The Finish Line

This is it. We are here. We've just raced through the streets of Ulan Ude to the official Mongol Rally 2016 finish line. The champagne (okay it's not real) has been opened and the celebrations have begun. The hostel has no rooms but we couldn't care less. How did we get here from Ulaanbaatar just a few days ago though?

I think I left what has definitely become more of a story than a blog now when we were just about to head off into Ulaanbaatar for some beers. What I didn't mention then was the state of Cal. Unfortunately something had got to him and he was feeling pretty terrible so had fallen straight asleep in the hostel. So we headed out one person short and got the beers in. A few bars and plenty of drinks later the topic of driving home came up again. This discussion had been going on for a long time with people leaning different ways. Originally we had planned on flying back as we did not think we would be able to make a last minute decision and not incur a loss of our £850 deposit. So we had booked flights only to realise later that we could indeed decide at the finish line what we were going to do. This meant the state of cars and bank accounts were constantly being assessed to see who was going to drive home. Personally I knew that I had enough money, which I should be saving but instead have been spending, to get me home, and have always had complete faith in the mighty Kenari to keep running almost forever. The one issue is that our Russian VISA's are due to end on the 16th September leaving just 7 full days to drive 6000km across Russia. In most cars this would be hard but in ours with their speed capped at about 100km/h we knew this was going to mean driving through one or more nights. After a few beers though concerns such as these seem to melt away and Will and I agreed that whatever the others decided we would drive back. Guy and Cal were leaning towards flying due to lack of trust in the Agila and concerns over budgets, and Hockey was sat resolutely on the fence.

After all this discussion we wandered back to the hostel, contemplating how we had all become lightweights. This is when the night took a severe turn for the worse. Going over to quickly check the cars were okay we found that a rock had been thrown through the passenger side window of the Agila. The window had shattered and glass littered the inside of the car. Nothing had been taken from inside the car but various bits and pieces had been taken off the top of the car as well. Nothing could be done about it then though so we moved the cars to right outside the hostel, taped some plastic over the window, and hoped for the best. Come the morning and the best hadn't really happened. What had happened instead was that someone had come back and stolen the jerry cans off the roof of the Agila as well. Whoever had done it had also taken the time to scrawl stuff on the outsides of all the cars which just rubbed it in even further. Mindless vandalism at its height and so frustrating simply for the fact it left the car completely insecure. As a result Guy and Will headed off round the city to try and find someone to at the least put some clear Perspex in place of the smashed window. Meanwhile the rest of us headed out to do some souvenir shopping. Unfortunately, Guy and Will had no luck getting anything that wasn't very expensive. With the whole incident sealing Guy's and Cal's decision on whether to fly or drive home, this wasn't money they were willing to spend as it was only a few days to the finish line.

'Halfway through the clear up operation'

So we headed out of the city via the huge market on the outskirts for some more shopping. Cal, still feeling unwell, stayed with the car whilst we wandered around the vast market. Eventually we had all found what we were looking for, and plenty of things we weren't, and we got back on the road; driving out to see a statue of Genghis Khan. Although I'm not always too bothered by statues this was one that has to be seen. At 40m tall it is the largest horseback statue in the world and sits atop a building on the hill where the ancient leader famously found a Golden Whip. The monstrous statue looms into view as you come over a hill and the view from the top of the horses head is just as spectacular. After many photos we turned around and headed back towards the city before veering off north where we planned to stay in a Ger (Mongolian Yurt).

'Definitely falls into the category of necessary souvenirs!

'My favourite statue of all time'

We eventually arrived in the evening gloom and asked around at one of many Ger sites which in the height of summer must be packed with people. Luckily we were late for the season and so there was plenty free. Ducking inside our two Gers we quickly cooked ourselves up some dinner and got the wood burners going. It was obvious very quickly why the locals use these rather than tents, as they quickly got very warm with the burner going. Although not completely authentic, as they had small beds in to sleep on, we all enjoyed the stay a lot and slept extremely well.

