The journey home

Submitted by Louise on Mon, 28/07/2008 - 5:47pm.

Route

We arrived home safely late yesterday afternoon after an eventful journey. Despite some of the bad press about Miat Airlines we really had no choice but to fly with them to Beijing. The flight over the mountainous regions of Mongolia was turbulent; I managed to keep my anxiety under control (but only just). Carole and Jen were so tired they were asleep almost instantly- lucky devils! Turbulence apart, Miat were fine and I'd happily fly with them again. The humidity when we arrived after midnight in Beijing had to be experienced to be believed. We were all exhausted by then, and the stupidity of the airport transit system (which was closed) meant it took us quite some time before we worked out how to get out and then on to the next terminal for the flight back to London. By the time we arrived in Terminal 3, all of the comfy waiting seats were taken, so we all crashed out on a bench by a fountain. We must have looked a sight, as apparently people were taking photos of us when we were asleep! Still, we'd all sleep on a bench in Beijing airport in preference to sleeping in the car, any day! The 10 hour flight to Heathrow wasn't as bad as expected, and the turbulence back over the mountains of Mongolia was much less severe in the Jumbo. We touched down just before 3pm and were back in Bath soon after 5pm.

It would have been great to have some time at home adjusting to normal life, but unfortunately us Pinkies are all going straight back to work this week. The trip has been truly amazing: everything I could have wished for, and more. The people we met along the way were all encouraging and supportive; even the two Russians who warned us we weren't safe travelling alone without men, were acting in our best interests.

I'll be uploading photos of the trip during the next few days, and adding a postscript of the tour highlights, in addition to details of the very special arrangements being planned for the Disco. We are hoping to hold a welcome-home party in Bath sometime in the next few weeks for all our supporters and fans. Details will be posted as soon as they're known- all Pinkie fans are welcome to come!

With love and appreciation for all your support and encouragement, Lou x

Re: The journey home

Submitted by Bataa on Mon, 28/07/2008 - 8:53pm.

well done Girls. Very impressive!!!
Hope you have had nice time in Mongolia

Best wishes
from Mongolian Association in the UK

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Re: The journey home

Submitted by NOMIN on Tue, 29/07/2008 - 3:13am.

