The road was terrible. About 20,000 years ago a volcano spewed lava down the valley floor, that blanketed everything. Today the remains are a cracked up, rocky basaltic valley floor that makes for an extremely bumpy ride. It’s actually the first in tact, visible basalt flow that I’ve seen to that extent. I saw a super fresh flow (200years old) in Kenya, and lots of inverted landscapes where erosion has left the much tougher basalt at the top of the current landscape.
The ger fitted 6 people and the fire was standard – go, or no.. The pine used makes for an easy start but doesn’t make for a comfortable night. You’re either SUPER hot, or freezing cold. You can’t light the fire, get the ger hot and stay warm as the heat escapes the thick felt walls really quickly.
After a long, long drive (about 10 hours) I slept well only after taking some nausea tablets. I don’t know what was up with my tummy. It wasn’t pleasant anyway.
Arriving just in time for a brief walk, we checked out the waterfall – Mongolia’s only. Our ger camp was located precariously close to the river canyon so made for easy access to the waterfall.
It’s autumn in Mongolia at the moment and all the colours have changed. Everything alive is preparing for the long, harsh winter. The dogs have extra thick coats already. I can’t even feel their skin underneath it’s so thick. Horses and camels are starting to look a bit shaggy and sheep are so fat their tails are wobbly, like jelly. Tree needles are falling everywhere and coating the landscape in a dusting of rusty colours.
The waterfall runs water in to a deep crevasse in the basalt and shelters everything from wind. The trees just hang around. In the morning there was ice all over the river and icicles hanging from trees. I took great joy in capturing a bazillion photos of them from different angles. My riding boots have proved faithful (as my hiking boots were washed and no longer fit) but saw my toes getting quite cold around all that ice.
The waterfall is more beautiful than I ever imagined and the autumn colours only help its case. The cliff’s exposed basalt tell a volcanic story that I attempted to decipher – and can only assume is correct.
Owing to the tummy bug, my spriteliness had greatly diminished but managed to get myself to a spectacular view point. The valley expanse is forever. The river is bright blue against autumn colour and gers dot the unfenced, open space in between the regular basalt outcrops. The photos I took will never do the view justice.
An afternoon nap and a sneaky face wash in drinking water later, I played fire bug lighting the ger fire, stayed warm and took some night photos – I even got Jupiter with two of its moons (albeit grainy and undetailed).
I didn’t update you on Marie Bashir – she’s just lovely. Very spritely for an 80year old woman.
