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dzasta travels
I have got 15 pages of notes here so I will try to keep it brief. I have just spent 5 days in the middle of nowhere in a countrty that is considered the midle of nowhere. 4 days were on dirt roads, some 80km/p/hr roads and some of them walking pace. I lost count of the rivers we crossed, only one went over the bonet when we dipped in, the Onon. We were 4wd in snow and once nearly got bogged. I stayed in a yert the first night with a family of nomads and the others were in home stays. The home stays were in 2 room log cabins. All the places had electricity but no running water, in fact none of the towns I went through had running water. All had a hose in the middle of town and you take your dirty old drums there and fill them up when ever you like. My spelling is bad at the best of times so I'm gonna call my driver, driver, cos if I attempt his name I'm just gonna mash it. My guide answered to Iona so I will call her that. This was a very expensive tour (963,300 togrog) because I couldnt find anybody to go with me cos most people go to the Gobi and I wanted to go east.
Firststop was a 40mtr high stainless steel statue of Genghis on a horse. There is a museum under the statue that is owned by one guy from UB. He collected a heap of artefacts and had nowhere to store them so he built a museum and statue.
Just after this we pulled off road for lunch. Iona cooked pasta with meat and vegies. This was to continue for the rest of the 5 days. After lunch we rolled into Omnodeiger.
For the whole 5 days the driver was stopping to ask directions. I dont know how he knew which track to take cos there was no marking on any of them. We ended up at a ger near Batshireet and they invited us to stay. The family take in people over summer. the lady made noodle and jerk soup. The jerk (dried meat) was about 6 different colours and looked disgusting. It went into a pot of boiling water and after a while the noodles, just made, went in. It didnt look great but tasted OK. We also had heaps of milk tea. These people have nothing, just some junky old furniture, but they are so proud. The old guy pulled out all his treasured photo's stored carefully in an old wooden trunk. It was a great night and the ger was very warm with the fire on.
I woke early the next morning, bloody dogs. It was a top day outside with a light frost and no wind. The wind is sooooooo cold. I went for a walk then watched moma light the fire and make breaky and make tea. The tea is about 5ltr water, 1ltr milk, a hand full of tea branches and a spoon of yak butter. Boil the **** out of it, till it looks like swamp water, then strain it into thermos to last the day. After breakfast I was talking with the old dude with some translation books he has. We worked out he is 53 and has 4 kids, so we were close to same age. His english is terrible but still way better than my Mongolian.
Just up the road is an old monastery, Balden Baraivan Khiid. It is one of the biggest in Mongolia and the grounds are huge. The place was sacked by the comunists in the 30's so there is only a couple of buildings left that have been renovated. At its peak there were over 3000 Lama's living and studying here. After that the biggest Ovoo in the east, then to Oglogchiin Kherem. This place is often called the Chingiss Wall but it was built 300yr before Genghis was born. They have excavated a few graves there so they think it might be a royal burial site even though they have not found a royal grave.
During the day we found a young guy building an Eco Lodge so we headed back there to stay. driver had bought a couple of beers so he and I knocked the froth off a couple. The lodge is called Uglugch Eco lodge and should do well, if he can get the tours to stay here. The location is great and the setting unbelievable. Bonus is he has the best long drop I have ever used and I did put it to good use. There is a smoke haze coming in from a forest fire somewhere and it kept getting thicker. The morning was bright and fresh, the kind of weather I was expecting, and by far the best day so far. After breakfast the guy wanted us to go pick up his neighbour cos they are going to set up a ger today. He took a rifle and we used the scenic route to look for game but only saw a fox and he was too quick. The night before we had dumplings made with fresh venison the guy supplied.
