Moving off in the morning they found good roads (read with tarmac) again after 20 minutes and finally started getting some good miles under their belt.

Looking at the map the night before with the others there was some difference of opinion as which road to take, the shorter route on the smaller 'road' or the longer route via Aqtöbe on the main 'road' (about 190 miles difference). Everyone stopped in Qandiaghash (the split for the 2 roads) to make a decision, and after talking to a few locals who told them the shorter route was near on impassable everyone decided to take the longer route.

The others were heading into Aktöbe to shop and maybe rent a hotel room so they all could shower but Paul, Scott, Alan & Bernie carried on fearing losing too much time heading into towns and searching for things for ages. They stopped in Qarabutaq to get essential beer and food then carried on on the inaptly named M32.

The road was still good at this point with smooth tarmac and were still able to get lots of miles done. Stopping for lunch on the roadside Alan & Bernie said their radio would only play at full blast so they were quickly shown how to use the volume control before Bernie turned it back up agian and sat boggying to Madness in the car, they had driven 12 days and 3000 odd miles without using the radio! They also found fuel today (diesel) for a massive 25 pence per liter!
Travelling on they were met with a convoy of massive double wheeled tractors with massive drills and harrows, what they were going to plant in this barren landscape was a mystery. Reaching the crest of a rise in the road they were met by 200 odd sheep and goats crossing the road, luckily they weren't travelling too fast or there might have been lamb on the menu that night.

Scott was convincing himself the road would stay this good all the way but some activity on the horizon seemed to indicate otherwise. Diversion signs started appearing and then they saw some major roadwork gangs ahead. There was a new road being built but they had to go off into the sand again this time though there wasn't the choice of which track to use just one rough one, still Scott said it was just a 'minor blip' .

Things were looking up when they managed to find a gap to drive up onto the new road and were feeling very smug speeding on the newly laid tarmac even if it was not open. Alas though it only lasted for 10 minutes before the tarmac ended and sand tracks continued.

While they were looking for a spot to make camp for the night they came across team ERF Massive who had been stuck with their low Jaguar and had just finished digging it out of the sand. The 3 blokes in the Jag decided to carry on as far as they could though to find a hotel along the way. The camp was made beside the main road and were surrounded by flat open plains as far as the eye could see, and as the beer they'd bought was now warm Alan & Bernie showed them how to make a desert cooler. The washing up bowl was filled with water, the beer placed inside and a damp cloth placed over the beer then drapsing in the water. The evaporating water cools the beer down and it worked lovely!