3. WESTERN SIBERIA.

Later in the day it started raining. The temperature dropped further and refuelling without a sweater was not possible. We had to turn on the heating in the car. The temperature outside the car dropped at one point to 12°C. So in 3 days we descended from 32°C to 12°C: the time needed to cross the Urals. Siberia honoured her reputation?

Daily progress on our route to Tomsk (E).

The big cities in Western Siberia are like islands in a green sea. A sea formed by woods, swamps, waste land and here and there cultivated fields. These fields are huge and only a small, dark tree line at the horizon mark the end of these fields. A small village with wooden houses and muddy dirt roads appears every now and then. People are sitting next to the main road in the scorching sun (yes, we are back at around 30°C) and try to sell some small quantities of berries or watermelons. About 600 km separates Omsk from Yekaterinburg and Novosibirsk from Omsk and in between spars villages or a farm.

A milk can full of petrol enhances the autonomy of the motorcycle dramatically!

Between Tyumen and Omsk, we camped in the bush. Siberia is notorious for the mozzies and now we carry the prove. As soon we got out of the car, we were swamped by dozens of mosquito's. To get out for a pee in the night, was torture. You had to move while doing your thing. If you didn't, you got bumps on every mm² on whatever you were showing. I worked in the bush in Nigeria and Papua New Guinea and things were not that bad! So, on the following leg, we camped on a truck stop. A bit noisy, but no mozzies and a shower in the morning.

We are still married!

Mozzie alley.

At a tank stop we met a South Korean family (parents and 4 kids) travelling with a converted Kia bus from Korea to Europe and back via a more southern route: www.ppeppe.net .

We met also Uliana at the same stop. A young woman who offered to guide us around Tomsk. She and two of her friends showed us around Tomsk the next day.

In Tomsk we booked a room in hotel Sputnik. Ivan, the hotel owner came out and offered us a free upgrade. We got a bigger room with private bathroom. That is the second time during our trip! Try this in Europe!

Christine wrote "Bon voyage" on the bus.

Also best wishes on our car.

Tomsk: old & new in Tatarsky street.

Trees support garden gate (to be restored?).

Small buses powered by gas (6 -8 cylinders on the roof).

Still to be restored (Tatarsky street).

From Tomsk we headed south, via Novosibirsk, to Tashanta at the Russian/Mongolian border. We crossed the Altay Republic, known for the scenic mountains and fast flowing rivers. When entering the Altai Republic we did not register or submitted an application as suggested in the LP.

Three nights camping south of Gorno Altaysk and two nights in D.
Location D: N 50° 31.296' - E 86° 33.876'. Altitude 701 m.

Past Gorno-Altaysk, a river runs parallel to M52. Tents drew our attention. So we stopped and camped at the river for 2 days. This is the first place in Russia where we saw locals camping, fishing, swimming, … but sadly they leave their shit behind.

The insects were within the accepted limits. We killed only about 125.553 mozzies between both of us and had a fire going all day. Two days later we reeked like a smoked bacon.

Serious field test: the left one won hands down.
The right one was like dish water in comparison.

A couple of Italian overlanders molto simpatici (Titziana & Rudolfo) with an Unimog, parked right next to us and we were treated with spaghetti agli pomodori con formaggio grattugiato. They were on the way back from Mongolia to Italia and gave us info on the flooded dirt roads and spots not to miss.

A local fisherman came to check the river and weather conditions and we had a brief conversation :

He: Dobro jutro,

Me: Dobro jutro,

He: Djontrisj vrant3odo wrzantighj brawatrisj?

Me: No Ruski, Belgije.

He: Germanski?

Me: Njet, Belgije.

He: Ahhh, Belgije!

He: Branvisje ratvanstva sonyusti vronostje, da? …
Me: ????
He: Nasvedanje.

Me: Nasvedanje.

Later he came back with his father and a rubber dinghy in a UAZ 4x4 van. He presented me his father: «Mein father!». The old man had more gold in his mouth than my wife has around her neck on a special occasion. We shook hands and he gave us a plastic bag full of berries: «Frau!».

Me: Ok! Spasiba! Frau!

He beamed very wide and they hopped in the small dinghy. The old man rowed against the current with ease. Obviously he had done this before.

On 25 July, after two days on the same spot, we were "on the road again". We shopped in Gorno Altaysk mainly for fruit and veggies (in short supply in Mongolia), and tried to change some money to avoid the border rip-off on the Mongolian side. The banks did not change any money (€, $, Rb) for Mongolian currency! So we had to accept that we had to change some money at the border, for the paperwork, at a very inconvenient rate.

Gorno Altaysk church.

Slowly the hills became mountains as we approached Mongolia. On a 2000 m high mountain pass we met 4 overlander's (3 Germans couples and one French couple) on their way back to Europe. Jean-Jacques and Evelyne gave us useful info about Mongolia and a map of the Baikal lake.

On the other side of the pass, the world changed. The population had very distinctive Asian features and the Slavic presence almost disappeared. The wooden houses had some details we did not see before. We stopped at a (clean) camping in a gorge and made camp on a small island in the turbulent river. A young lady came to collect 300 Rb for the night and we were immediately adopted by a Akita Inu clearly somebody dumped on the camping. That is; until he found better foster parents (read: food).  Next day the dog was gone ... adopted or BBQ?  A little downstream, youngsters were preparing for some white water rafting. We stayed one day more.

The dog nibbling my shoes.

Next day, between the camping and the border, we spent all day above 2000 m.  Breathtaking landscapes with thundering rivers.  Snow capped mountains.  Traffic was almost non existing.

Saturday 27/07 - 17:15, we passed the border Russia/Mongolia.  We did not know that the border closed for the weekend at 18:00.  So, on both sides they were in a hurry and by 18:30 we were in Mongolia. After the Russian border there is a 10km drive till a military outpost with an additional passport check and then a 6 km drive on a dirt road till the Mongolian border.  Each border has a steel gate and a barrier.
Once in Mongolia we had to buy for 43 € or 1750 Rb a third party car insurance in a small office run by two efficient young ladies. Outside a purple (vodka)  individual tried to change € or $ for the Mongolian currency at a very inconvenient rate.  Other overlander's we met before, changed € to be able to buy the insurance. However, the young ladies accept €, $, Rb, ...