We left Batshireet and headed to Dadal. At Binder we supposedly waited for another driver to come and show us the way. We went back to his place for lunch. More tea! it is not as bad as Tibetan Yak butter tea but it is nearly there. This guy made us steamed venison dumplings. The meat was too lean so he got a bag of fat out of the freezer and chopped some up to put in the dumplings. The others bit into the dumplings and sucked up the fat, I leant over my bowl and let it run out into the bowl. After 4 dumplings I had whatever fat it was running down my chin and half a bowl full. I cant begin to tell you how boreing it is to sit in a room with 3 people talking a language you dont understand. Just out of town is the place where Genghis declared the great Mongolia and held his first parliament.
That afternoon we crossed the Onon Gol, where Timujin used to play and fish. This was the deepest river crossing we did and there was a lot of mud holes to negotiate. The wind has come up again this arvo but it is not as cold as it has been and it is T shirt weather.
On the way to Dadal there was some swans swimming in a lake. Iona asked if I "want to make picture?". I said "no I would rather take picture of the horses" driver turned around and headed straight for them. Of course they hearded into a group. I was pointing right and saying this way but he just kept rounding them up. For some reason we have driven for 5 days with the doors and windows on lock so I cant get the window open to get some shots. Eventually we got it sorted and the photo's should be OK, and I think I got some better ones later.
We finally arrived in Dadal and got lost trying to find the home stay. There are heaps of tourist units up here cos in the soviet days the govt officials used to all come up here for summer holidays. I walked back into town to look around. I was originally going to come up here on bus to Ondorkhan and mail truck to Dadal. Lucky I didnt cos I would have had to sleep on the street. The tourist camps are way out of town and when I translate the Mongolian cyrillic into english I still dont know what it says. Who knew khunsnii delguur means food shop??
We drove up and found Genghis' birth place. There is an Ovoo there to mark the spot. Supposed to be magic happen here at sunup so we are coming back in the morning. The other side of the valley is a spring where Genghis drank but it was not flowing.We went back to the old blokes place where we are gonna stay. Dinner was pasta, vegies and a huge salami and more tea. This time it was real tea cos this guy is a Buriat and they know how to make tea. After tea the three of us went for a walk to a couple of lakes. Iona seemed to want to keep us out for a while and I suspect the oldies wanted the place to them selves for a while.
Up early to feel the magic. The other 2 prayed but I didnt feel any magic. With the smoke haze the sunrise was pretty special but I dont think magic. I sat around talking to the old bloke through Iona, and told him about CBT in Kygystan, I hope he looks into it and gets something happening, and we went to the forest to see some pink flowers. They are special and supposed to have some good benefit when you smell them. I couldnt smell a thing. (did I tell you I have the flu) Back at the old blokes place his grandson was takin the **** out of me. He thought my name was funny and cos I was cold.
We went to see the old blokes friend. Of course more tea. Soon the room filled up with people, all come to see the old white dude. We were drinking tea out of real cups and soon a cup of vodka was given to me. This vodka is made from cows milk. Luckily I couldnt smell anything so I downed it in one go. Iona took a couple of sips of hers and gave it back. They also had bread and watery butter made from cows milk that was very sweet.They seemed impressed that I had a go and soon it was 9am and time to go.
For the first time we saw a few wild aminals today. A fox, couple of deer and some marmots. They say marmots are tasty but I cant find anyone selling them. In the middle of nowhere (everything is in the middle of nowhere) there is a queens palace. It is shaped like a queens head dress and has pictures of Genghis' mother and wives. just near here is a great big pine tree standing right out in the middle of a paddock. Of course it is a magic tree so we had to stop for the other two to pray. It was very warm today, more like the weather I was expecting. In the arvo we came across a couple of guys cutting out wild horses. We sat and watched for a while. Shortly after we saw a few camels. driver said "you want to make picture" I said "yes" so we head off straight at them. Of course they turned to walk away so I am saying go round but we keep heading toward them. I got a great pic of 5 camels asses. They look a bit manky, so does everything cos they are loosing their winter coat.
