Trip through northern China was surprisingly easy. We got by taxi to right bus station at noon, no problem and bought the tickets, without any problems for 180yuans. The spent some time walking around and also went to eat the first Beijian kaouya (duck). It was the last dinner in China and not a bad one =). The bus left at 16.30 and arrived at around 5 o'clock in the morning. The ride was surprisingly smooth, though the beds were a bit too short and it took around 12,5h without sleeping very well, but anyway we arrived to Erlian in the Wednesday morning 22.5.

There we were planning to take a ride straight to Mongolian border, but in the same car we managed to negotiate, there was a very nice mongolian lady called Erdenetsetseg who told us to do othervise, and practically took care of us till Ulanbator. First we went to a hostel to rest a bit, then to breakfast, trying to get a direct train from Erlian to Ulanbator but no luck. Then we were shopping a bit in Erlian, which was really cheap even for Chinese city, and then took a car ride to the border and all the way up till Mongolian border city. We entered the car at around 10.30, but with lot of waiting, hassle changing the car once etc. we managed to get to Mongolian side at around 2.30, not the fastest border crossing...  The car ride costed 85rmb/person including a road fee of 5yuans.

From Mongolian side we took an overnight train to Ulanbator, though there were only hard- and really hard sleeps available. Mine was almost fine, a hard sleep one, and since I hadn't slept too much for 2 nights before, after playing several hours asshole with couple of locals and drinking couple of beers, I slept quite much in the train, though not very good sleep since it was freezing cold and no planket. AJ got really hard sleep, which was a flat metal lavet meant to put the luggage on, but eventually he also got a similar bed to mine at around 1 o'clock in the morning. The train left the border city (which I don't remember) at 17.50 and arrived to Ulanbator at around 10 o'clock in the morning. Our very highclass seats costed 5100 tukruks, which equals to around 3,5e so not too expensive at least... Now I'm in a internet cafe in Ulanbator, where we first went to buy train tickets to Irkutsk (costed 54610tkr = 37e) and then accommodated in UB guesthouse in a dorm room for 5usd/night. We also went to eat an excellent Mongolian lunch/dinner, with starters, main dish, one vodka and one piva for about 5e, not bad for the quality. Tomorrow we are going to take a trip to the countryside with horseriding, sleeping in traditional Mongolian gert etc.

All and all, even though the travelling from place a to b has played major role so far, and we have been in one of the most interesting transportations available (and cheapest) the trip so far has went better and smoothlier than we could have ever anticipated and has been great experience, exchausting but fun. I'm well and all the time getting closer to home.

If any of the exchange friends comes by, I miss you all =S