Walking Home From Mongolia

April 2012 Mountains, mountains, mountains! We have crossed an almost unfathomable amount of mountain ranges in the last couple of months, and they show no signs of letting up. As tough as they can be though, it provides for beautiful and rewarding scenery and hiking. We crossed the majestic Yangtze River (長江), the third longest in the world, just upstream of the famous Three Gorges (長江三峽). Having already taken a dip in the frozen Yellow River, we treated ourselves to a slightly more enjoyable (but still chilly!) morning swim in the calm of the Yangtze valley, watching the sun rise over the jagged landscape, summits shrouded in mist.

Heading south, we are encountering more of the monstrous limestone mountains that will gradually morph and mutate into the recognisably unique forms of the kaarst peaks we will encounter around Guilin and Yangshuo in about three weeks. It is really heating up now, with daytime temperatures already approaching 30C. It's time to get out the summer hats and shorts, and prepare for the final two months of the expedition!

We have now raised over HK$163,000 (US$20,897) for the children's charity Viva, which is 16.3% of our HK$1 million target.

Together we can make a difference. Please do consider supporting us by giving to Viva - any amounts appreciated! Tax receipts available to taxpayers in Hong Kong, UK and US.

Thank you so much,

Rob and Leon

In November they walked across the Mongolian Gobi enduring temperatures of -20C. Now they are in China: "It's been quite an eventful start to year 2012 for us as we continue to walk through China, heading for our eventual end-goal of Hong Kong.

After a wonderfully relaxing Christmas break in the industrial northern city of Datong, we headed west through a coal-mine dominated region of Shanxi province before leaving the road behind and venturing into the mountains in search of the Great Wall of China. It was hard work to follow as it plunged down into valleys and then back up steep ridgelines, but great fun and a real change from being on the road. Check out our website and Facebook page for photos and stories.

After a week of sleeping beside watchtowers and imagining the thundering hooves of Mongolian raiders from centuries ago, we finally came down off the mountains and arrived at the banks of the mighty Yellow River. Lying deep between sheer, rugged rock faces, the river is a beautiful and awesome sight to behold - and how different from the Gobi desert landscape in which we started".