For our last night together we splashed out on A hotel room. Driver gonna sleep on the floor. We paid $12 for the room but it is a $3 room. I tried to get a pic but couldnt get far enough away to get much. The odd wallpaper is peeling off, the lino is falling to bits, the beds are lumpy, there is no shower, in fact no running water and when someone walks down the corridor the whole room shakes. The dunny is out the front in the carpark....anywhere you like. If you need No2's you go to the counter and ask for paper and take it to the long drop right over the otherside of the carpark next to the main road. We headed down for a couple of celebratory shandies and I ended up paying for a few rounds and dinner. It was a great night getting to know each other better and learn more about each others country.
The morning is cold grey and raining. My head is stuffed up with the flu (did I tell you I got the flu) so I went down for coffee. Two coffees cost me 50c, and I sat there watching all the truck drivers coming in for beer for breakfast. Iona cooked breakfast in the room, french toast, salami, cheese and zuchini.
Last night we had a discussion about the last day. They said we are going to Terelj. I said I dont want to go I still want to see Khokh Nuur, where Timujin declared himself the Great Khaan, Genghis Khaan and Burkhan Khalduun, the mountain he always came back to cos he thought it was sacred and where I believe he is buried. A couple of phone calls were made to Idre and not much said after that.
Next morning we went to an office to get a permit, Terelj and Khokh Nuur are both in special protected area and need permit to go there. We stopped near a lake to look around and the wind is soo cold. The sun is out now but it is still freezing cos of the wind. Then iona tells me we are at Khokh Nuur. I got out and took it all in. We didnt end up getting to Burkhan Khadduun but it is very remote so i forgive them for that.
On the way back to UB we came across about a dozen eagles on a carcass. In the area we must have seen about 25-30 which is more that the whole trip.
The wind was soo cold you could smell the polar bear ****. Blowing straight in off the arctic.
Iona just friended me on FB her real name is Purevsuren Oyunchimeg. I think that is surename first.
Firststop was a 40mtr high stainless steel statue of Genghis on a horse. There is a museum under the statue that is owned by one guy from UB. He collected a heap of artefacts and had nowhere to store them so he built a museum and statue.
Just after this we pulled off road for lunch. Iona cooked pasta with meat and vegies. This was to continue for the rest of the 5 days. After lunch we rolled into Omnodeiger.
For the whole 5 days the driver was stopping to ask directions. I dont know how he knew which track to take cos there was no marking on any of them. We ended up at a ger near Batshireet and they invited us to stay. The family take in people over summer. the lady made noodle and jerk soup. The jerk (dried meat) was about 6 different colours and looked disgusting. It went into a pot of boiling water and after a while the noodles, just made, went in. It didnt look great but tasted OK. We also had heaps of milk tea. These people have nothing, just some junky old furniture, but they are so proud. The old guy pulled out all his treasured photo's stored carefully in an old wooden trunk. It was a great night and the ger was very warm with the fire on.
I woke early the next morning, bloody dogs. It was a top day outside with a light frost and no wind. The wind is sooooooo cold. I went for a walk then watched moma light the fire and make breaky and make tea. The tea is about 5ltr water, 1ltr milk, a hand full of tea branches and a spoon of yak butter. Boil the **** out of it, till it looks like swamp water, then strain it into thermos to last the day. After breakfast I was talking with the old dude with some translation books he has. We worked out he is 53 and has 4 kids, so we were close to same age. His english is terrible but still way better than my Mongolian.
Just up the road is an old monastery, Balden Baraivan Khiid. It is one of the biggest in Mongolia and the grounds are huge. The place was sacked by the comunists in the 30's so there is only a couple of buildings left that have been renovated. At its peak there were over 3000 Lama's living and studying here. After that the biggest Ovoo in the east, then to Oglogchiin Kherem. This place is often called the Chingiss Wall but it was built 300yr before Genghis was born. They have excavated a few graves there so they think it might be a royal burial site even though they have not found a royal grave.
