After a wonderful night in the hotel which I didn't want to leave, I met up with the 3 French girls who would make up the horse riding group I was riding around Khuvsgul with for 9 days.
Unfortunately our first day was pretty much driving to Khatgal and 40 km along the lake - 140km took 5 hours!I am looking forward to tarmacked roads!!
We did get a quick test ride of the horses. Again I was driven crazy by the Mongolian belief that no foreigner can ride a horse. I was able to avoid being led and eventually convinced them to let me canter, but I had to be helped on and off the horse. This was one of the more frustrating parts of the trip - the other riders were not experienced either which didn't help. But it was over all a good trip.
We set off on Day 2 after some fun and games getting the pack horses sorted out. Because it was still mid July there weren't too many other tourists around and we were the first trip out of the season for some of these horses. So as we tried to load the horses with 100kg of bags, food and camping gear they jumped around, reared etc. It took about 2 hours to load them up. It was very entertaining for the paying guests (i.e. me!) to watch the guides doing all this.
We rode alongside the lake this morning and got a feel for our horses. There were a few good flat bits for me to get a bit of speed up. One of the other girls had ridden before a couple of times so by the end of the day she was happy to have a bit of a canter along with me. It was nice to have some company and someone to race with!
The scenery around the lake was beautiful. There were so many white tree trunks that had been weathered into crazy shapes! THe lake was frozen until Mid June so we decided it was too cold to swim at lunch time but at least we had a decent day of weather.
We camped on a flat spot of grass beside the lake and we eventually braved a swim in the lake before we had to set up our tents. It was pretty freezing in the water but really refreshing.
On day 3 we continued our ride along the side of the lake. We had progressed beyond all the tourist camps at this stage and it was just pure unspoilt lake with beautiful mountains in the background. THere was a lot of riding up and down through forests and trails. We also had to stop to dig a van out of the mud! It was up to its axles in thick sticky Mud and we had to help along with 5 other Mongolians. They had to dig rocks and sticks under the wheels. This was of course one of the reasons we had selected to do the trip on horse back and why we had pack horses with us. We also saw some fabulous storms blow right past us out across the lake which was stunning.
Our camp spot for that evening was at the side of a river running into the lake. The river was lovely (although again very cold!) and it had a fresh spring running into it and they had set up a sort of back massager box there - you sat on this seat and it funnelled the water down your back and shoulders! It was a bit too chilly for us to try that one out!!
On Day 4 we spent half the day riding along the lake where we were plagued by flies and then we headed up the pass and into the Darkhad Depression in behind the mountains. It was a long tough ride up the hill through extremely deep sucky mud. It was tough riding. When we got up to the top of the hill we got a lovely view back over the lake.
The Darkhad depression was beautiful high mountains, trees and lovely stony rivers. We had some beautiful gallops along the flat stretches with beautiful scenery. We camped right in the middle of this area. It was one of the most beautiful spots.
We continued through the depression on Day 5. It was not fun riding as we had to tide along the stony river beds and it was very slow riding. It was beautiful scenic riding again. After lunch the thunder started up and the lightning and we saw this cloud coming up the valley. about 30 seconds later we were soaked to the skin by a horrific hail and sleet storm. We were soaked to the skin as were the horses and all our gear because no one had put the plastic sheets over our gear. Luckily the sun came out and we were able to lay everything out to dry but it meant we couldn't ride any futher that day. So we spent the afternoon relaxing and playing cards. We did go out for another 30 minute ride but everything was so wet we had to go back in.
Day 6 was wet again but we were riding along the stones again so we were able to keep going. But it was slow riding again. We eventually got up away from the stones and got some really great gallops across the flat ground and trails as we went through the valley. There was some really great riding and now all the group had caught up and we were able to canter together.
Unfortunately as we headed up the hill we got hit by another massive rain storm. Today I had insisted on them covering all the packs with plastic so we were able to shelter under the plastic and we didn't get quite so wet this time round. But again we had to set up camp as it was getting late and we weren't sure how much further we could go.
Day 7 was our last full day riding. We headed up and out of the Darkhad depression which was tough riding again due to the masses of mud but it was beautiful scenery again as we went up through the valley. As we reached the top of the valley we were looking down over the lake. It was a beautiful sight. The lake was covered completely with clouds. We sat up there taking pictures and having lunch and it was a beautiful view over the lake.
