Paul finished a creditable 3rd in the inaugural Derby, tackling all of the following: “falling off 4 horses, losing the feeling in 3 toes due to hypothermia, completing 173km in one day (still a Derby record). Despite all that you have asked me about an evening’s entertainment I shared.  One to tell the grand children I think!”

Having ridden out from a horse station in the late evening, Paul was left with the choice of sleeping out or seeking shelter with a local family unconnected to the Mongol Derby, and relying on the infamous Mongolian hospitality.  He plumped for the latter...

“A lady met us, and using only sign language she invited us to stay the night. We unsaddled our horses and were escorted to a Ger.  It held upwards of 50 people sitting all around the sides of a grand table filled with food and in the centre was an enormous cake. We had crashed a Mongolian wedding!

The demure bride looked stunning in her traditional costume while the groom served vodka to his guests.  Two rather drunken aunts plied me with much more vodka and proceeded to teach me naughty Mongolian words.  We didn't get much sleep, but riding on at dawn Sabrina and I both knew we had not only witnessed but been a part of a very special event."