Hey everyone, i've just come back from my trip in the Gobi Desert and around central Mongolia, and it was probably the best thing i've done so far!! There were 8 of us on the trip, Tony, Angus and myself, Iris, the German girl who i shared a cabin with on the train to Mongolia, Joelle, the Swiss who we met in vietnam and then bumped into again on the train, Alex, Joelle's friend from back home and our 2 guides Gana and Baatar. This is how we got on:- Day 1: The first morning even before going anywhere we had to buy food for the 8 of us for 4 days. Joelle decided to go off on her own to buy some things and ended up being nearly an hour late for the pick-up. So after buying the essentials (mainly vodka... and in large amounts!!) we were off on our trip. First stop was to get some luck for our trip, we stopped at this large pile of stones with a load of prayer flags and we all had to walk around this 3 times throwing 3 stones onto the pile. We were driving for hours after through some beautiful countryside when we stopped a herder for directions, as he was showing our guides the direction to go in some of us road his camel, great fun!! Back in the van for a few more hours untill we come across the first ger we were going to stay in. Day 2: In the morning we gave our gifts to the family for letting us stay with them, ballons for the kids and vodka for the adults. And we were off again to the mountains. When we got to the mountains we set up the cooker and cooked ourselves some dinner, while the food was cooking most of wondered off into the mountains to have a look about. The scenery was fantastic!! When looking down from the top of the mountains it felt like you were in a star wars film. When we got back for the food we noticed that a few bottles of vodka had vanished and that our guide Gana was a little unsteady on his feet... He was smashed!! After food we all had a little drink (HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD) and then headed to where we would spend the night. When we got there our guide Gana passed out on the floor. When Gana did finally get over his coma he organised an arm wrestleing competition between all of us and the man of the house... well ger! Not one of us had a chance! Day 3: Not much driving today because Gana was so hungover that he couldn't drive which left all the driving to Baatar. Baatar nearly rolled the van in the middle of the desert trying to make up some ground... change of pants needed!! We arrived at a ger to spend the night but for all of us but Gana it was a sleepless night, he got smashed again and was screaming through the night and shouting in his sleep. Day 4: Tony had words with Gana this morning to say about the night before and how it had to stop or we were going to call the rest of the trip off. Gana was very sorry and assured us it wouldn't happen again (and it didn't... he was as good as gold for the rest of the trip). Gana started driving and made up loads of ground on the day before. We stopped at a river and watched some wild horses play about in the water and then off again through the mountains to another ger settlement. When we got to the ger settlement they hadn't finished all the ger's so some of us stepped in and gave a hand and the rest of us cooked for everyone. After dinner i saw one of the best sunsets i've ever seen. Day 5: Today we woke up to a camel ride around the camp, it was fun untill the camel i was riding walked about as far away from the ger as possible and then just stopped!! I spent the next 10 minutes trying to get this huge animal to move... not a chance!! A herder came over and dragged the camel and me back to the camp. We then drove to the old capital of Mongolia to see the first moselium of Mongolia, while we were in their a huge sandstorm came over and then after that SNOW!! After letting it settle for a few hours we were all out in it playing around and having a snow fight. Day 6: I woke up early today (3am) with a dodgy belly. Running to the outside toilet with snow falling into the toilet because there was no window there trying to hold onto your guts was not as fun as it sounds!! Immodeium needed!! When everbody got up we had a look at the old capital and the surrounding mountains covered in snow from the look out point... Beautiful but bloody cold!! We spent ther rest of the day driving. Day 7: After waking up and leaving our guest house we stopped at a river close to the town where we spent the night and then moved onto a frozen river which was amazing. Next stop was the Great White Lake. Before seeing the lake we walked up and around a volcano close to the lake. Then we saw the Great White Lake frozen over... Stunning!! I spent the next couple of hours walking around the mountains surrounding the lake while Tony and Angus went for a dip in the frozen lake (crazy guys), i came back to find them hammered after drinking a bottle of vodka to warm them selves up. Day 8: Today i woke up to the most beautiful sight i think i have ever seen, The Great White Lake and the surrounding mountains covered in snow!! Just stunning!! i spent the next couple of hours just looking out over the lake. After the lake we headed back towards the old capital on our way back to Ulaan Baatar, it was coming to the end of our trip. Day 9: Today we woke up early after one of the clodest nights of my life, i was wrapped up in a ball at the bottom of my sleeping bag tucking the rest of my bag in to stop any heat from escaping. We all decided to come back a day early because Iris was feeling really ill and had to see a doctor so we pushed on for Ulaan Baatar. Looking back on it now is great, i had a great time and as i said it was probably the best thing i've done so far. Now the trip has finished i'm going to be heading back to China and try and get back on track of my origainal plan, so i'm leaving Mongolia and the boys (Tony and Angus) on thursday and heading back to Beijing for my second trip of China. Speak to you all soon. Christopher p.s. I'm having trouble getting into my e-mail so if i haven't replies to your e-mails thats the reason. i might even have to set up a new account, if i do i'll put the address on this site.