Our afternoon was spent getting back down the mountain and back to the lake. It was an amazing difference in just one week. There were so many Mongolians and foreigners camped along the edge of the lake and tehre were so many groups riding out. I was very glad we had gone out the week that we did.
That night we stayed with one of our guides families and got to spend some time in the Ger and eating their snacks. We were able to get a great bit of fish for dinner whcih was such a treat for me!
We had one more morning of riding out and we rode up to the top of the hill behind us. It was a lovely ride up through the forest to a beautiful view point where we got another look out over the lake. We did a lot of fast galloping which was great fun and what I had been looking forward to.
The other girls headed off that afternoon to catch their plane. I kept the horse for the afternoon and rode around a little bit longer but we were both very tired at this stage. It was lovely to just relax and read and spend time at the lake.
Sunday, 25 July 2010
Saturday, 17 July 2010
Visit to North West Mongolia
The furthest West point of my trip was Uliastai in Zavkhan aimag/province. The family of a tour guide friend of mine live in and around Uliastai town and they invited me to visit for one week.
I chose to fly from UB to Uliastai as the alternative was a 3 day drive - I knew I would have enough time bouncing around on Mongolian roads! I was picked up by the family I was staying with and taken to lunch at their mothers house. I had arrived on the final day of Naadam although unfortunately I missed the horse racing, I did manage to spend the afternoon watching the wrestling along with the prize giving for the other events. Countryside Naadam is a really intriguing experience as all the locals turn out in their best clothes and have a great party. It is very similar to a country fair at home, but with better dressed locals!!
In the evening I was asked yet again to entertain the family with my Buuz making abilities. My skills have not improved much during the year and I fear my family at home may have to give up any hope of a Mongolian feast when I get home!
In the morning I walked up to the top of the hill beside the families house where there was a row of stupa's, a couple of Ovoo's and some crazy animal statues! We met the only other foreigner in the town - it is always amazing the kinds of people you meet - this Polish guy was cycling around Mongolia for 45 days!!
We then headed out to visit some more family in the countryside. It was a couple of hours drive away through some beautiful countryside, over hills and through valleys until we arrived at the gers beside the river in one of the valleys. The great grand father had just turned 90 so there were 5 branches of the family there celebrating.
I was given a horse for the 3 days we stayed there and one of the cousins who spoke a little English showed me around. Yet again Mongolians didn't believe a foreigner could ride and so they had pulled the fattest horse from the herd but we soon came to an understanding that we both wanted to go fast.
We had a short ride into one of the valleys and we climbed one of the hills and all the flowers and plants were pointed out to me, and I was expected to try eating most of them!! It is amazing how the Mongolians use everything available to them. The Gallop back was great fun - there were some great flat bits of ground to pick up some good speed.
Unfortunately on my second day it absolutely poured. We thought it would be ok, but after 2 hours it started to absolutely pour with rain and we headed back. But the riding itself was still really great over rocky outcrops, through rivers, back and forth. Unfortunately when we got back it took over an hour to get the fire going so I huddled under my sleeping bag.
Luckily we were invited to a Khorhog celebration in the next ger over. The khorhog was great, really tasty, until the vodka came out! The ger was packed out but I was still amazed that we managed to get through around 6 bottles of vodka. Of course in true Mongolian tradition the singing then started. I managed to only have to sing once which was a relief, but the rounds kept going for the rest of the group and then it became a singing competition in rounds, to see who could sing the loudest - it was a crazy experience!!
Eventually the singing was over and, after inspecting the baby goats who were very cute, we headed back to the ger, where more food was cooked. I hid outside in my tent for a while to avoid any more food! It was then time for the volleyball tournament. Once all the horses have been turned loose the rope they are tied to, which is above head height, is used as a volleyball net! It got very competitive and they were all very tough on each other, but luckily my word was usually the decider!
Luckily my last day was a beautiful day and that meant we were able to ride up to a view point where we could see the tallest mountain, Otgon Tenger. It was another lovely ride up a hill and over another, through herds of horses, sheep, goat and yak! and the views from the top of each hill were spectacular. We came back down the same valley we went up the day before and it was so beautiful in the sunshine! Unfortunately the day involved over 4 hours of trotting - every muscle in my body was aching by lunch time!
Because it was a beautiful afternoon the women all did the washing in the river (which was icy cold!) and the children played pooh sticks and washed in the river.
After another very competitive volleyball competition it was time to tie up the baby yak - they have to be tied up so that the Mums can be milked. I was asked to help, but noone warned me how wily the babies were! It was a hilarious process as 4 of us tried to herd babies away from their Mums and then tie them up. It took us quite a while!
