I wasn't allowed to type this one as there were fears that I would leave out some of the details. My I went to Mongolia and it was fun was not going to cut it so Lauren typed Mongolia.....
We spent a day and an evening in Irkstuk - I can't honestly tell you anything interesting about our stay there so I will move swiftly along.
We got up at 4am the next morning to catch our train from Russia to Mongolia - which actually worked out quite well as there was huge amounts of txting going on due to the Rugby World Cup final (thank goodness for mobile phones) - of course by now everyone knows SA won so as you can imagine we lost no time in letting the Brits on the train know the score!
We stopped at the Russian border for abut 5 hours while they checked passports and customs searched our cabins - thinking we would pass the time drinking vodka and eating chocolate was probably not the best idea since they lock the bathrooms while the train is not moving... let's just say that at one stage Sue was lying very still on her bunk praying to the God of loo's...
We arrived in Ulan Bator and were taken to a hotel for shower and breakfast. The "shower" was a proper bathhouse - so boys and girls split and you go into a room that has a row of hand showers, stools to sit on, basins - bit more than you really need to know about your tour group.
After breakfast we were taken to see Sukhov Palace Square, were we had a bit of city orientation and changed some Roubles into Tugriks before we headed off to the Gandan Monastery. We just missed morning prayers but were shown a 25m statue of a Buddha which was very impressive. After the monastery we walked around a bit before deciding we needed some lunch before heading off to the Ger camp. We stopped at a Mongolian fast food place - I think something got lost in translation there, because took ages for everyone to get their food - McDonalds has nothing to worry.
It was then time to hop in the bus and head out to the Ger camp, we made a brief stop to buy some supplies (vodka) and chocolates for the Nomad kids we were going to visit - Sue vetoing the chocolates (that turned out to be alcoholic) we had bough in Irkstuk for that purpose. We passed the journey to the Ger camp taking "boy" pictures of trucks and of Nick sleeping ... and drooling ... on Sue's shoulder.
We arrived at the Ger camp, unpacked and headed for dinner. The food was yum and Anthony & Nick spent the evening trying to drink Margaret (one of the Australian ladies) under the table - whatever they might tell you, they did not succeed. We spent an uncomfortable night as our Ger tent was more like a Banya than a bedroom - we spent most of the night trying to get the room cooler.
Next morning after breakfast we had all signed up for a horse ride. They kitted us out in helmets and chaps, gave us saddles and then we watched them corral the horses and put the saddles on - there was a LOT of nervous laughter at this stage. We all hopped onto a horse and were away - at this stage we noticed Sue had her own person Mongolian Herdsman who had a firm hand on the reigns of Sue's horse. I only started to worry when I noticed them riding away into the sunrise. I am not sure what happened for the time Sue was away from the main group but when they returned the herdsman refused to let go of Sue... and her horse....
At one stage we heard singing (a traditional Mongolian courting ritual) and when Nick went up to see if Sue was ok (I was too busy trying to get my horse to go slower) he got the "leave my woman alone" stare from the herdsman. Sue denies the romance but the whole group could feel the magic in the air.
After the horse ride and lunch we headed out to see the Nomad family in action (Sue paying particular attention, so that if her Mongolian romance worked out she would know her place as 3rd wife). We drank Mongolian tea (think soapy water), fermented mare's milk (think sour milk. Sue managed to convince Anthony to drink hers - it was a large bribe) and tried some unidentified see through liquid (which tasted suspiciously like water). The boys then all had to choke down big slices of sheep’s fat - watching them chomp their way through it made me quite glad I am a girl.
Next on the list was a marathon walk up a very windy hill to take some scenic pictures - although at this stage I think we were all wondering why scenic pictures can't be taken somewhere nice and flat.
After dinner we played a Mongolian ankle bone game, which seemed to go on forever, so when our guide stepped out of the tent we added some new rules that involved pretty much moving every time you threw the "dice". Margaret decided Sue would be our eventual winner so we raced her ahead! Sue's lucky prize was to run around the Ger tent twice singing Land of Hope and Glory - which somehow became Waltzing Matilda - I blame the Australian ladies influence. Poor Sue - not much of a prize...
Next morning we played some archery - let's just say that if it had been real live animals they would have walked away unscathed. After breakfast we caught the bus back to Ulan Bator - as we were driving away from the Ger camp a man on a horse could be seen in the distance trying to catch the bus - he was waving and shouting something in Mongolian - which we of course determined to be ' Suuuueeee - don't leave me...'.
Once in Ulan Bator we checked into our hotel, showered, changed and headed out to see the tourist sites which included the Zaisan Memorial (more steps), the big Golden Buddha and the Bogd Kahn Palace (closed).
After the sightseeing we managed to squeeze in some admin and souvenir shopping (yes Sue bought a Mongolian hat - which she wore on the train) and then it was once again time to hit the supermarket for some MORE train food for our journey to China.
The next morning at breakfast Sue found out her Mongolian name was Swan Head, which we called her for the rest of our trip out of Mongolia, when we finally crossed the border into China there was a tear in Sue's eye - I think Mongolia will always have a special place in her heart.
