By Marijke and Trudy
Mongolia-Russia border.
Dirk has completed the lubrication and inspection of the T-Ford, started the engine and immediately saw that there is no oil pressure. Turns off the engine and he crawl under the T-Ford.
After some tinkering and manual pumping, there is oil pressure again and we can drive to the border post.
This is the border to leave Mongolia.
We get our out stamp and then we go to THE FENCE. Dirk knew the gate from his trip in 2007. The gate opens and then… we enter no one’s land. There is a sign with instructions on what is prohibited here. Don’t stop, don’t get off the road, don’t let people get in and more, but we don’t understand that. The road is 20 kilometres long to the border post and is full of potholes. The landscape is very beautiful, but we don’t take any photos.
After 20 kilometres drive, we reach the Russian customs post. Exciting indeed. Can we enter the country and what will happen?
Passport control went well, but then the cars had to be checked. A customs officer pointed out everything he wanted opened. In the T-Ford, for example, the toolboxes, the clothing bags and the photo printer. Okay, we can pack everything again.
Then the LandRover!! It is completely full of camping gear, tools, clothing, spare parts and fuel. Here too, many bags had to be opened.
There are 4 suitcases on the roof of the LandRover. Two of them were checked. The roof tent had to be opened, but Dirk managed to keep it closed.
Pack and go. We cannot continue yet, because the stamps for the cars still had to be placed at the transport control. After about 3 hours of waiting, filling out documents and filming the cars, we received the redeeming stamps for the cars.
The barrier opens and we are in RUSSIA.
There we will spend the night in a hotel where we can use a large, equipped kitchen. Ideal.
The cars are standing happily at the gate.
This trip was different from the previous trips because we were able to experience the four seasons of Mongolia at this time of spring: sunny, rainy, snowy, dust storm, cloudy, sometimes sandy, rocky, watery. A big thank you to Dirk Regter and the rest of the tour crew for successfully accomplishing their mission in the 1915 Model T Ford World Tour. Mongolia is a vast territory, and we had a great time seeing many beautiful things, such as a quiet, clear blue sky and a starry night and met many nomads along the dirt road running from east to west. I would like to express my gratitude again and again on behalf of many children for the good deed that they extended their hand of giving to the children who are the future of Mongolia. That’s why I would like to say that this trip was a very creative trip. This trip was also an honor for me to travel with you on a trip full of memories that do not happen very often.
We wish you a successful and memorable journeys in the future. May your golden yellow road is wonderful! Good road Good trip one more thing is Model T is very strong car. i like it.