No-one had mentioned to me that the gers were being moved and so on my last morning in the countryside there was lots of banging and I rolled over back to sleep. When I did get up the gers that had been there the night before were on the back of trucks! I wish I had known as I would have liked to have seen the moving process. We did get to follow the trucks to the new camp site and then back to Uliastai!
We then started the long 2 day drive to Murun where I was joining a horse riding trip. On the way we drove through lots of beautiful countryside which varied from hills, to valleys, to steppe to sand dunes!! As well as 2 beautiful lakes.
We camped beside one lake and just as we were going to bed I heard the most awful screaming sound, as if someone was being murdered. After 10 minutes I stuck my head out of my tent and came face to face with two massive male yaks horns locked having a fight over a woman! It was absolutely terrifying and so we moved the tents behind the car to try and stop them running over us! For 3 hours they ran back and forth in front of the tents. A pretty sleepless night!
Another beautiful days driving along more valleys, over crazy bridges and through herds of camels this time. At one point the roads turned pink!! We eventually arrived in Murun and I treated myself to a night in a hotel, with a fabulous shower and a double bed - such a treat.
I chose to fly from UB to Uliastai as the alternative was a 3 day drive - I knew I would have enough time bouncing around on Mongolian roads! I was picked up by the family I was staying with and taken to lunch at their mothers house. I had arrived on the final day of Naadam although unfortunately I missed the horse racing, I did manage to spend the afternoon watching the wrestling along with the prize giving for the other events. Countryside Naadam is a really intriguing experience as all the locals turn out in their best clothes and have a great party. It is very similar to a country fair at home, but with better dressed locals!!
In the evening I was asked yet again to entertain the family with my Buuz making abilities. My skills have not improved much during the year and I fear my family at home may have to give up any hope of a Mongolian feast when I get home!
In the morning I walked up to the top of the hill beside the families house where there was a row of stupa's, a couple of Ovoo's and some crazy animal statues! We met the only other foreigner in the town - it is always amazing the kinds of people you meet - this Polish guy was cycling around Mongolia for 45 days!!
We then headed out to visit some more family in the countryside. It was a couple of hours drive away through some beautiful countryside, over hills and through valleys until we arrived at the gers beside the river in one of the valleys. The great grand father had just turned 90 so there were 5 branches of the family there celebrating.
I was given a horse for the 3 days we stayed there and one of the cousins who spoke a little English showed me around. Yet again Mongolians didn't believe a foreigner could ride and so they had pulled the fattest horse from the herd but we soon came to an understanding that we both wanted to go fast.
We had a short ride into one of the valleys and we climbed one of the hills and all the flowers and plants were pointed out to me, and I was expected to try eating most of them!! It is amazing how the Mongolians use everything available to them. The Gallop back was great fun - there were some great flat bits of ground to pick up some good speed.
Unfortunately on my second day it absolutely poured. We thought it would be ok, but after 2 hours it started to absolutely pour with rain and we headed back. But the riding itself was still really great over rocky outcrops, through rivers, back and forth. Unfortunately when we got back it took over an hour to get the fire going so I huddled under my sleeping bag.
Luckily we were invited to a Khorhog celebration in the next ger over. The khorhog was great, really tasty, until the vodka came out! The ger was packed out but I was still amazed that we managed to get through around 6 bottles of vodka. Of course in true Mongolian tradition the singing then started. I managed to only have to sing once which was a relief, but the rounds kept going for the rest of the group and then it became a singing competition in rounds, to see who could sing the loudest - it was a crazy experience!!
Eventually the singing was over and, after inspecting the baby goats who were very cute, we headed back to the ger, where more food was cooked. I hid outside in my tent for a while to avoid any more food! It was then time for the volleyball tournament. Once all the horses have been turned loose the rope they are tied to, which is above head height, is used as a volleyball net! It got very competitive and they were all very tough on each other, but luckily my word was usually the decider!
Luckily my last day was a beautiful day and that meant we were able to ride up to a view point where we could see the tallest mountain, Otgon Tenger. It was another lovely ride up a hill and over another, through herds of horses, sheep, goat and yak! and the views from the top of each hill were spectacular. We came back down the same valley we went up the day before and it was so beautiful in the sunshine! Unfortunately the day involved over 4 hours of trotting - every muscle in my body was aching by lunch time!