During the day we found a young guy building an Eco Lodge so we headed back there to stay. driver had bought a couple of beers so he and I knocked the froth off a couple. The lodge is called Uglugch Eco lodge and should do well, if he can get the tours to stay here. The location is great and the setting unbelievable. Bonus is he has the best long drop I have ever used and I did put it to good use. There is a smoke haze coming in from a forest fire somewhere and it kept getting thicker. The morning was bright and fresh, the kind of weather I was expecting, and by far the best day so far. After breakfast the guy wanted us to go pick up his neighbour cos they are going to set up a ger today. He took a rifle and we used the scenic route to look for game but only saw a fox and he was too quick. The night before we had dumplings made with fresh venison the guy supplied.
We left Batshireet and headed to Dadal. At Binder we supposedly waited for another driver to come and show us the way. We went back to his place for lunch. More tea! it is not as bad as Tibetan Yak butter tea but it is nearly there. This guy made us steamed venison dumplings. The meat was too lean so he got a bag of fat out of the freezer and chopped some up to put in the dumplings. The others bit into the dumplings and sucked up the fat, I leant over my bowl and let it run out into the bowl. After 4 dumplings I had whatever fat it was running down my chin and half a bowl full. I cant begin to tell you how boreing it is to sit in a room with 3 people talking a language you dont understand. Just out of town is the place where Genghis declared the great Mongolia and held his first parliament.
That afternoon we crossed the Onon Gol, where Timujin used to play and fish. This was the deepest river crossing we did and there was a lot of mud holes to negotiate. The wind has come up again this arvo but it is not as cold as it has been and it is T shirt weather.
On the way to Dadal there was some swans swimming in a lake. Iona asked if I "want to make picture?". I said "no I would rather take picture of the horses" driver turned around and headed straight for them. Of course they hearded into a group. I was pointing right and saying this way but he just kept rounding them up. For some reason we have driven for 5 days with the doors and windows on lock so I cant get the window open to get some shots. Eventually we got it sorted and the photo's should be OK, and I think I got some better ones later.
We finally arrived in Dadal and got lost trying to find the home stay. There are heaps of tourist units up here cos in the soviet days the govt officials used to all come up here for summer holidays. I walked back into town to look around. I was originally going to come up here on bus to Ondorkhan and mail truck to Dadal. Lucky I didnt cos I would have had to sleep on the street. The tourist camps are way out of town and when I translate the Mongolian cyrillic into english I still dont know what it says. Who knew khunsnii delguur means food shop??
We drove up and found Genghis' birth place. There is an Ovoo there to mark the spot. Supposed to be magic happen here at sunup so we are coming back in the morning. The other side of the valley is a spring where Genghis drank but it was not flowing.We went back to the old blokes place where we are gonna stay. Dinner was pasta, vegies and a huge salami and more tea. This time it was real tea cos this guy is a Buriat and they know how to make tea. After tea the three of us went for a walk to a couple of lakes. Iona seemed to want to keep us out for a while and I suspect the oldies wanted the place to them selves for a while.
Up early to feel the magic. The other 2 prayed but I didnt feel any magic. With the smoke haze the sunrise was pretty special but I dont think magic. I sat around talking to the old bloke through Iona, and told him about CBT in Kygystan, I hope he looks into it and gets something happening, and we went to the forest to see some pink flowers. They are special and supposed to have some good benefit when you smell them. I couldnt smell a thing. (did I tell you I have the flu) Back at the old blokes place his grandson was takin the **** out of me. He thought my name was funny and cos I was cold.
We went to see the old blokes friend. Of course more tea. Soon the room filled up with people, all come to see the old white dude. We were drinking tea out of real cups and soon a cup of vodka was given to me. This vodka is made from cows milk. Luckily I couldnt smell anything so I downed it in one go. Iona took a couple of sips of hers and gave it back. They also had bread and watery butter made from cows milk that was very sweet.They seemed impressed that I had a go and soon it was 9am and time to go.
