We got up at some ungodly hour - well 5 - 5.30 which to me is torture - to take the trans-mongolian train to Beijing. We said farewells to our excellent guide Sukhe who dropped us off at the train station and made sure all the assortment of backpacks and groceries and wheelies are in our cabin proper.

Our cabin bunk mates are two nice Dutch tax lawyers (yup - can’t seem to get away from them!!!) Who’s doing the whole Trans-Siberian trip in a bigger group. There isn’t much to report today apart from the somewhat-bum-numbing train ride through Mongolian countryside.

There was heavy snow at the start, which gradually gave way to flatter, sandy, desert-y land which went on for hours and hours and hours - we are assuming that’s the Gobi landscape.

Currently at the China border going through mind-numbing immigration procedures - just did similar at Mongolia border. They’ve taken away the restaurant car and the loo (yup the LOO) and we aren’t allowed to leave our cabins as custom officials gave us the once over like we’re some kind of zoo animal…

Quite amusing really, if not for the fact that I’m hungry and want my rice. Badly. And I miss the nomads and the kids and the wide open spaces. Tomorrow, in Beijing, the shock will be even more immense I reckon. But I have the antidote ready - we’re gonna do Peking Duck again. That should help. :)