We got off the train at 6.30am, a driver was waiting for us. We got to the hostel and went to bed for a few hours since we hadn't slept at all on the train.

We got ready to explore the city. We'd been warned to be careful of pickpockets in Mongolia. I was about to walk of the hostel and the manager stopped me and told be to leave my bag there as the pick pockets would cut it open. That evening we met a guy who has his pocket cut open. It's advised not to go out at night. So we stayed in and chilled in the hostel.

The next day we went to a Mongolian temple, picked up the rail tickets to Beijing and went out for food.

Crossing the road is a challenge. Traffic lights don't mean a thing. Every colour means go. It should be a type of sport as all drivers aim for pedestrians.

When we got back to the hostel we booked the outing to the local national park. After we booked it people we befriended on the train came to book the same tour.

We went out for a curry with a bunch of Americans and Canadians. We drank far to much considering we had to be up at 7the next day for the tour.

I woke up with an awful hangover. We got on the mini bus (looked more like the scooby doo van). There was an English girl who joined us as well.

The journey took us 2 hours, getting out the city was nerve racking with no road laws. The drive in the national park was just as bad with ice roads, a driver who was in a hurry, 2 benches in the back of the bus facing each other made to seat 6 people, 8 of us crammed in and no seat belts. Also my hangover got a lot worse during the journey.

We got there and got settled in our yurt. The 4 English people on the trip got put in one. We had some lunch that was nice and headed out to the horses. The guy gave me my horse with a smile. I quickly learnt I got the naughty horse that liked to gallop. A small kick and he'd go, pulling on the rains would do nothing. Safe to say we didn't bond at all.

We went for a ride around the valleys for a couple of hours. On the way back the guide told us to ride quick. James never been on a horse go thrown around like a rag doll and ended up with bruises. He still hasn't told me where. Since I didn't have a choice I let my horse make the decisions and hung on tightly. We both ended up in a lot of pain.

The night was spent chatting to the fellow travellers keeping the fire going in the yurt.

The next day we got back mid afternoon. Went for some lunch, walked around the sights with the English girl we met on the tour as its not a safe city. We relaxed in the evening since we had to be up early to catch the train to Beijing.

The train journey was spent catching up on sleep and reading. We were in a first class cabin so had it to ourselves. We shared a bathroom and shower with a Scottish couple next door. The crossing from Mongolia to China took 8 hours as the wheels on the train had to be changed over since the Chinese tracks are smaller. They did it with everyone on board. It was interesting to watch but it was in the early hours of the morning.

When we got to Beijing we decided to have a race. James on foot and me on the subway. I befriended a Chinese family who bought me a cup of tea. James won the race and a beer. We have 4 days here until we move to Xian.