The Gobi Desert is a harsh, unforgiving environment. Only the meanest and ugliest of living things choose to make their homes here - buzzards, snakes and scorpions.
But of all these vile creatures, none is more fearsome than the dreaded desert cicada.
I mean business on the back end, too
All Emma wanted was a ten-minute break from walking and a cool, refreshing drink of water. It was not to be. No sooner had she found a comfy pile of gravel upon which to rest than a hundred menacing, chirping six-legged devils emerged to break the desert silence. Discretion proved to be the greater part of valour and she beat a hasty retreat.
Outta my way ya big girl’s blouse
(Note: All plant and animal names in this blog are made up by us, unless otherwise noted. This is out of necessity, as we have no practical way of looking up names, and we generally see animals away from villages so we can’t really ask either. In fact, we don’t actually know if the bug in this post is a cicada.)
Hey,
those are great pictures.
Whats the pollen count there?lol…
Hey bandmates!
Interesting life forms–don’t think I would want to tangle with them either! After all, you’re on their turf.
Tell the Mongorians I said ‘hey’.
Boa sorte e boa viagem!
Hey! What are you two up to now?? What a terrific experience…..is it as relaxing as Canada? They are gettng ready to leave this year on July 28th. When I looked at your picture, Brendan, I thought “OMG! It’s Lyle Fletcher incarnated!” Just as I remember him looking when I was a mere kid and he was probably your age, playing cards at our house while your Dad and I were jumping on the beds in the back bedroom! Those killer cicadas, or whatevers, look gross and dangerous to me. You need Fast Frankie’s medical first aide kit, don’t you? Your photos are grand. Give me the creepy-crawlies, so can’t imagine you sleeping thru the night! Have read all your blogs and now will crawl into my bugless bed and air con and sleep. Stay safe you two! Enjoy this magnificent journey! Love to both from Kansas Frank and Betsy Gilliland
Hello to you both,
I thought of you two today as there is a picture in The Age of the Great Wall with smoke billowing from one of its’ watch towers to mark the international anti-drug day on Monday. I don’t think that you would’ve seen the smoke from where you are. The Age is no where as near as accurate as you in placing their photo on a broader map, but it looks like it is in rugged mountain terrain and not your Gobi desert.
It has been fantastic following in your footsteps and getting your wonderful photos and writing. totally illuminating and interesting. Watch out for those dreaded desert creatures. I am sure that some enlightened entomologist would be able to tell you what they are, if they chance upon your blog, as the photos are so super clear!
All the best, Natalie.
Hey Brendan, Emma
That is one scary beastie!
How big are they? Can you put a coin beside your next pic for scale!
Hey those bugs are great! Never seen anything like it. I kinda like bugs though, it’s not very girly of me is it? Good luck getting through the desert!
Cool pics of the bugs. I don’t think I would want to sleep with them however. You will never know how much I am enjoying this voyage with you. You have sparked my interest in China. Before it was just a faroff land that had a strange written language; now it is a fasinating wonderland.
I keep thinking how much weight I could lose if I were taking all those steps. Well, off to eat a warm chocolate chip cookie.
Hey Emma!
Finally found your blog. What a marvellous journey (well except for the bugs ick!)
Cant wait to read more and hear about it in person sometime!
Hello sister and brother in-law. It is a coolish eveining in Sydney, only 13 degrees so we have the fire going, a glass of wine in hand and due to a very hectic few weeks of crazy evenings waking up at strange hours barracking for our beloved Socceroos… we are exhausted to say the least. We are both incredibly busy at work. Ahhh working…do you both remeber what that is? It has been such a long time since the 8-6 grind! I have held internal meetings all week and G has been conferencing in Melbourne. We don’t see much of each other at the moment!
We are enjoying married life immensly - hello wife, hellow husband we say to each other when we wake each morning. What a funny institution marrige is? I am sure the “cute” novelty factor will wear off eventually. At the moment we are still in the honey moon faze, so what the heck!
Your blog is amazing and the photo’s - brilliant! I personally am quite jealous I am not doing something so adventurous…I can see myself taking on a challlenge like that but perhaps my husband wouldn’t be so keen…no 5 star hotels along the way. Hmm…if he reads this he will be very upset, as he is more adventurous than me at the moment. G is training twice a week which is more than I can say for my self. I am just recoving from a dreaded head cold and a sprained ankle - I fell over awkwardly at work. It is still a little tender but “she’ll be right mate”!
Stay safe and well, and mind those cicada’s!
Em and G xxxx
I can’t bleive that you can walk in that heat…I gues , however that you have a dry heat there in the desert?
But never the less, 41 C is HOT and even hotter in the sand where you cool off your feet ! Are you resting in the middle of the day , or walking on? Are you carrying enough water…don’t want any dehydration problems way out there..
It really seems hard , too , to realise that WAY OUT THERE
you have reception for Wireless Computers and Satelite and
cell phone reception…driving from Sydney to Melbourne, and keeping in communication is a chllenge here. So now all up , can you pls tell your audience aprox just HOW FAR you have walked since you began? And (worse still) how far, approx, you have still to walk…will that be easier terrain and climate? Hope so…all our love M&D&B.
YOur photos are awesome! Great stories and adventures await me everytime i log on to your blog…keep it coming.
The large box of packs (?) arrived and is with the other things. No worries. Just let us know if you need anything else.
xoox from Beijing
eaks i hate insects but by this pics it let me know more type of insects