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Chris + Elli: World Tour
  • Chris Keeley
  • Elli Thomas
  • Chris Keeley
  • Elli Thomas

Chris + Elli: World Tour

Around the world in a year and a bit Read more
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  • Chris + Elli: World Tour
    On the news
    Our interviewers1The long onion of the Law(son)

    Cycling day 6: Tosa -> Oboke Gorge

    Apr 29–30, 2024 in Japan ⋅ 🌧 19 °C

    Because it's Golden Week we have been staying at basically anywhere within striking distance that we can afford. Means we have had our route essentially decided for us but at least today wasn't quite as long - 77km and 580m ascent.

    We headed into Kochi and stopped after about an hour to try the local delicacy of straw seared bonito (katsuo no tataki). We were joined by what seemed to be half of japan all already drunk by 10.30am and were then interviewed on local news about our opinions on the local food...

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dxpvs4C74UY

    Onwards as we had places to get to. It started raining so head down and climbing up into the hills but we made good progress and as we got towards Oboke Gorge the hills got bigger and the scenery more dramatic. A very beautiful place to stay with the sound of a waterfall next to us.

    Our accommodation was the priciest so far thanks to lack of choice but we had a very cosy comfortable Tatami room and most of the house to ourself, so we cooked a tasty omurice dinner with the biggest spring onions in the world.    Read more

  • Chris + Elli: World Tour
    1

    Cycling day 7: Oboke Gorge -> Tsurugi

    Apr 30–May 1, 2024 in Japan ⋅ ☁️ 23 °C

    66km and 990m ascent. A big day though not the one we planned!

    Originally we'd intended to go east through the Iya Valley, to the Nagoro Scarecrow Village and round the mountain. We had hummed and ha'd since it would be a big long day and a huge climb, but initially decided it was worth it to see some things we really wanted to see.

    In the end our e-bike batteries decided for us and we realised 20 minutes in that we would be left without any battery halfway up a 1750m climb.

    Rapid replanning and we ended up with an incredibly beautiful cycle through the northern part of the Iya Valley and some wonderful views and rolls into the big valley of the Yoshino River, so slaps on the back all round for some good life choices.

    Gutted when we cycled 5km past our hostel only to discover we'd gone to the wrong one, and not a soul in sight in the town - another Lawson dinner and sleep since the amount of cycling is starting to bite now! Elli can barely walk and has started falling asleep at random intervals.    Read more

  • Chris + Elli: World Tour

    Cycling day 8: Tsurugi -> Wakayama

    May 1–2, 2024 in Japan ⋅ 🌧 15 °C

    60km and 100m ascent (it's a long flat valley)!

    Feels like we are on the way home - a wet morning and a focused cycle along the river toward the ferry that crosses from Shikoku at Tokushima. Chris dashed ahead and managed to get there in time to buy the tickets and we made it with about 15 minutes to spare. A windy crossing and delight to be back in a town after so many days in tiny villages.

    Downsides - discovering what a "small double room" is (absolutely tiny, though it does still have a bath). Upsides - we had sushi for dinner (thank god, we are a bit tired of convenience store meals now).    Read more

  • Chris + Elli: World Tour

    Cycling day 9: Wakayama -> Osaka

    May 2, 2024 in Japan ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

    63km, 240m, and finally back to Osaka!

    Thankfully the sun was shining and prospects of a comfortable bed pushed us along the last stretch home. Some lovely bits by the sea and then a lot of cycling along the main road into Osaka. Going slightly mad by the time we got into town and pushing through on grit alone.

    Lovely to be back, feels like a whirlwind and time for a rest 😴    Read more

  • Chris + Elli: World Tour
    1The Tsutenkaku tower in Shinsekai - modelled after the Eiffel Tower
    Shinsekai is home to kushikatsu - fried stuff on a stick 🤩Dotonbori - lots of fun at night, with loads of tourists and where we enjoyed a flagship kura sushiElli did parkrun (a heroic effort one day after cycling)1Pretty views at Osaka Castle1There are roses all over Osaka and parks full of people smelling themThe museum of housing and living is a delight and has a recreation of an Edo era townLots of excessive and reasonably priced breakfasts1We wandered into Oktoberfest, which was confusing and also £8 a pint?! And totally shut by 10pm,Rhythm games at the arcades in Den Den Town

    Osaka

    May 2–7, 2024 in Japan ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C

    Back to Osaka and we actually got to spend some time here, as well as rest and recover after cycling.

