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Sain bain uu,
It feels like only yesterday that we were 'blogging' about Russia, but now we're in a whole other country and can report on our numerous Mongolian adventures.
We've done the Capital city thing - a few museums, view points and sights. Plus a healthy dose of nightclubs and dancing. One of our favourites involved boogieing around a giant statue of Stalin.
We've also just returned from a four day adventure out into the desert. Where we stayed in our own little Gers (Ger sweet Ger), rode horses and camels during the day and star gazed at night. Mongolia has an average of 2 people per sq km, and it felt that way - very remote. We had to drive for 7 hours over dirt "roads" to reach our camp but time flew by due to the stunning scenery - miles of desert punctuated by herds of goats / horse / camels / antelope and scattered Ger tents.
Sorry should have said, a 'Ger' is a Mongolian tent, circular, made out of wood beams with animal skin walls and a stove in the centre to keep you warm during those cold desert nights - it's very snug (see photos).
One of the great things is it didn't feel like the Gers were something that was just put on for tourists as they are scattered all over the country - even cropping in up in the city. We visited a nomadic family which at first feels very touristy (hello we're here to look at you) but after initial awkwardness the universal ice breaker of drinking games kicked in. Unfortunately this meant Pete having to neck a rather large amount of fermented horse milk - quite salty if you were wondering!
On this trip out into the desert we were unfortunately blessed with a lunatic bus driver, who one day started singing and then driving slightly erratically - turns out drink driving it not as frowned upon here as you might expect. Then while we were visiting Genghis Khan's ruined palace (ironically looking at a stone turtle symbolising good luck and longevity), he decided that it would be hilarious to drive off and leave 15 stranded tourists in the middle of nowhere. We thought he was doing the 'hilarious' gag of driving a little bit stopping and turning round but no, the guy was battered. The crowning moment came however, when- as a dot on the horizon - we saw the bus turn round then stop on a very strange angle, turns out he'd crashed into a ditch!
We were fuming, even if he'd got out of the ditch - which he eventually did with the help of some local goat herders - there was no way we were getting back on that bus today - as he was so drunk. This meant a 10k walk back to our camp in a desert!!! The problem was we were in the arse-end of nowhere and the next day the same chap had to drive us back to civilisation. It was decided that the next morning someone would have to give the sober (hung-over) driver a telling off and a lesson in the ills of drunk driving. That someone was...as the oldest male on the trip...and one of the most irate... Pete.
It was actually quite amusing watching your boyfriend give a 50 year old man a stern b******ing through exaggerated sign language and the use of a less than average interpreter. That said we think the message was received loud and clear and for the rest of the trip we had a very remorseful, apologetic and sober driver - phew.
Anyway all's well that ends well, were leaving for China tonight (a 30 hours train journey sympathy please people) however we just have enough time to try and upload some photos - fingers crossed if not it will have to wait until Beijing
Love the messages please keep them coming
Lots of love Pete & Polly
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