Overland with Kids

Jessica says: (following a visit to Gandan Khiid Monastary in Ulaan Baatar): “It’s so nice and peaceful and relaxing spinning drums here at the Monastary, I’d like to be a Buddhist!”
AJ says: ”Can we turn the car around and drive backwards” (AJ complaining about the sun in his eyes).
AJ says: “This music sounds like the music [...]

Dad “I can’t believe we’re in Mongolia - bring on the yurts!”
Jessica “We’re on the trail of dinosaurs and Ghengis Khan!”
Mum: “I like it here!” (keeps repeating herself)
Dad: “You said that as soon as we entered Bulgaria. You’ll be looking at the price of yurts next!”
Mum: “I like it here!”
AJ: “I like it here.”
Mum: “Why [...]

In Car Snippets:
On the Radio: Queen “I want to break free!”
Singing in the Car: “An elephant, an elephant, a monkey, monkey, monkey and a kangaroo!”
Jessica reading and writing about dinosaurs and drawing pictures (she is looking forward to seeing the finds discovered in the Gobi at the Natural History Museum in Ulaan Baatar, also wanting [...]

There is satelitte coverage in Mongolia as we met another group using the same device and it was working OK. We tested and realised it was our batteries at fault.  

Andrew says ” It’s funny to go somewhere where you can swim and actually drink the water at the same time” (re: Lake Baikal)
Jessica says “The roads in Russia are like Super Mario Race Carts.”
Andrew says: “The road with the most tarmac isn’t neccessarily always the main road”
Transiting to Lake Baikal (world’s largest/deepest freshwater lake), [...]

Jessica comments on our old fashioned Russian apartment in Sayonogorsk:
“It’s so old fashioned with such beautiful light switches. A lovely old lamp and look at the door handles. There is so much space - I love it!”
AJ’s comments: “Cor! Wow! our own bedrooms!”
Dads comments about our constant mishaps with the Russian language:
“Sometimes I feel like [...]

Jessica says: “The world is a wonderful, wonderful place.”
Mum says: “There is something special about watching an eagle swoop and lift it’s prey effortlessly. Now I am beginning to understand why people have such huge interest in bird-watching.”
Dad says: “I can’t believe the amount of eagles. Everytime I look up, I see one!”
AJ says “I’m [...]

Dad “What on earth gave us the idea to ever bring a caravan. We must have been mad!” (Andrew describing the Kazakhstan Roads en-route to Semey)
Mum “There is no fun on the flat roads. Potholes are where the adventures are.”
Mum (to dad) “You know that Kazakhstan broth soup with pasta sheets we had back in that cafe [...]

Jessica says: “What is a steppe?”
Mum says: “It is a very large, dry, cold grass covered plain without trees - much like what you’ve been seeing throughout our trip in  the lonely, huge landscapes of Kazakhstan” (Anne looked it up on Google).
Jessica says: “Yes, but the nature around it is very interesting. I really like [...]

Jessica: “What is a trillion?”
Dad: “We have been on the road for 1 million seconds which comes out to about 117 days. Mum and dad have been alive for alot longer than a billion seconds. A billion seconds is 32 years. A trillion seconds is 32,000 years.” (dad found this information in The Almaty Herald [...]