    It was the end of Golden Week so we had no choice at all for accommodation. What we got combined the smallest room we've ever stayed in with the biggest glut of towels we never wanted. And a truly fabulous bath and sauna downstairs, so Elli enjoyed taking a bath every day for 6 days.

    Spent a couple of days relaxing and sitting in coffee shops which was much needed but also exploring various highlights of Osaka and enjoying the sunny weather, and watching the Osakans enjoy the end of Golden Week.    Read more

  • Chris + Elli: World Tour

    Universal Studios

    May 7, 2024 in Japan ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

    Had a Big Day Out at Universal Studios to see the new Super Nintendo World and all the classics. A large part of the fun is watching everyone pose for selfies, and the set design is amazing. The rides are a bit of an added extra but provided some welcome stomach churning/confusion to the whole affair. We have no idea how people manage to willingly do this with children.Read more

  • Chris + Elli: World Tour
    1This was SO HOT
    The shed/reception for the outdoor onsen, including a big hot water condensorYou walked to the onsen through a bamboo groveArriving into Beppu on the ferryChris "cooking" our lunch1Takegawara onsen is the oldest one in town, and it is quite lovelyBeppu tower (Japan loves a tower)There are a lot of cats and this one was particularly moody

    Beppu

    May 7–11, 2024 in Japan ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

    After Universal Studios we hopped round the edge of Osaka back to the ferry terminal that we'd been to 2 weeks ago, and got on a DIFFERENT ferry heading west again. This time, destination Kyushu.

    The ferry was the most impressive one we've been on so far and had (of course) a delightful onsen as well as a very well stocked liquor vending machine. We conked out at 10pm and pulled into a very sunny Beppu at 7am feeling like we'd been hit by a train.

    Beppu is famous for its onsens and apparently has the largest volume of hot spring water in Japan. There are more than 100 public baths and some people have a tap in their house specifically for spring water. We managed three of them! There was a very simple local one on our street which gave the proper Beppu experience, and one day we took the bus up the hill to go to Yuyama no Sato onsen, which is (unusually) a mixed gender onsen that's in the incredibly beautiful back garden of a friendly old couple. We had the place to ourselves and enjoyed the eggy minerally smells before rinsing off under a waterfall.

    We also cooked our own lunch in an onsen steamer - an entertaining novelty, in which you are supposed to do your own cooking but Japan doesn't like risks so they do most of it for you. We enjoyed eating some vegetables for a change since our diet has mostly consisted of noodles for a few days.    Read more

  • Chris + Elli: World Tour
    rom the top of Mount Inasayama (apparently one of Japan's 3 best night views?!)
    Climbing down the cheapskate's way from Mount InasayamaOn the bus from BeppuWe found an amazing conveyor belt sushi place and stuffed ourselves for £7 eachThe miniature model of Dejima Island, on Dejima IslandAnother view from the other end of town (top of the Dutch slope)Amazingly great ramen and champon (which is a local Nagasaki noodle dish, cheap student food)The memorial to the 1945 atomic bomb, marking the hypocentreThe woman and child statue in the Nagasaki peace parkWe take selfies sometimes

    Nagasaki

    May 11–15, 2024 in Japan ⋅ ☁️ 24 °C

    We took the bus west across Kyushu to Nagasaki. Surprisingly smooth and pleasant journey and even better to find the best hostel we've stayed in so far on the trip.

    A rainy day in which we didn't go outside much and then a couple of lovely sunny days wandering around the city, which is small and relatively quiet but with its charms and an interesting history even before the bomb. (It was home to an artificial island which was the only place in Japan where international trade was allowed for 220 years during the Sakoku isolation period, which is now a slightly weird open air museum.)

    Climbed lots of hills, took a cable car, and enjoyed some good views. It's kind of hard to tell the damage that the atomic bomb did now, other than the peace park and the hypocentre memorial - which is very nice, although completely overwhelmed by schoolchildren.

    Watched a woman in a noodle bar eat at least seven bowls full of spring onions, which isn't so surprising when you realise how expensive vegetables are in Japan.

    A very pleasant and sunny few days all round 🍣    Read more

  • Chris + Elli: World Tour
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    Takeo Onsen

    May 15, 2024 in Japan ⋅ ☁️ 23 °C

    A brief stop in Takeo Onsen on the way from Nagasaki to Fukuoka, for its famous baths. Took the Shinkansen which took us half an hour, enjoyed a hot bath and then a very fast and tasty bowl of noodles.

