we're not in kansas anymore

i was right. now we all sit in another ger, stripped down to our shorts and trying to move as little as possible. i've spread myself out as much as i can, wherever two sections of skin meet they instantly begin to sweat. the others play cribbage with red faces and dripping foreheads. even writing is an effort.

today this country has continued to surprise, amaze and entertain. i don't know the physics of it, but it seems that today holds the perfect conditions for twisters. as we drove across enormous flat plains we saw at least 20-30 tornadoes/whirlwinds/whatever they're called (i guess its do with size, but i have no idea). most of them were only small, maybe 20-50 feet high pillars of swirling dust and spinning shrubs. but some were huge, reaching to the sky, tall thin egg-timers of brown and white dust. each only lasting for a short while, swaying like a belly dancer before fading away. one even crossed the road in front of us and we could watch it dance away into the prairie as we passed.

unfortunately at no point did a confused cow float past the van windows, that would've been ace.

after hours of trailing through mongolian steppes, seemingly longer with no food and excessive heat, we eventually arrived at karakorum. this colourful industrial town used to be the capital of mongolia; then still only a city of gers and temporary buildings and the home of chingiss khan. yes, chingiss. 'ghengis' is a westernisation although no-one seems to know the reason.

at the height of the mongol empire, the capital was moved to khanbalik, now known as beijing. after the mongol empire collapsed kharakorum was destroyed by the chinese army in 1388 and a buddhist temple was built. after destruction and a rebuild by soviet forces under stalin, the temple now stands as a working place of buddhist meditation, and of course a tourist site. the 108 white towers stand mightily and impress of a medieval mongolia, but the temple itself is so geared towards tourism it is hard to accept is as a powerful historical or religious site. not a patch on the datsun we visited in siberia i'm afraid.

we're worried about the van. after my earlier praise it's broken down a few too many times to be comfortable. i really don't want to be stranded in the middle of nowhere. that would be the rubbishest end to this amazing part of 'the big trip.' fingers crossed everyone.