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The sudden upset of our plans has sent us reeling! We tracked down the overlanders we'd seen previously - to see what they had heard and inform them if they didn't know already... To be honest, they were not really very friendly/talkative... Hmmm...Not like the overlanders we know!
We set about with the new plans:
Plan C: We cut short our time in Kyrgyzstan (much to my despair - I had been really looking forward to exploring here where we don't need to register in hotels, and there's huge Alpine lakes, mountains, the foothills of the Tien Shan...) While in Bishkek we apply for tourist visas for Kazakh and Russia. Then drive to Almaty to get Mongolian visas, cut through Russia and into Mongolia. Head to Erenhot and enter China on 18th September...
Plan D: If the entry permit is delayed we may have to wait at the border at Erenhot for a few days, if it's more than 3 days though -
Plan E: If we aren't granted the entry permit in time we may need to re-apply for Chinese visas in UlaanBaatar...
Plan F: If all is lost and the Erenhot border is closed/ we are not issued entry permits, it may be possible to drive to Vladivostok and get a ferry to South Korea/Japan (much to Fintan's despair - he really wanted to drive as much as possible, hence the attempt to get through China in the first place!)
So during the heat of the day we sit in our hotel and manically type emails and google new routes, calculating driving distances and visa requirements. On the positive side, at least we are on the road and we are in a good time zone to deal with Central Asian and Chinese tour operators, and in the evening we go for a beer looking out over the Lyabi Hauz (pictured). We go to bed relaxed, only to wake to another raft of emails... but that's another day.
We have a plan, and there's no going back!
- comments
Colin May seem like a pain in the backside right now but I usually find that it is during unforeseen detours/changes to the plan when you have the most amazing and memorable experiences. Enjoy the journey wherever it takes you.
mum the photo heading this blog is so beautiful. good luck and enjoy yourselves.xxx
Jen I am sure it will all work out - it could even be better - everything usually does - but not always in the way we first planned! x x x