    Onwards this time on the local trains. Enjoyed the bright orange ones going to nearby Huis Ten Bosch and then the dramatically painted ones.

    All in all a good way to make use of a day's travel. 🚉    Read more

  • Chris + Elli: World Tour
    Canal City at night
    One of many of the yatai (food stalls) in Nagasaki which sell beer and snacks out on the street1Our local vending machine selling homemade snacks. We had some tasty sweet potato chips 🍟Enjoying lots of good local fish at a standing sushi bar for meal 3 of Eat Nothing But Sushi dayThe very lovely and delightful Ohori Park, featuring huge carp and turtles fighting for bread1Of course we took a swan pedalo out for a turn (and raced the locals, though you can't go very fast)Fukuoka has some particularly good flyoversA trip up Fukuoka Tower which looks like a skyscraper but is empty. Admiring Italian pastiche belowThis is Fūta, the mascot of Fukuoka Tower, who looks like... Fukuoka Tower crossed with a binOur favourite new friend

    Fukuoka

    May 15–19, 2024 in Japan ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    Last stop in Kyushu is up to Fukuoka - closest city to Korea and far more full of tourists because of it!

    We were proud to have ticked off everything on the YouTube @abroadinjapan list of things to do in Fukuoka and still had time to have a day in which we ate only sushi and to plan a ski holiday for next year, as you do.

    We did this by walking about 30000 steps a day though that's partly because our hotel was nowhere near the centre. 🤷‍♀️

    All in all some delightfully overengineered road infrastructure, some very tasty food (mostly but not all sushi), a really very enjoyable park on a lovely sunny day and a very entertaining and pointless view tower overlooking the bay and a very fake beach. We enjoyed it a lot.    Read more

  • Chris + Elli: World Tour
    Bright lights of Shinjuku
    The Tokyo Metropolitan Government building - amazing views of and from itMadness in AkihabaraTurns out Dave is an exceptional pinball player2Cats at the cat cafeExcellent sunsetsSake tasting in Ikebukuro with DanVarious trips out to Tokyo's answer to docklands for the visa centreViews from the skytowerAll together now!

    Tokyo

    May 19–26, 2024 in Japan ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C

    To Tokyo for a proper family reunion!

    We flew into Narita arriving at the same time as Chris' mum and dad and after getting some false confidence from our travels around Shikoku and Kyushu, promptly got lost on yhe train (twice).

    Settled into an amazing little house in NE Tokyo that was our home for the week, continuing to prove to us that the Japanese truly know what quality of life is with a self-filling bath tub.

    A rollercoaster combination of sightseeing (some excellent views of Tokyo), confusing Gill and Dave with some of Japan's weirder side (kaitenzushi, Don Quijote and cat cafes), sushi and sake with Chris' friend Dan and two different rather stressful trips to the Chinese embassy to get our Chinese visas (we succeeded!!)

    Ended the week with a local Parkrun and the family reunion to end all family reunions, with Elli's mum and dad arriving, a vegetarian sushi smorgasbord and and a handover as Gill and Dave headed to Hakone and we headed north into Tohoku.    Read more

  • Chris + Elli: World Tour
    Cabin in the woods
    More woodsOur own onsen!Climbing to OkamaTop of an unintentionally ambitious hike up to the volcano at OkamaHighly sulphuric onsen water at Zao

    Zao Onsen

    May 26–31, 2024 in Japan ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C

    We took the Shinkansen with Elli's mum and dad up to Yamagata and picked up a hire car ("the cube") for our next, much more rural bit of exploring and calming down from Tokyo chaos. A very big contrast!

    We stayed in a little ski chalet in the woods with its own spring fed bath (with warnings of nearby bears, although to our great disappointment we didn't see any).

    Proved an excellent base for a few days exploring the area, including a hike up the nearby volcano and to the impressively/revoltingly eggy town at Zao Onsen as well as a few days of sitting inside while it rained through a gloriously green forest and drinking sake in the bath.    Read more

  • Chris + Elli: World Tour
    Some of the 1000 steps
    Amazing foliageCathie was interviewed by some enthusiastic schoolchildrenGareth enjoying his "miracle body" beverage from the vending machineThat's the postcard shot

    Yamadera

    May 29, 2024 in Japan ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    Having a Japanese cube means day trips! We went to the temple at Yamadera, which is a 9th century collection of temples and shrines up 1000 steps (maybe more but we lost count) and has some very impressive views from the top as well as a LOT of schoolchildren.Read more

  • Chris + Elli: World Tour
    Many tiny islands at Matsushima Bay
    This one is everyone's favourite, which is why they've bolted it togetherCareful raking at Zuiganji templeLove the inside and outside relationship in Japanese architecture, and this is a great example of itVistas at Entsuin gardensLots of mossMuch fishOnly mildly threatening

    Matsushima Bay and Shiogama

    May 30, 2024 in Japan ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C

    Another day out in which we intended to go to Sendai and instead got detained by the many delights of Matsushima Bay, thanks to @abroadinjapan's extensive recommendations and the fact that it is apparently one of the three most scenic places in Japan (?)