For the first time we saw a few wild aminals today. A fox, couple of deer and some marmots. They say marmots are tasty but I cant find anyone selling them. In the middle of nowhere (everything is in the middle of nowhere) there is a queens palace. It is shaped like a queens head dress and has pictures of Genghis' mother and wives. just near here is a great big pine tree standing right out in the middle of a paddock. Of course it is a magic tree so we had to stop for the other two to pray. It was very warm today, more like the weather I was expecting. In the arvo we came across a couple of guys cutting out wild horses. We sat and watched for a while. Shortly after we saw a few camels. driver said "you want to make picture" I said "yes" so we head off straight at them. Of course they turned to walk away so I am saying go round but we keep heading toward them. I got a great pic of 5 camels asses. They look a bit manky, so does everything cos they are loosing their winter coat.
For our last night together we splashed out on A hotel room. Driver gonna sleep on the floor. We paid $12 for the room but it is a $3 room. I tried to get a pic but couldnt get far enough away to get much. The odd wallpaper is peeling off, the lino is falling to bits, the beds are lumpy, there is no shower, in fact no running water and when someone walks down the corridor the whole room shakes. The dunny is out the front in the carpark....anywhere you like. If you need No2's you go to the counter and ask for paper and take it to the long drop right over the otherside of the carpark next to the main road. We headed down for a couple of celebratory shandies and I ended up paying for a few rounds and dinner. It was a great night getting to know each other better and learn more about each others country.
The morning is cold grey and raining. My head is stuffed up with the flu (did I tell you I got the flu) so I went down for coffee. Two coffees cost me 50c, and I sat there watching all the truck drivers coming in for beer for breakfast. Iona cooked breakfast in the room, french toast, salami, cheese and zuchini.
Last night we had a discussion about the last day. They said we are going to Terelj. I said I dont want to go I still want to see Khokh Nuur, where Timujin declared himself the Great Khaan, Genghis Khaan and Burkhan Khalduun, the mountain he always came back to cos he thought it was sacred and where I believe he is buried. A couple of phone calls were made to Idre and not much said after that.
Next morning we went to an office to get a permit, Terelj and Khokh Nuur are both in special protected area and need permit to go there. We stopped near a lake to look around and the wind is soo cold. The sun is out now but it is still freezing cos of the wind. Then iona tells me we are at Khokh Nuur. I got out and took it all in. We didnt end up getting to Burkhan Khadduun but it is very remote so i forgive them for that.
On the way back to UB we came across about a dozen eagles on a carcass. In the area we must have seen about 25-30 which is more that the whole trip.
The wind was soo cold you could smell the polar bear ****. Blowing straight in off the arctic.
Iona just friended me on FB her real name is Purevsuren Oyunchimeg. I think that is surename first.
- comments
Chris + Kate Do you have the flu?Kates in love with the camel their fully cute! Do you ever take that fat max tradie shirt off haha! looks like a fun time with your new mates.
Ngaere Straight to the pool room!! What an awesome 5 days. The place looks so wonderful and interesting. You look like you have not lost any weight but you do look like you may be coming down with flu!!I am about to get out the atlas again. Stay safe. We look forward to the next comment. Have a great birthday. Love you
Not the Startrack Danv, but the Fujifilm Danv. After reading all that, the only thing I could relate to was drinking Vodka, and then it was the wrong sort of Vodka. I reckon that whole episode would have been a good time to lose weight. :)
Ashlea Sucks your still sick :(That camel is sooooo cute!!! :DAnd the place looks amazing (for someone like me who has never had the desire to travel... I'm definitly starting to understand why people want to. I would love to do this sometime!! and so cool you are at your mate, ghengis' birthplace! :)And I pissed at your comment of the smell of polar bear s*** blowing in with the icy arctic breeze :PTravel safe. And ...... HAPPY BIRTHDAY .... xxx!!!
Lee lookin good Johno :)
Tiana Baynes This is such a fantastic shot John, the stormy clouds really add to the stern serious look on his face. Love it
stevo Looks like a giant perfume bottle