We need to crate our bikes and fly them out of Mongolia, back to Germany. My Harry will always find, home and away, the small business man with the fledgling business that provides excellent service at a good rate!
These photos tell of this ‘lekker’ experience …
Harry finds Tserendug. Tserendug has recently returned to Mongolia (after working in England & Russia for a few years) to start his own freight forwarding company.
Harry and Tserendug agree that we will help crate and prepare the bikes for the flight to Berlin, Germany. So Harry and I work in a yard in this street for 2 days.
Here we are with Tserendug’s brother and a friend. They help tremendously. The first half of the first day the lovely Kaia translates.
But it is Kaia’s little son, that sets the pace ….
…
On a sturdy crate base we strap our bikes down. The front tyres are off to bring down the height.
We also rid the bikes of every drop of petrol and oil.
We are told the customs official will stick his nose in here to make sure there is no fuel left in the bike!
We need to get each bike to its most cost effective size (1.8m long, 1.2m high, 0.8m wide) and weight (less than 300 kg).
We tuck as much stuff (panniers, helmets, etc) as we can under the bikes.
It is easy to measure … and soon Harry’s bike, Josephine is down to 1.8m long; 1.2m high & 0.8m wide.
And then my bike, Isadora is de-petrolled, dis-mantled, crated and correctly-sized.
But it is NOT easy to weight …Tserendug, our DIRECTOR, arrives with loads of enthusiasm, scales, hooks and straps. We build a gantry with crates and hope …
… to lift the bikes and weigh them. They need to weigh less than 300kg; otherwise we will have to strip off more bits and pieces of crate and bike …
… but try after try … we just don’t get enough height to lift & weigh the bike …
… ahhh … what about the apex of this wobbly old roof …
In no time at all, Ladies and Gentlemen … Tserendug …. THE DIRECTOR IS ON THE ROOF …
… but it is not going to be strong enough. We agree to take our chances with the weighing scales at the Customs Office. There’s hoping our bikes will be less than 300kg! We wrap up the bikes …
… and I watch as Tserendug, his brother , friend and Harry lift …
… and slide the crated bike onto the back of a truck … it must be less than 300kg …
And it is … 287 kg … phew!
Two wonderful days spent with Tserendug and company. He sweeps us along with his enthusiasm for his business and Mongolia.
And that’s Josephine and Isadora up, up and away. Here IsAdOrA boasts 82186km on her speedo = 21502km trouble-free kms from Germany! ThAnK you both I & J!
Die trane is baie vlak vir die voorreg om altyd deel te wees van julle ervaringe! Dankie dat julle dit met ons deel!
Wonderful bikes — Hope they appreciate where they have been!!!!
Wow, up until the last moment – lots of plans and ideas. All over and done now…. Well done …. where next?
Boyce en ek het ook met bewondering na julle oorspronklike oplossings van probleme gekyk Jan
What an experience to travel with you. Thanks!!
Gail says I know you love your bikes so very much! This was a real labour of love. We ordinary mortals are inclined to see the dirt first. Well done to the director too for getting involved in the true nitty gritty. I loved the story unfolding and all the great characters! Gail
Great Ride, Great Adventure
Will the Germans accept those dirty bikes :-0
Aren’t you guys going to Vladivostok anymore?
Hi Nicki! There was an APEC Conference in Vladiovostok and even President Putin was there. Security was tight and costs sky-high. It made more sense for us to turn south, experience some of Mongolia and then FLY our bikes and ourselves out of the Mongolian capital, Ullaan Baatar.
As for our friends in Germany …. we owe them bigtime! Take care, L
Thanks!