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I'm lying in bed in a traditional nomadic Ger, in the middle of Inner Mongolia with Kate, Jenny and a sick baby cow... Surreal is an understatement. We traveled to Terelj National Park early this morning, still feeling the effects of our antics at Mongolia's finest Irish bar last night. On arrival into apparent nothingness, just an hour outside of Ulan Bator, our taxi driver took the liberty of introducing us to, what seemed like, every pothole east of the capital. Using the journey to rest our sore heads initially seemed impossible, although, somehow we all managed it.
We were shown to out Ger, a single roomed house with four beds encircling a central wood-burner (used for cooking and as central heating), and were served lunch. We were alarmed when our host added both pasta, potatoes and copious amounts of salt to our broth. Whilst it was still delicious, I don't think nomadic Mongolian dietary habits care much for our carbohydrate consumption nor for our arteries.
We then braved a spot of horse riding, although the horses more represented ponies, which I was secretly very pleased about as it meant less of a height to fall from. Equally, I think they saw our inexperienced selves from afar, as I'm sure being pulled along by a Mongol with a rope requires little skill. But however unskilled our equestrian exploits, we still thoroughly enjoyed the experience and it was the perfect way to enjoy the landforms of the National Park surrounding us.
Our host then prepared dinner, kindly substituting lunch's stodgy fusilli pasta for stodgy white rice, then invited us to play basketball with her and her family. We followed her down into the valley as the sun was setting and spent the remainder of the evening giggling away with her parents, sister, brother-in-law and various other relatives. The language barrier soon dissolved as they scoffed at our amateur ball skills - the Mongolians are surprisingly good at the sport! When it became to dark to continue, we made our way back up the valley to the Ger.
This is one of the quietest, most serene places I think I've ever been and I'll be sad to get back to the city tomorrow, where pedestrian crossings more represent a game of chicken (will it be you or the oncoming bus that backs down first).
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