The far west corner of Mongolia nestles between Russia and China with Kazakhstan not far away. Within an hour of landing we had been adopted by one of the local Kazakh population: Khanat. We were whisked into his family home and he merrily made all arrangements for our time in his province.
Khanat himself drove us the 7 hours to Tavn Bogd National Park for the start of our extraordinary adventures.
The park is home to the highest point in Mongolia, Mount Khuiten. With a gaggle of non-serious scientists, we hitched a cramped lift (12 in a jeep!) as far as the snow line and then hiked up to the glacier.
A little too reliant on GPS, it was after dark when the casual chemists and micro-biologists sauntered down from these inhospitable slopes (one of the last refuges of the snow leopard).
Our base camp was the home of the park ranger. His family ger was in the Kazakh style - large and brightly decorated with wall hangings and carpets made by his wife. We ate and rested as best we could in this crowded space before getting into the saddle once more.
A week of trekking took us into as beautiful and remote a landscape as we are ever likely to experience. Land of the Kazakh nomads.
We found their hospitality unquestioning if mixed with a distinct wariness of our peculiar ways. Our camera was always popular - another ger, another family photo-shoot!
The intensity of the interractions, coupled with our struggling guts, sent us into our own little tent for a couple of nights. We recuperated by the mirror-like 'Restoration Lake'.
Whilst picnicking by the lake, we were approached by a lone rider. This formidable figure turned the tables on us... Now, we were the hosts. Fortunately, he was happy to slurp cup after cup of our brand of 'chay': rosehip infusion. No worse, it seems, than salted milky tea with a lump of butter.
There was no let up in incredible encounters, even on the road back to town where our way was barred by a herd of inquisitive wild camels.
More curiosity was to follow, as we stopped off to meet kids at a rural school. In exchange for lunch and a jar of pickled gherkins, we were volunteered into giving an impromptu English lesson. "Heads, shoulders, knees and toes, knees and toes..."
And now, in Kazakh! "Bass, eeyuck, chzay, eye-ack, chzay, eye-ack...."
It may have been exhausting at times but our two weeks in Western Mongolia were truly unforgettable. We must say 'Rahmet!' to the many people we met, especially Khanat.
Khanat himself drove us the 7 hours to Tavn Bogd National Park for the start of our extraordinary adventures.
The park is home to the highest point in Mongolia, Mount Khuiten. With a gaggle of non-serious scientists, we hitched a cramped lift (12 in a jeep!) as far as the snow line and then hiked up to the glacier.
A little too reliant on GPS, it was after dark when the casual chemists and micro-biologists sauntered down from these inhospitable slopes (one of the last refuges of the snow leopard).
Our base camp was the home of the park ranger. His family ger was in the Kazakh style - large and brightly decorated with wall hangings and carpets made by his wife. We ate and rested as best we could in this crowded space before getting into the saddle once more.
A week of trekking took us into as beautiful and remote a landscape as we are ever likely to experience. Land of the Kazakh nomads.
We found their hospitality unquestioning if mixed with a distinct wariness of our peculiar ways. Our camera was always popular - another ger, another family photo-shoot!
The intensity of the interractions, coupled with our struggling guts, sent us into our own little tent for a couple of nights. We recuperated by the mirror-like 'Restoration Lake'.
Whilst picnicking by the lake, we were approached by a lone rider. This formidable figure turned the tables on us... Now, we were the hosts. Fortunately, he was happy to slurp cup after cup of our brand of 'chay': rosehip infusion. No worse, it seems, than salted milky tea with a lump of butter.
There was no let up in incredible encounters, even on the road back to town where our way was barred by a herd of inquisitive wild camels.
More curiosity was to follow, as we stopped off to meet kids at a rural school. In exchange for lunch and a jar of pickled gherkins, we were volunteered into giving an impromptu English lesson. "Heads, shoulders, knees and toes, knees and toes..."
And now, in Kazakh! "Bass, eeyuck, chzay, eye-ack, chzay, eye-ack...."
It may have been exhausting at times but our two weeks in Western Mongolia were truly unforgettable. We must say 'Rahmet!' to the many people we met, especially Khanat.
It may surprise you to know that I like the video clips when I hear your commentaries and I scan through for pictures of the two of you! Love the colourful ones and the coat and the teaching session.xx
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