Congratulations Pinkies.I am proud of you girls.It was very nice to meet you in Mongolia and spent one wonderful evening with you........ Goodluck!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Date	Message
14 weeks 4 days ago	CALLING ALL PINKIES SUPPORTERS! You’ve begun every morning by reading the blog….You’ve followed the daring journey on Google Earth….. You’ve thrilled with the girls as they’ve thrown off the advances of blonde, bronzed Russians….You’ve held your breath as they dodged flash-floods, knocked back cheap vodka and struggled with greasy, lifeless hair….Now come to the party! See the pictures they hoped would never see the light of day! Hear their amazing stories! Find out the fate of their much loved Disco! And help Jen celebrate her 40th birthday in style! Where: A ger somewhere in Combe Down, Bath (further details tbc) When: Saturday 6th September 2008 (8pm til late) read more »
16 weeks 3 days ago	We arrived home safely late yesterday afternoon after an eventful journey. Despite some of the bad press about Miat Airlines we really had no choice but to fly with them to Beijing. The flight over the mountainous regions of Mongolia was turbulent; I managed to keep my anxiety under control (but only just). Carole and Jen were so tired they were asleep almost instantly- lucky devils! read more »
17 weeks 1 day ago	Homeward bound. We've all checked into suites in the chingis Khan hotel for a night of well deserved luxury! Flights home have proved very costly; there was some talk of staying and starting a Ger spa camp, but they're sorted now! We fly via Beijing on a BA flight landing at 15.05 on Sunday 27th at heathrow we presume. Meeting up with peter, Hannes and the other Austrians for drinks tonight then off for a traditional mongolian supper. lou, carole and jen. XX
17 weeks 1 day ago	Ulaanbaatar!!! Woohoo! We've all safely reached our destination and arrived in UB this morning at 10am local time. We're heading to the airport first to book flights, then into the city to check into a hotel then maybe off to handover the car if there's time today, otherwise tomorrow morning. We'd like to say a massive thanks to all our pinkie supporters who've been texting us the whole way and helping to keep morale up. Also a massive thanks to our families, friends and sponsors who have all had faith in our ability to complete the journey. Finally, a great big thanks, hugs and much love to our convoy buddies: Lo, Tom and Toby. We'll never look at a game of 21s in the same light again! Love you guys and your tins of mystery meat and crunchy noodles!! lou, carole and jen. Xxx
17 weeks 2 days ago	Outside ulaanbaatar. Camped close to karakorum last night: the old capital city of the mongolian empire. Unfortunately there's nothing left of the 'palace of the world' but we did spend an enjoyable hour looking around the erdene zuu monastery. Spent a bit of time today driving on paved roads (joy of joys!) but back onto dusty tracks early this evening. We've camped for our last night in sand dunes about 50k outside UB. Will set off early tomorrow to give us time to get everything sorted for coming home. Looking forward to booking into a hotel and hopefully being clean again! lou, carole and jen. XX
17 weeks 2 days ago	Hahorin. Realised this morning we were just yards from the lake, so we're still on track after all. Reached tsetserleg after lunch; no chance of finding the hot spring though, it's somewhere on a hillside and that's all the info we had! Washed our hair in a river this afternoon; no water's cold enough to stop the pinkies in their quest for clean hair! Roads were pretty diabolical today. We're getting desperate to drive on a decent stretch of tarmac. May reach UB late tomorrow, otherwise early Thursday to give us time to hand over our beloved disco and book our flights home. Sitting round the camp fire now, after dinner, hoping the black clouds overhead hold. Still, it can't be 30 degrees plus every day! lou, carole and jen. XX
17 weeks 2 days ago	Hahorin. Having said we didn't make yesterday's destination, we realised this morning we were just down the road from it, so still on track. Reached
17 weeks 3 days ago	Tsahir. Left lake telmen very late as the boys can't take their vodka and had to be woken at 10! The pinkies were all packed and ready to go having had a cooked breakfast of course! Had a spot of aggro in tosontsengel from a drunken local trying to fleece the boys; got away in the end with help from a friendly local. Travelled through stunning scenery, very alpine looking but slow going. That coupled with the late start meant we didn't quite make our destination. Had a total electrics failure for the last few hours; no heater, windows wide open, no lights, no wipers, no music. Boys thought it was a problem with the alternator, only to find after setting up camp that it just needed to be turned off and on again! read more »
17 weeks 4 days ago	Nomrog. Had early morning swim in the lake; felt great to be clean for a change, although it was short lived, as ever. Hot springs were disappointing as they were cold! Long days drive all road to lake telmen outside nomrog. Had a birthday party for Toby, complete with balloons, cake, pressies and copious amounts of vodka. Couldn't possibly divulge details of the party games in case anyone of a nervous disposition is reading this. Suffice to say a good time was had by all! On our way today to lake terhiyn tsagaan on route to tsetserleg tomorrow. All fine with the girls and boys teams. lou, carole and jen. XX
17 weeks 4 days ago	Ullangom. Reached the hot springs late this evening after an eventful journey. Took track from ullangom, crossing numerous dry river beds and crossing one river. Severe thunderstorms were over the mountains nearby; crossed another dry river bed, 2 seconds after which a 7 foot high flash flood (which the boys immediately ahead had seen but carole and I hadn't) surged through the river bed we'd barely cleared. Looking back at the suddenness and ferocity of the surge it was shocking to comprehend how close we'd come to being swept away. As a result of the flooded tracks we were very late reaching todays destination and had to decline an offer from a monholian family to camp by their Ger and share a drink. Us pinkies are all gutted. read more »