'Too jazzy?'

The next day, after a brief horse ride in the morning, we drove back into the mad traffic of Ulaanbaatar, which for a country of so few people is incredibly bad. We eventually made it through and struck out for the Russian border and the end of our time in Mongolia. Driving out I couldn't help but think that it truly is a fantastic country in every way except for the capital. I would fully advise anyone to go, but just to avoid spending long in Ulaanbaatar which simply does not compare to the Mongolian steppe. That night was also to be our last in a tent (or it was until there was no space in the hostel tonight) and we pitched up a few 100km from the border in another random stretch of nothing. We spent the evening reminiscing about the trip and listening to Rich's new Mongolian CD; off the back of which I would not advise anyone to buy Mongolian music! But we hit the hay early so we could get up the next day and cross the border at a reasonable time.

'My favourite campsite in Mongolia'

As ever the border crossing was longer and more painful than we could have expected and by the time we got through we knew we weren't getting to the finish line before dark. Unperturbed though we ploughed on and reached the outskirts of Ulan Ude just as the sun was going down. About 100km out we stopped for fuel and everyone knew at this point it was every car for themselves. Although the rally is by no means a race at this point the bragging rights for the first car to reach the finish line were clearly on offer. We all flew off not wanting to be left behind and have no chance on the final stretch. Hockey and I got out of the fuel station first and held our small lead all the way to the outskirts of the city. Although we were going well we knew that the Micra had much more go off the line than us, and that the Agila would also be doing everything it could to pip us at the post. As it was the Micra was our main threat, and as we weaved through the traffic going into the city the lead changed over multiple times. As the finish line got closer the driving for ever more risky. Manoeuvres were being made that were certainly illegal and bordering on dangerous at times, but after 11,000 miles of driving we instinctively knew the limits of the cars. Reaching a red light a few km from the finish line we pulled up alongside the Micra. Looking across at them we knew this was where it would most likely be won or lost. The countdowns on the red lights made this even more intense, and by jumping the gun on 2 I made up for the Micra's extra power and kept us level. With a car in the road in my lane and the Micra blocking my way into the other lane I gambled and flew onto the tram lines in the centre of the road. It seemed to have worked and I was halfway round the car before it became obvious that the tram lines stayed at the same height whilst the road dropped off slightly to the right. With the Tarmac on the tramlines about to give way to gravel, and a serious drop appearing down to the road, I wrenched us in front of the other car just in time with Hockey clinging on for dear life. We had made it though, and with both of us in floods of relieved laughter we realised the tactics had seemed to shock the Micra so much we had got ahead. We held the lead and made it to the road we knew the finish line was on desperately searching for it. As it appeared we pulled into the car park and rolled triumphantly in front of the huge banner.

'Victorious'

Soon after the Micra rolled in behind us and congratulated us on our victory, followed later by the Agila; which driven by Callum never seemed to stand a chance. We were all winners at this moment though and could not quite believe we had actually made it. Elated we hugged and cracked open beers as soon as we could dig them out of the cars, toasting our completion of The Mongol Rally 2016. A truly great moment, ruined quickly when we realised we had lost Team Honeymoon Roadtrip from the convoy and they had no maps for Ulan Ude. Feeling now completely awful we hoped that they would be able to make their way in as we didn't even have a number to call them on. They are a resourceful pair though and thankfully they rocked up not long after to a wave of apologies from ourselves. A few beers later though and I think they have forgiven us. Hockey has just decided he too does not fancy the return trip, so it is just going to be Will and I driving Thunderbird 2 back 7500 miles to the UK. Luckily though we will be joined by Rub a Dub Dub, who always planned to drive back and are keen to fly across Russia as far as Moscow with us before we split off for good. We are going to need all the luck there is to make it back without issue, but I personally can't wait to get started. Bring on the London Rally 2016!