28-Feb-2005 -- This is the story of a point and a journey. The journey is from Ulaanbaatar (UB) in Mongolia to Kirriemuir in Scotland, covering 110 degrees of longitude and visiting 15 CPs on the way. The story starts at 47°N 105°E. This is CP 4. The previous point is 46°N 101°E.

This point was visited by Stephen Stewart while on a journey from Europe to Ulaanbaatar last summer so the contrast with winter conditions is interesting. About 20km south of the main route, the point lies on the south edge of a group of hills. We approached from the north so had to drive over and round several hill before approaching the point. Finally we stopped 1km from the point and walked over the hills. For the first time we could see the mountains of the Altai Nuruu to the south of us. This range followed us north-west until we reached Russian steppe near Barnaul.

The sun set while we walked back to the car and we then set off to put a few more kilometres under our belt before stopping for the night. In fact the soum centre where we intended to stop hid from Erka as he drove past. The rest of us were asleep – so not much assistance! We stopped at a roadside café but they had no beds. We should have camped there but instead continued, back up to the plateau and stopped eventually around 500 metres higher with a very cold wind. I do not sleep well sitting up so decided to camp – undoubtedly my coldest camp spot. The bag was warm enough, the cheap tent – rather brittle at the low temp and the main difficulty was avoiding cold spots under me despite an inflatable mattress. Anyway I slept better than I would have inside the car.

No hanging about in the morning as we were in pole position for the next point 46°N 99°E