The Gobi Desert - Expedition journal page 2

As soon as they arrive at the town of Erenhot near the Mongolian border, 400 km north of Hohhot, the Chinese team is ready.

Guo Dian-Jong, palaeontologist and leader of the team (above left), Zang Zi-Ming, biologist and ad hoc interpreter (above right), Ning Pei-Ji, curator of the local museum (below left) and Mr Wou, our driver (below right).

The next day, we leave Erenhot by 4WD and for an hour we are travelling southwestwards to the hamlet of Subeng. We've reached the southeastern part of the Gobi desert. It's easy to find the fossiliferous strata, since Thierry recognizes the spot where he'd been sampling three years ago. Pieter and Thierry managed to collect 1250 kg of clay sediments within two days.

Annelise has estimated this weight by counting the buckets and measuring the density of the sediment. She spreads the clay on canvases, where it's left to dry. Dry clay is easier to sift with water, and maybe we'll find what we are looking for.