Because it was a beautiful afternoon the women all did the washing in the river (which was icy cold!) and the children played pooh sticks and washed in the river.
After another very competitive volleyball competition it was time to tie up the baby yak - they have to be tied up so that the Mums can be milked. I was asked to help, but noone warned me how wily the babies were! It was a hilarious process as 4 of us tried to herd babies away from their Mums and then tie them up. It took us quite a while!
No-one had mentioned to me that the gers were being moved and so on my last morning in the countryside there was lots of banging and I rolled over back to sleep. When I did get up the gers that had been there the night before were on the back of trucks! I wish I had known as I would have liked to have seen the moving process. We did get to follow the trucks to the new camp site and then back to Uliastai!
We then started the long 2 day drive to Murun where I was joining a horse riding trip. On the way we drove through lots of beautiful countryside which varied from hills, to valleys, to steppe to sand dunes!! As well as 2 beautiful lakes.
We camped beside one lake and just as we were going to bed I heard the most awful screaming sound, as if someone was being murdered. After 10 minutes I stuck my head out of my tent and came face to face with two massive male yaks horns locked having a fight over a woman! It was absolutely terrifying and so we moved the tents behind the car to try and stop them running over us! For 3 hours they ran back and forth in front of the tents. A pretty sleepless night!
Another beautiful days driving along more valleys, over crazy bridges and through herds of camels this time. At one point the roads turned pink!! We eventually arrived in Murun and I treated myself to a night in a hotel, with a fabulous shower and a double bed - such a treat.
Friday, 9 July 2010
Choibalsan and a "spa" visit
Unfortunately my trip to the Gobi got cancelled due to extreme temperatures, so I reorganised and headed to Choibalsan to the volunteers stationed in Dornod. Dornod is a lovely place, typical flat Mongolian steppe, a very different type of scenery to the rest of Mongolia. They have good amenities and a lovely river, but it is 15 hours drive east of UB so not easy to get back in for visits.
I stayed with another vol on her couch which was great. My first day there we got up at the crack of dawn (5.45) to go swimming in the river, which was so lovely and cool! I managed to get a few more hours sleep before I headed off to see some of the work the VSO vols have been doing up here. A young boy who had lost his leg due to cancer when he was 5 had been walking with an adult crutch and was told he couldn't have a prosthesis until he was 20! One of the vols in Dornod raised enough money to pay for him to get a prosthesis. He had just returned to Dornod and was walking around with a proper sized crutch. This is a huge benefit for this kid who is from a very poor family, and due to the discrimination against people with disabilities here in Mongolia he would never have been able to get a job. He will soon be able to walk without a stick and blend in with everyone else, play soccer and walk to school more comfortably.
Then after a visit to the market, we headed to Anna Childrens home, a place set up by a local Mongolian for the kids who were on the street. There are 25 children living in the home between the ages of 6 and 18, and when they turn 18 they move into a transition flat. While they live at the home they grow vegetables in a garden the vols set up, and they learn sewing and computer skills. They have asked me if they could possibly get a book ger. The kids were absolutely adorable and it is a great place.
The next day we had a slower start, thank goodness!! After a relaxed start E and I headed for a walk up to a russian pilots monument across the steppe. It was a beautiful walk out across the flat plains, through long grass, herds of cattle and horses and seeing lots of birds.
I cooked dinner for the vols that evening who took such good care of me. Unfortunately E didn't have a corckscrew so it took us almost 45 minutes to get into the bottle of wine, so we really appreciated it afterwards. We discovered the next morning that we had left another bottle in the freezer and it had frozen and pushed the cork out - so obviously the way to open a bottle without a corkscrew!
On Monday We went for a later swim at a much more reasonable 10am!! The river is the longest river in Mongolia and it was a little muddy and had a really strong current but it was cool and really refreshing!
In the evening I was invited to one of the volunteers leaving do's out in the countryside at one of the communities she has been working with. They are homeless, live in a derelict building and are extremely poor. But they were so welcoming and they had cooked us a wonderful feast of Khorhog (Mongolian barbeque) which was absolutely delicious! It was a wonderful evening and we got to see the work the volunteers have been doing here planting vegetables to give them food to eat, and they are planning to build a kindergarten and to provide 10 gers to the families so they can have somewhere to live come winter time. We drove home in the dark which was absolutely crazy and we got completely lost in the middle of nowhere going along dirt tracks. It was madnesss! But we made it back to UB in one piece!!
