out of a little soft sand.

2004-07-10. Mongolia. Diesel pumped by hand into Imp.

2004-07-11. Mongolia. Bactrian camels by the roadside.

2004-07-11. Mongolia. No comment.

2004-07-11. Mongolia. You following me?

2004-07-11. Mongolia. A roadside ger (yurt) with solar panel and satellite dish.

2004-07-11. Mongolia. No comment again.

2004-07-11. Mongolia. Peter's birthday party! We set up tables in the shade of K-Nine. OJ had made a great vegetable curry, Ann made her famous Carrot Cake (decorated with Malteasers) and Peter had Champagne he'd bought in Russia and caviar on toast! A pleasant evening was had by all.

2004-07-14. Mongolia. OJ very nearly makes up a sandy bank.

2004-07-14. Mongolia. We stop in the middle of the road for a group photo. From left to right, Peter, Imp, John, Olwyn, OJ, Stephen, Pat, Mog, Clive, Ann and K-Nine.

2004-07-14. Mongolia. A wide but very shallow river.

2004-07-15. Mongolia. Several locals volunteer to fix Imp's puncture free of charge.

2004-07-16. Mongolia. We do cross this one.

2004-07-16. Mongolia. It looks no better from the other side.

2004-07-16. Mongolia. And we fill up with water from the stream (but see here).

2004-07-16. Mongolia. Ann hands out "bubble makers" to the local kids who gather round whilst we fill up with water from "their" stream.

2004-07-16. Mongolia. On some sections of road there are 100mm tall metal spikes down the edges to indicate where the final surface should be. Best not to drive over them.

2004-07-16. Mongolia. You take the left fork, then bear right or was it left. A typical Mongolian "road" consists of up to 20 tracks more or less parallel spread out over up to 5km.

2004-07-16. Mongolia. This one we drove round.

2004-07-17. Mongolia. A fine Ovoo (well look it up then).

2004-07-18. Mongolia. Erdene Zuu Monastery.

2004-07-18. Mongolia. Erdene Zuu Monastery.

2004-07-18. Mongolia. Erdene Zuu Monastery.

2004-07-19. Mongolia. Angel (a Spanish mathematics teacher) and his horse discuss the plan for the day (what 40 km in this heat!)

2004-07-20. Mongolia. Maureen re-joins the group for a celebration meal in Ulaan Baatar.

2004-07-20. Mongolia. Maureen seems happy to see us again.