I’m paraphrasing T.E. Lawrence.
Deserts have held a lifelong fascination: Great Victoria, Great Sandy, Simpson, Sturt, Strzelecki, Sahara, Rub’ al Khali… and with a fresh set of Russian visas approved today we’ll depart early for the Gobi, which lies along Mongolia’s Southern border with China.
So today we make final preparations for longer range touring - an additional 40 litres of diesel gives us a fuel range just under 1000kms, together with a potable water load of around 30 litres.
Equipped in this way we are an arid-region version of coastal sailors - a crossing would be dicey but we’re well equipped for our intended trip along the northern fringe.
Most importantly, we remain relatively light… so fingers crossed no digging.
Next update will, to complete the Lawrence thought, be from under an indifferent heaven.
I can’t wait!