    We took a boat trip out into the bay, and then greatly enjoyed Zuiganji temple, former home of samurai ruler Date Masamune before realising we hadn't even intended to go there, and so also went to the Entsuin Gardens next door - which were also very delightful and extremely zen.

    Given it was already 4pm by this point we opted for an early dinner and had a sushi dinner in Shiogama, where the fish from the market is so fresh it doesn't even need to be frozen. It was pleasantly normal and unpretentious, featured a slightly terrifying crab soup, and where we all got over our fear of sea urchins.    Read more

  • Chris + Elli: World Tour
    Great achievements here today
    The before shotGreen rivers at Morioka

    Morioka

    May 31–Jun 2, 2024 in Japan ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C

    A day in Morioka, which the New York Times counted second on its "52 places to go" list in 2023, after London, to everyone's great confusion.

    Elli's parents went off for a day trip elsewhere while we had a rest and enjoyed our main reason for wanting to be in Morioka: the Wanko Soba challenge. In it, an enthusiastic waitress cheers you on while depositing small bowls of soba noodles in front of you and the task is to eat as many as you can without stopping for a rest.

    We heard that making it to 100 means you are a real man. Elli managed 100. Chris managed 90. We'll say no more.

    Beyond that, it turns out Morioka is a beautifully green city with some immensely lovely rivers and parks, which Elli enjoyed at Saturday's parkrun (Japan's most northerly parkrun!)    Read more

  • Chris + Elli: World Tour
    1Big and small
    Stickers from every tuna they have bought. Seems they get through a lot of tunaScenic spot actually

    Asamushi-Onsen

    June 2, 2024 in Japan ⋅ 🌬 18 °C

    A brief stop in the tiny town of Asamushi-Onsen on our way north for lunch, hitching a lift with Cathie and Gareth in the Cube before they headed along the coast and we continued up to Hokkaido.

    We had read about the outstanding size, quality and price of the tuna rice bowls at Tsurukameya Shokudo so we went to find out for ourselves.

    The rumours were true. Chris ate the big one. Elli had done her best work in the Wanko Soba challenge yesterday and decided to take it easy.

    It was outstanding.    Read more

  • Chris + Elli: World Tour
    12

    Sapporo

    Jun 2–8, 2024 in Japan ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C

    Headed up to Hokkaido on the Shinkansen and regional train and arrived late in the evening, followed by a rest day after 2 weeks with family. Then met Ash in the evening, who was in Japan with her parents and then came up to join us!

    She was very patient for the next few days as we fell asleep all over the place and when Chris got food poisoning from a local izakaya (we assume).

    We took it easy but had a few trips around Sapporo, which is a very walkable and easygoing city - the Nikka distillery out in Yoichi, which does a free tour and tasting and makes excellent apple wine; the sculpture park, which was lovely and almost completely deserted; and the Olympic museum, which has a ski jump with amazing views over the city.

    And we ate a lot of soup curry and sushi.    Read more

  • Chris + Elli: World Tour

    Yubari

    June 8, 2024 in Japan ⋅ ☁️ 23 °C

    First stop on our road trip across Hokkaido was Yubari, which used to be a successful coal mining town with 120,000 people and lost 90% of its population in 50 years. It's now essentially deserted and is full of dilapidated buildings and a bizarre collection of painted film posters from the 60s from various (failed) attempts to regenerate it as a film town.

    Down the road is the old abandoned power station, which sadly you can't explore any more but the dam is very impressive.    Read more

  • Chris + Elli: World Tour

    Furano

    Jun 8–9, 2024 in Japan ⋅ ☁️ 26 °C

    We stopped overnight in Furano, which is known for its lavender and flower fields. In early June it has none of this, so we watched some farmers planting flowers and a lot of tourists who'd come too early and were still trying to make Furano happen.

