A day of driving – the lava flow was a LOT shorter than the drive there. Hours of driving later, and a fleeting visit to Kharkhorum and we were back on the road. Another fleeting stop at the fake Gobi (Mongol Els, it’s a real sand dune system but it’s much smaller than the Gobi: hence, fake Gobi) – to ride a shaggy camel.
The wind was bitey and the temperature was very cold. We approached a ger with two camels out the front. No sign, no road, just camels and a ger. Two people rode at a time while the rest waited in the ger. It was bloody freezing outside. I had a chat to the camel guy – well, as chatty one can get with no spoken language in common. The camels had big yellow ear tags, the size of cow ear tags – with his phone number on them, not a stock number in case they went walk about. Their wool was very very long – at least 20cm in places, and very very thick (I could hardly part it).
My turn on the camel and the camel guy did all he could to make sure I was safe as the camel stood up (it’s pretty rocky). Then he kept turning around to look at me every time I spoke to someone else – obviously enjoying something other than the words I was saying. He made a vast effort to hug me as he helped me off the camel, which was pretty cute. He had buttons missing from his dirty deel, khaki camoflage pants, broken front teeth that needed a good Monica-style clean. As we left, I said goodbye. Camel wrangler guy told our guide that I could stay the night in his ger if I wanted to. We politely declined.
At our ger for the night, with proper herders: 2 slept on the floor. We had a cow dung fire that was particularly hard to light and produced a buttload of ash, but was a lot more efficient at keeping us warm than pine chips. We ate meat soup for dinner (I had a can of tuna – judge all you like: YES, I am picky. NO, I do not have to things I don’t enjoy). Patience was tested. The coolest thing all day – I was blowing and blowing the dung fire to get some flame action going. It just wouldn’t set. There was lots of smoke. I did everything I knew to ignite the smouldering shit. THEN I set a match to the already light fire – all the gas in the shit ignited because it was already heated by the burning shit underneath it. The match lit the entire fire instantly. I watched the ring of fire go round the shit. It was so cool!
Below: at Kharkhorum – little monks just out of class, racing to catch up with their friends; our ger in the Fake Gobi; inside the ger – it was so cold!!
Waking in the morning to snow was amazing. So amazing. I had slept really really well, which is unusual in a ger. I woke at 6am as we’d gone to bed early. I lit the shit fire (!!!!), almost smoked out the ger in the process – and went outside for a pee. AND IT WAS ALL WHITE. It was amazing. The entire countryside, the motorbikes, the gers, the sheep and goats – were all covered in about 5cm of snow!
After a slow start we piled in to the van and set off back to UB. Another long journey but well worth it for the warmish shower I had when I got home. I made a batch of cupcakes and prepared some other things for my friend’s birthday party. We had a wonderful night at the French Bistro, with world class service (no, really, I was gobsmacked – it was meticulous!). We moved on to Marco Polo, the local strip club. I hadn’t been before. A 10,000t cover charge – contortion act and naked waitresses included. It was actually really fun. The naked ladies were only interested in the men, so we got the dancefloor to ourselves which is always fun!
Saturday was a bit worse for wear, but not too bad. I went to the Opera – the Barber of Seville. It was interesting, but not something I’d do on a regular basis. Today I went and bought MORE pairs of bloody slippers, shopped around with my friend and her parents and then went to the ballet. It was very good, but I was pretty tired and a bit over being cultured this weekend.
I was suppose to pack, but that didn’t happen. I don’t know when I’ll do it. It’s a BUSY week – it’s my last week in UB. People want to say goodbye. There are new people arriving today (new volunteers) that need to be shown around etc. I have to pack. I have to wrap up work. Blah Blah. I’m still in denial. It’s SO weird, committing to something and then reneging halfway through. SO weird. Nevermind, I’m going home soon! :)
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