The Three Day Journey Parts I & II

Part I Heathrow to Istanbul

Now waiting for my flight to Istanbul. Yesterday was quite eventful when I decided to leave the b&b 12 hours early for my flight!!!!! Spent a fair bit of time wandering the halls of Heathrow before I could get a taxi back to my b&b. I call it a Senior moment.

Anyway, here I am drinking my orange juice, having dropped off my bags - both overweight without paying any extra.

A note to myself.  Buying travelling bags from the Dollar shop for a journey is bad policy. I brought a couple of them as spares and both have died on me. Just as well I have a few reserve bags. Hence the reason for my packing so many!!!! I hear a voice telling me "I told you so"!!!!!!!!!  When will I ever learn.

Cannot see anyone else I know, but I doubt if I would recognize any of them anyway.

Well, that's me.

I will hopefully be able to send an e-mail or two from Ulanbaaataaaaaaaar.

Part II Istanbul to UB

After my 'pigs ear' with my timings at the b&b at Heathrow Airport I eventually left on my flight to Ulanbatuur via some place in Khazakstan arriving in Ulan at 0800 hrs this morning.

Having got through the  very quaint Customs system we were picked up by a single decker bus, there were 9 of the team on the flight so it made for good company.

The hotel is very nice indeed and we have had a briefing by JBS when our large suitcases were put on transport to drive to the area we will be working in named Khovd.

It will take 2 days to get there!!!!!

We are off shortly for a meal at a local restaurant and another chance to get to know the other members of the team.

Tomorrow we will be visiting the National History museum and a folklore concert featuring singing and dancing. Not us singing and dancing I may add!!!!

All is going fine, weather is rather muggy, but I look forward to getting into my bed tonight after missing another nights sleep last night.

Trust Ben is on his best behaviour!!!

Dad

x

The Mongolian Affair

Well boy, it has been 12 months in the planning, and now I am on my way.  It all started when one of my old Army chummies announced that he was leading an expedition to Mongolia in the summer of 2016.  I had worked with John Blashford Snell in the '60's when he paid me ten pounds, a WHOLE ten pounds, to type up the notes about his exploration of the Blue Nile.  This went on to become a best seller.  OK, so it didn't - but it wasn't due to my typing!

So here I am, setting off on a three week trip to Mongolia.  On horseback.  At my age.  What fun!!!

This is me at Calgary airport - just before going through security and the Border Services taking my (somewhat oversized) smelly off me.  Oh dear - don't they realise how long I will be travelling for?  It will certainly be unfortunate for whoever I am sitting next to on the last leg of the journey . . . . . . . 

Oh, and don't tell Lorraine this as I always tease her about the weight of her cases when she emigrated to Canada in 2004, but my cases were overweight.  Shhhh!  I played the 'old folk' card with the lovely lady at check-in.  So far, so good!

Well boy, this is me 'in transit' for the best part of three days, will catch up with you soon.  Be good, and try and pick up some top tips from Paul an Lorraine's new dog, Nico.  He can sit you know.  When told - fancy that.

Dad

x