    Still enjoyed some pleasant enough small town life, some tasty food at an izakaya and ramen for breakfast before heading onwards up north in our little Toyota.    Read more

  • Chris + Elli: World Tour

    Wakkanai and Cape Soya

    Jun 9–11, 2024 in Japan ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    We took the long road north to see the northernmost point in Japan.

    5 hours drive from Furano to the small and unassuming town of Wakkanai. Lots of big wide landscapes and a lot of the sea, accompanied by a big rainstorm.

    We went into town for dinner on the tiny and delightful train that goes from Japan's northernmost station about twice a day.

    Morning at Cape Soya, which is the actual northernmost point and is actually quite lovely, as long as you beat the coachloads of tourists, as we did.

    It's only 26 miles to Russia, so we saw a hazy coastline on the horizon, and all the local signs are in Russian as well as Japanese and English. Probably the only time we are going to see all 3 languages that Chris can speak in one place.    Read more

  • Chris + Elli: World Tour
    Lake Toya
    1Street fair at Taikkawa, which we were very excited to accidentally come across1Our little house on the lakeMore ridiculously peaceful scenery at Lake ToyaBirthday lunch #1Climbing Mount UsuBirthday lunch #2Noboribetsu1

    Lake Toya and Noboribetsu

    Jun 11–14, 2024 in Japan ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    We wanted to head back south to explore the area south of Sapporo (Lake Toya and Noboribetsu). We considered a few other stopping off points but decided that since it was Chris' birthday and that most of the stopping points we had visited on the way up, we had a long drive back down, including a failed stop at Asahikawa when Elli missed the turning off the IC and instead a very delightful lunch at a local street fair at the next town south in Taikkawa.

    Glad to arrive at Lake Toya to the little house on the lake that we rented and we had a very peaceful and lovely couple of days. They have a nightly firework display on the lake, which is astonishingly good and all fired off a set of boats that move up the lake.

    We also experienced our first case of going into a local izakaya and being completely blanked by the owners so that we were forced to leave. (To be fair to them, they were in their 80s, so perhaps they just couldn't be bothered dealing with us.)

    We climbed Mount Usu, a live volcano that's erupted 4 times since 1900, on an almost completely deserted footpath covered in bear warning signs with a podcast blasting in lieu of a bear bell (no bears but some excellent views and gassy eruptions from the top).

    We tried to go to what is apparently one of Hokkaido's best kaiten sushi restaurants on Chris' birthday to find it was closed for the day. We had a different sushi lunch which was still excellent, and then went back the next day to find that it really is as good as they say including a firework sushi cocktail if it's your birthday. We tried our best to have a blowout but even when we ate as much as we could and chose the fancy things it was still only £13 each. Must try harder.

    Then a day in Noboribetsu, which is full of hot springs and volcanic craters. Lots of sulphur, gaseous belching (from the ground) and we had a nice hot foot bath.    Read more

  • Chris + Elli: World Tour
    Lots of kimonos at the fairFinally went to see the Television Tower, Sapporo's main landmarkVery tasty Hokkaido ramen. The secret ingredient is (always) butter11

    Back to Sapporo

    Jun 14–21, 2024 in Japan ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    Back to Sapporo again, for a quiet week of not doing too much and just living for a bit. Had some much needed hair cuts.

    Saw the local parade for Emperor Meiji and another much bigger fair in Nakajima Park, which we were staying next to.

    Lots of tasty food including Hokkaido ramen and some more incredible sushi - Hokkaido is definitely winning on the sushi front.    Read more

  • Chris + Elli: World Tour
    Just a normal lunchtimeThe brilliant passage bookshop, where you can rent a shelfAlexander Calder in townSinging at the maid cafeJuBeat is the best rhythm game, Chris got pretty good, Elli got a B, she's never gotten a B before3Strong Zero is the champion of all cheap drinks

    Back to Tokyo

    Jun 21–30, 2024 in Japan ⋅ 🌩️ 18 °C

    Definitely into overtime in Japan now and we spent the last week of our now more than two months in Japan just living for a bit. We didn't have any pressure to do anything in particular, so stayed in an apartment in East Tokyo and relaxed, caught up on various projects, and did a bit of planning for the next stages of the trip.

    We still got out and did a fair bit - Elli learned Zazen meditation and narrowly avoided being whacked with a stick; we went to a maid cafe, which was 80% western tourists and 20% young otaku men taking their awkward looking parents; and to a concert with idol groups (the hyper commercially produced girl groups who enchant their otaku audiences with costumes and high voices - perhaps the weirdest thing was the almost completely male audience who all waved their glowsticks in sync).