On Tuesday we started our trip back to UB via Dalad, a town near the Russian border in a landcruiser with 4 of us squished in the back seat. It took us 8 hours to drive there across the vast steppe where we saw loads of Eagles, white tailed gazzelles, cranes and all the other regular Mongolian animals. We passed a road that was set into the ground about half a foot, which Chingiss had built so he could protect his wife when she was travelling from the Chinese!! We then drove into Khentii where the landscape changed into hills, valleys and meadows full of wild flowers! It was beautiful! Unfortunately it was raining so the roads turned into slippy mud and we did a few 180 degree spins! Luckily the roads are pretty empty so we didn't hit anyone, or anything! We also passed the birthplace of Chinggis, so it was a very interesting drive!
We stayed at a "spa" in Dalad. D and I had thought this would be a nice relaxing end to the trip. Unfortunately it was a Mongolian medical spa! So our first massage experience left us all with bruises!! But the view from the ger camp was absolutely stunning out over a lake surrounded by a pine forest which we walked through with horses all around. It was a beautiful place to relax.
The next day we opted for the herbal bath (more like a puddle) and of course we were told to be there at 9, we arrived at 9.30 (allowing for Mongolian time) and we didn't get in the baths til 11!! Gotta love Mongolia. I then had a mud treatment which was basically an exfoliation, which left my skin very soft which was lovely.
In the afternoon we went to the local Naadam. This is like a county show - they have wrestling, archery and horse racing where the riders are young children riding bareback with no helmets on!! It was a really fun afternoon watching everyone wearing their traditional clothes (these people are buriat so their clothing was differnt from that I have seen in UB) and participating in the games on the small stalls nearby. The female archers wore beautiful high heeled boots with their costume, but it seemed a little incongruous in the middle of a field!! There was such a relaxed and friendly atmosphere, it was a great relaxing afternoon.
In the evening we went strawberry hunting. In the summer small wild strawberries grow in the forest and around our camp we found lots of little plants. They were really tasty and sweet and I am looking forward to finding some more on my next trip.
On Thursday D and I got a ride with some locals back to UB in their little car. It was very kind of them to take us and they were lovely people. Of course the journey started with the obligatory farewells to family and friends, so we were picked up at 7 and didn't leave until 8. We also had to have vodka and milk tea at 7 am. It was not great way to start the journey.
The scenery was stunning again through rolling hills and across the steppe. But I have no idea how we found our way as there are no signs in Mongolia, you just stop every so often at a ger when you lose your way and ask which one of the 4 dirt tracks heads off to where you want to go! We had to cross a big river at one stage and we crossed on the most rickety rope ferry I have ever seen. But we stopped afterwards for a coffee on the rivers edge and D and I decided to go for a swim! It was lovely and refreshing and beautiful clear water. Our driver and his wife then decided to go in as well. A really nice break in our journey.
At one point we ended up in a massive puddle, under a bridge with around 100 horses surrounding us as we tried to drive through them. It was a real adventure!! Unfortunately I couldn't enjoy it that much as I got really really really car sick.
It took us 12 hours to drive 515 km (280 on bad roads took 8 hours, and the last 235 took 4 hours). So travelling in Mongolia isn't easy! But is was a great adventure and I will really miss it when I come home.
I stayed with another vol on her couch which was great. My first day there we got up at the crack of dawn (5.45) to go swimming in the river, which was so lovely and cool! I managed to get a few more hours sleep before I headed off to see some of the work the VSO vols have been doing up here. A young boy who had lost his leg due to cancer when he was 5 had been walking with an adult crutch and was told he couldn't have a prosthesis until he was 20! One of the vols in Dornod raised enough money to pay for him to get a prosthesis. He had just returned to Dornod and was walking around with a proper sized crutch. This is a huge benefit for this kid who is from a very poor family, and due to the discrimination against people with disabilities here in Mongolia he would never have been able to get a job. He will soon be able to walk without a stick and blend in with everyone else, play soccer and walk to school more comfortably.
Then after a visit to the market, we headed to Anna Childrens home, a place set up by a local Mongolian for the kids who were on the street. There are 25 children living in the home between the ages of 6 and 18, and when they turn 18 they move into a transition flat. While they live at the home they grow vegetables in a garden the vols set up, and they learn sewing and computer skills. They have asked me if they could possibly get a book ger. The kids were absolutely adorable and it is a great place.
The next day we had a slower start, thank goodness!! After a relaxed start E and I headed for a walk up to a russian pilots monument across the steppe. It was a beautiful walk out across the flat plains, through long grass, herds of cattle and horses and seeing lots of birds.
