We had some fun getting into Russia...they wouldn't let us in!!
We got through Mongolian customs OK and got our passports stamped out of the country and then cycled 5km up into the hills. Eventually as we descended a pass we could see brand new tar road ahead of us and a gate with some guards. We started getting excited about the prospects of Tar roads......
The only problem was that they just wouldn't let us through, because only things with engines can travel through their border areas...NO BICYCLES. This was our worst nightmare as we couldn't go back to Mongolia and get a vehicle.....and couldn't go forward.
We brewed a coffee, got our chairs out and just sat there wondering what we could do, luckily it was sunny. We tried bribing them...they wouldn't let us (RUSSIA?????)
After 6 hours and no vehicles coming though, and just as we were about to put our tent up, a Mongolian man came through the border from Russia really easily (No hassle) so we decided to ask him if he could help. It turned out that he had a border permit and after a little bit of haggling he drove us the 20km to the Russian customs (on the most perfect downhill black tar). He even got us through Russian customs really quickly. We loved him.
Even as we left the country the Mongolians were still helping us out!! What a place!!
We later heard about the French couple who were stuck in No-Mans land for 4 days in the same position earlier in the year. It turned out we were lucky.
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