    We got a lot more practice of rhythm games in the arcade and had our final meals of favourite Japanese food, including another outstanding kaitenzushi place and some top tier okonomoyaki.

    It felt quite a wretch to finally leave after 9 weeks and 6 days but we feel like we have become part of the furniture and it is definitely time to move on.    Read more

  • Chris + Elli: World Tour
    Chinggis Khan, who is seen everywhere
    UB has some vegan restaurants which do versions of Mongolian dishes and the portions are giganticUB is a mixture of Soviet architecture and half built Chinese apartments1Inauguration of the new Mongolian MPs outside the parliament buildingSukhbaatar, who led Mongolia to independence - they like him as well as Chingis Khaan.UB gets to -40*C in winter and is heated by coal power stations in the city which belch smokeAnd the city is full of these insane pipes that serve the power stationUlaanbaatar train station1The city is one huge constant traffic jam which crowds out anything else that might be good about it

    Ulaanbaatar

    Jun 30–Jul 3, 2024 in Mongolia ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C

    Onwards to the next big part of our trip: what we think will be our last flight for some time, we flew to Ulaanbaatar in Mongolia. Our plan is to spend some time here, then head south through China and go west to Turkey.

    Fair to say Mongolia is VERY different to Japan and we had a bit of culture shock getting stuck in UB traffic and then attempting to find any vegetarian food (a challenge). After a night's sleep we had a chance to explore a bit more, get our bearings, and make plans for the next few weeks. UB traffic is a marvel, competitive with Manila for the worst Chris has ever seen. Very impressed by the kindness and directness of everyone we've met, who are without obvious exception incredibly helpful in what is otherwise a very complicated and confusing country to navigate!

    UB isn't a place of great beauty (Soviet architecture with pine trees and smog) so we are heading out into the country as soon as we can 😀    Read more

  • Chris + Elli: World Tour
    The top of Khongoryn Els sand dunes, with Chris in the distance
    Nyamkaa's ger camp at Khongoryn ElsHorsing around at Yoliin AmYoliin AmCamel ridingNatural springs in the desert - tried singing to them to make them jet, failed, but a welcome oasisI still have sand in my hairLong drivesBayan Zag flaming cliffsNyamkaa, Chuga and our trusty wheels

    Gobi Desert

    Jul 3–7, 2024 in Mongolia ⋅ ☀️ 31 °C

    After some discussions in UB about how best to see Mongolia (in short, it's a big country and it's very difficult to travel around) we came to a compromise. We don't like tours as a general rule, because you are completely at the behest of what someone else thinks you want to do for 24 hours a day, but we found a phone number on the internet for Nyamkaa who lives in the Gobi desert, and who seemed friendly, like she wasn't trying to scam us, and could show us round for a few days.

    We took the 11 hour endless bus to Dalanzadgad which was our first real sight of the absolutely endless steppe. There were gers dotted here and there but mostly it just gradually turns from green to brown.

    We spent a night in Dalanzadgad and then drove to the Yoliin Am National Park which is an ice field within a gorge, and a surprise set of mountains in the desert. It's Mongolia so obviously we rode horses down the gorge.

    Then a long drive through more desert to the Khongoryn Els dunes where Nyamkaa lives with her family. They run a small ger camp and do camel rides, and live there half the year - in the winter they move to their winter camp on the other side of the mountain. They made us tea in their ger and her father in law offered us snuff in a slightly intense Mongolian ritual. Mongolian don't really do personal space or knocking so we spent a few days with the kids running in and out of our ger whenever they liked but it was an amazing place to stay. We woke up at 5am and watched the election coverage with the sun rising over the desert.

    We rode their camels through the desert - even more painful than horses, and they really do spit a lot - and went to the nearby springs which are a bizarre oasis. Mostly it doesn't rain much but it rained twice while we were there - apparently it means we are auspicious guests!

    Did an evening hike up the sand dunes to see the sunrise and they are an exhausting climb with Korean tourists falling down all around us but the reward at the top is one of the most extraordinary views I've ever seen over the dunes. We carried boards up with us and surfed all the way back down, which is amazing, and didn't feature any broken bones.

    More long drives back to Dalanzadgad through expanses of nothing while Nyamkaa taught Elli Mongolian. All round slightly mind blown at the Gobi and very happy with our life choices and our incredibly lovely guides.    Read more

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