Just seven days on the road and there's still another three hundred kilometres of the Gobi ahead. No showers, blistering heat in the day and freezing cold in the night. The cars need some serious repairs and drivers are taking stock of what lies ahead. Stijnus, for one, really had no idea what he was exposing his priceless motor to.
After a good deal of sign language, charades and scribbled sketches, the desert town of Sayshand produces a mechanic with a welder to bring the cars back to roadworthy condition. Expeditioners are invited to participate in a traditional Mongolian naadam festival, an annual event that celebrates horse racing, wrestling and archery. The festival also provides an opportunity for the crews of the Itala and Spyker to test their metal against Mongolian horses and their young riders - and they come off second best.
With 250 kilometres of desert still to cross, the expedition stumbles on an abandoned Soviet military town called Choya. Ten thousand Russians used to live there up until 15 years ago. The old Soviet airstrip is the perfect place for another little grudge match between the Itala and Spyker. This time Dutch horse power triumphs over 'spaghetti power'.
Then it's off to Ulaan Baatar, Mongolia's capital city. While some wander the markets and Buddhist temples, Keith and Anthony find themselves a backstreet operation where they can get their axle permanently welded and John finds himself unexpectedly part of a glamour photo shoot for a glossy magazine.
A traditional Mongolian string quartet farewells the expedition on their journey over Mongolia's highest mountain range towards Siberia. But Mongolia has one last surprise: a summer snowstorm before the frozen drivers emerge in a green valley they christen the Garden of Eden. The last day in Mongolia sees the expedition blessed by monks from a nearby monastery and in return, the expeditioners provide joy rides in the old cars.
The border crossing into Russia proves to be a seven-hour marathon which sees the group split. John gets 100 kilometres ahead of the rest but has car trouble and there's no help at hand. John's De Dion and the Spyker are left outside the hotel all night without the security of the rest of the group, and tempers are frayed.
But the group rejoins to drive through ancient Cossack villages, towards the Selenga River and Lake Baikal, the world's largest fresh water lake. The lake is still splattered with the last of winter's ice floes. A chance meeting beside the lake results in a bunch of AK47-toting Russian police officers guiding Warren and the Itala to a spot on a disused portion of the Trans-Siberian railway to recreate an image from the original journey. Back at camp, the expedition, already warned about crime and violence in the area, discovers some of the locals have been helping themselves to camp supplies. Other locals though turn up with a feast of smoked fish, local firewater and a balalaika to provide the musical backdrop to a fun evening. A fusion of Russian folk songs, and Aussie favourites float into the air as expeditioners and locals make the most of the campfire.
Dawn breaks with an unexpected surprise for Warren. Lang has a crazy idea to recreate another part of the original expedition: he wants to load the Itala on to a ship and transport it to the other side of the lake. The ship's arrived in the night but the crane driver doesn't look like he'd pass a breath test. And the gantry crane hasn't been used for some time either. Something about an unpaid electricity bill! It's a disaster waiting to happen.
For the other four cars there's a 250-kilometre drive south around the lake and over the mountains to Irkutsk where they all plan to meet up. And meet up they do. Five cars have made it round the lake and what lies ahead is a long trek to the west. They've only just started out in Siberia and it's going to take three weeks to cross - if there are no disasters.
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