12,000 feet above sea level in the Altai Mountains, Mongolia.

Location: 12,000 feet above sea level in the Altai Mountains, Mongolia.
Speed: 0 MPH
Status: Hiding in the ambulance away from wind!!

This morning we needed to top up with diesel from our reserves. Unloading a 25 liter can from the roof Russ and Stu set about pouring it into the fuel tank. After about 20 liters Stu noticed that the diesel had become water and stopped pouring. It was then we discovered around 25% of our fuel was contaminated with water courtesy of that last Russian fuel station.

Fueled up we hit the road, driving alongside the lake. Stu drove whilst I walked out in front scouting for solid ground; we selected our path over the bog and finally got onto more stable ground. Driving south for a few hours we followed our schedule until we came to a fork in the track.

Russ wanted to take a right track as that was where the compass was pointed. I opted to take the left. I had a hunch this short cut wouldn’t work as the road seemed to lead up into the mountains. Stu had the deciding vote and I was once again out voted.
The terrain seemed good to begin with, we up over each hill with ease. The ambulance would need a run up at times but she performed well, amazing for a thirty year old transit van with blue lights!

After what seemed an age travelling up a hill, down a hill, up a hill, down a hill we arrived at a small settlement by a river crossing. We decided to stop for a late lunch of chicken soup, bread and a decent cup of tea. The locals dropped by the convoy to say hello, we dished out some chocolate to the children and Marlboro lights to the adults who (like all Mongolians) couldn’t get enough of them!

Whilst the washing up was being done in the river we gathered some of the locals around the bonnet of the Gobi Ambulance with our rather poor map of Mongolia to try and establish just where we were. We managed to get a fix and it turned out we’d travelled more West than we wanted to. In fact there were mountains in our way which would prevent us from getting East to the main route to Ulan Bator.

Washing up done and gear packed away we hit the “road” and I took over driving form Russ. I’d now taken a back seat in navigation with Russ directing we turned left up another mountain. After the initial climb we turned a corner to a river crossing. The water wasn’t too deep however the climb out was too steep so we set to work with spades to create a slope on which the ambulance could climb out of the river on. We pilled a few rocks in there for good measure and with ease the ambulance ploughed on.

At this stage people in the convoy are starting to complain of headaches and we’re all getting short of breath are any sort of mild exercise – we were suffering the effects of altitude.
Next up was what can only be describes as the mother of all hill climbs. We had a bit space in which to get our run up and then it was a full on 30% gradient with rocks, holes and very large boulders in the way. We all agreed (for the first time that day) that the strategy was to just go for it and go for it we did.

With my foot on the floor in first gear I began the ascent, weaving left then right then left again away from obstacles. We kept momentum and at around 10 miles per hour bumped and jumped out way up the hill, it really felt out of control. We made the top and all cheered, but where next?
Another river crossing was to be the demise of the Gobi Ambulance. I approached it slowly and on the way out of the river lost all drive and heard a very loud knocking from underneath. Russ and Stu both said together “Turn it off, turn it off” which I did of course then again in total synchronicity the looked at each other and said ”Prop shaft”.

We all piled out of the ambulance and the guys disappeared under the ambulance and confirmed that we had indeed broken a prop shaft. Furthermore the constant hiss from the back wheel meant flat tire too. During the planning phase of the Gobi Ambulance we looked at single points of failure and identified we should probably take a spare prop, we’re glad we did now!
Whilst Russ and Stu settled into mechanic mode, I decided to climb the hill to the South East to get a good view point on where the heck we were. I set off up and walked for about five minutes before needing a break, the air was indeed thin. Climbing up to around 15,000 feet it became apparent I wasn’t going to make the top of the hill so had a cigarette (just what you need when the airs thin) and gathered my thoughts - the view was amazing. Looking down on the ambulance which looked like a toy car in the valley below.

I went up the hill with three layers on and by the time I’d stopped climbing I was down to a thermal top. Sat down I seen cooled off and put the layers on again and began my descent. It started to snow but I didn’t mind – we’re in Mongolia!!

When I got back down I reported to the others my hunch about getting out of our little predicament. Russ said he didn’t want to navigate anymore so we started plotting a route out of the mountains with the help of the locals.

We had two options; the first was to drive back to the point where we joined the mountain road. The second was to take another road down to Tolbo which would bring is out near the lake that we had stayed at da few nights ago.

Both plans were not ideal but we chose to pick up the road to Tolbo as it was less mileage, and whilst we’d be going back on ourselves it made sense to limit damage to the ambulance by getting back on the most travelled path to Ulan Bator.

With the damage fixed, Stu took the wheel for the descent. First off was had to cross the river again, from the other side the bank was too steep so we all jumped out and dug out the bank to make the climb out of the river easier.

Before we could get down we had to go up again. We only have around two hours of driving light left and with the weather was setting in we chose a spot to camp high up in the mountains!We were in a valley and the wind was funning though but we’d positioned ourselves to get the sun from the East when it rises. We used the vehicles as shelter from the wind and bedded down for the night – it was cold!