‘AT 3AM I ROLLED OVER IN MY BUNK TO FIND THREE MONGOLIAN MEN UNSCREWING THE CEILING AND F LINGING MYSTERIOUS PACKAGES INSIDE'
:11 3am. I i‘nIIuI U\L‘l' in Ill} linnk. \xnndci'ing \\Ii;il lIic nnixc \\;i\. In IIIItI [hut lIii'cc .\Inngn|i;in incn IIIltI nnxt'i'mxcil llic cciIing nl nni' uninpui‘lincnl uniI \xci‘c I’Iinging lll_\\lL‘l'lHll\ packagm Ill\l\IL'. I ilu'idul that il \\;l\ lwllci' nnl In pi).
'I'lic nc\l inni‘ning. :i glininicr nl liliic ln llic \wxl \ignil‘icd llic uppcui'uncc nl' Silwi'igi'x Illiixl diuiinulic lL‘uIni‘c: lake Baikal. lIlC \IL‘L‘pL‘\I I;II\U Ill lIlL‘ \Mil‘IiI. \;l\l LIIItI i‘ingul Ii} \nn\\ uippul Illillllllilllh. It \\;I\ \liinning. and [lit lll;llll i'mxnn \\Il_\ I \\;l\ Inning the nail] in Il‘lell\I\ and hauling ln |.i\l\};iiik;i. ;i Ii'mIiIinnziI. il' lillll'I\l- ;l\\;lI'L‘. Silwi'iun \iIIugc nn [Iic \IlUl'C\ HI. lIlL‘ I;lI\L‘. II} ()CIUIk‘l'. IIIL‘ l'ni‘cxlx urnnnd lIic I;iI\c \xci'c liIu/ing \\lIIl :inlninn t'nInui‘x. Ilic \II‘L‘;llll\ IIL'L'LIIIIKL' IIlL‘ I;lI\L‘ \\ CI'L‘ \IIH'IIIIg [U Il'L‘C/C. IIIItI lillll‘I\l \L'JMHI \\;l\ IIIII\IIC\I. I \iu} ml in an cinpl} guol
Ililll\L‘ utl‘iixx lIlL‘ I‘ULILI I-I'UIII lIlL‘ I;lI\L‘. mg in} dinnci‘ nl~ II'C\I] ninnI. llic IUCilI liin. and lIic nml inni‘ning lnnk ;i Iiiix lmck inIn Il‘lelI\I\. \xlicrc I “unilci‘cd Lll‘UllIlLI. udinii‘ing IIIC Il'uLIilinnuI Silk‘i‘iun gii‘chilcclnl‘c. Ik‘Iill'L‘ gutting hack nn Ilic [min Iill‘ lIic L‘pic IIiI'cc-unLI—n hull Ll;i_\
inning} ln \Inwnu.
'I‘lic I'inuI log \\;1\ [IN lllU\I uninl'ni'IuliIc. lint Inc inlcrmling [Mll’l nl' llic Ii‘ip. m the [ruin pullcrcd lIii‘nnin inlci'ininulilc luigu iliii‘cli n'ccxi. I‘L‘dllllIllI and mncunw in \niiill nninlici‘x. hill ul‘lcr ;i It“ lIinnxuntI lxilnincn‘m nl
Icuxl
lIlL'lll. IRI lw lliunklnl ncxci' ln \ci gum nn nnc :iguin. 'I‘Iiunklnll) ilic Iuigu \xci‘c pnnclngilcd Ii} \\I\IC. II;II I'I\L‘l'\ i‘nnning nni‘lli In tho .\it'lic. :inII Iiugc. :JI‘L'} Silwi‘iun ln\\n\. I mum in_\ Iiinc catching up nn linili \Iccp and raiding. Inning punmkcx and lint pnlulnu I'l'nni [Iic iile Indiw nn Ilic pIHIIill'llh. and Innking Iill'\\;ll'\I ln .\In\cn\\.
Jessica Gregson’s novel, The Angel Makers, is out now in paperback.
FACTFILE Getting there and around
This page from tar left: leaving Irkutsk: Ulaan Bataar; a typical train compartment; basic supplies make the trip more comfortable; Lake Baikal; one of many platforms on the long journey and; a view of the north Mongolian landscape
Advice
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