Irkutsk to Mongolia

After leaving Irkutsk, we rode on good roads all day travelling through forested areas with winding roads. We camped up on a hill and overlooking the lake in what was Buddhist Worshipping Grounds (Buddhist temple) with prayer flags flying and three poles with some form of native carvings. Dinner once again was fabulously cooked by Carmen and after sitting around the fire we were all heading to bed when two drunken, Russian men made nuisances of themselves by trying to steal our folding chairs and break into Murray's tent to steal his dirty socks. All night long, stray dogs were rummaging through the garbage keeping us awake. So, what we thought would be a perfect campsite ended up being a meeting place for all the drunks and little sleep had by all. The next morning was an early start to the border of Mongolia which took only three hours to cross from one side to the next. At the Russian side we met a young female from Paris (mid twenties) travelling solo on a 125 Varadero and had just completed Mongolia on her way to Russia.