I cooked dinner for the vols that evening who took such good care of me. Unfortunately E didn't have a corckscrew so it took us almost 45 minutes to get into the bottle of wine, so we really appreciated it afterwards. We discovered the next morning that we had left another bottle in the freezer and it had frozen and pushed the cork out - so obviously the way to open a bottle without a corkscrew!
On Monday We went for a later swim at a much more reasonable 10am!! The river is the longest river in Mongolia and it was a little muddy and had a really strong current but it was cool and really refreshing!
In the evening I was invited to one of the volunteers leaving do's out in the countryside at one of the communities she has been working with. They are homeless, live in a derelict building and are extremely poor. But they were so welcoming and they had cooked us a wonderful feast of Khorhog (Mongolian barbeque) which was absolutely delicious! It was a wonderful evening and we got to see the work the volunteers have been doing here planting vegetables to give them food to eat, and they are planning to build a kindergarten and to provide 10 gers to the families so they can have somewhere to live come winter time. We drove home in the dark which was absolutely crazy and we got completely lost in the middle of nowhere going along dirt tracks. It was madnesss! But we made it back to UB in one piece!!
On Tuesday we started our trip back to UB via Dalad, a town near the Russian border in a landcruiser with 4 of us squished in the back seat. It took us 8 hours to drive there across the vast steppe where we saw loads of Eagles, white tailed gazzelles, cranes and all the other regular Mongolian animals. We passed a road that was set into the ground about half a foot, which Chingiss had built so he could protect his wife when she was travelling from the Chinese!! We then drove into Khentii where the landscape changed into hills, valleys and meadows full of wild flowers! It was beautiful! Unfortunately it was raining so the roads turned into slippy mud and we did a few 180 degree spins! Luckily the roads are pretty empty so we didn't hit anyone, or anything! We also passed the birthplace of Chinggis, so it was a very interesting drive!
We stayed at a "spa" in Dalad. D and I had thought this would be a nice relaxing end to the trip. Unfortunately it was a Mongolian medical spa! So our first massage experience left us all with bruises!! But the view from the ger camp was absolutely stunning out over a lake surrounded by a pine forest which we walked through with horses all around. It was a beautiful place to relax.
The next day we opted for the herbal bath (more like a puddle) and of course we were told to be there at 9, we arrived at 9.30 (allowing for Mongolian time) and we didn't get in the baths til 11!! Gotta love Mongolia. I then had a mud treatment which was basically an exfoliation, which left my skin very soft which was lovely.
In the afternoon we went to the local Naadam. This is like a county show - they have wrestling, archery and horse racing where the riders are young children riding bareback with no helmets on!! It was a really fun afternoon watching everyone wearing their traditional clothes (these people are buriat so their clothing was differnt from that I have seen in UB) and participating in the games on the small stalls nearby. The female archers wore beautiful high heeled boots with their costume, but it seemed a little incongruous in the middle of a field!! There was such a relaxed and friendly atmosphere, it was a great relaxing afternoon.
In the evening we went strawberry hunting. In the summer small wild strawberries grow in the forest and around our camp we found lots of little plants. They were really tasty and sweet and I am looking forward to finding some more on my next trip.
On Thursday D and I got a ride with some locals back to UB in their little car. It was very kind of them to take us and they were lovely people. Of course the journey started with the obligatory farewells to family and friends, so we were picked up at 7 and didn't leave until 8. We also had to have vodka and milk tea at 7 am. It was not great way to start the journey.
The scenery was stunning again through rolling hills and across the steppe. But I have no idea how we found our way as there are no signs in Mongolia, you just stop every so often at a ger when you lose your way and ask which one of the 4 dirt tracks heads off to where you want to go! We had to cross a big river at one stage and we crossed on the most rickety rope ferry I have ever seen. But we stopped afterwards for a coffee on the rivers edge and D and I decided to go for a swim! It was lovely and refreshing and beautiful clear water. Our driver and his wife then decided to go in as well. A really nice break in our journey.
At one point we ended up in a massive puddle, under a bridge with around 100 horses surrounding us as we tried to drive through them. It was a real adventure!! Unfortunately I couldn't enjoy it that much as I got really really really car sick.
It took us 12 hours to drive 515 km (280 on bad roads took 8 hours, and the last 235 took 4 hours). So travelling in Mongolia isn't easy! But is was a great adventure and I will really miss it when I come home.
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