Blogs from Gobi Desert, Mongolia, Asia - page 5

Ok, Ok ich nehme alles zurück was ich über Moskaus Strassenverkehr gemeckert habe. Moskau ist heilig, alles Fahrschüler am ersten Tag gegen UB! Die hier haben echt alle nen Hammer gefressen! Hier geht’s ums nackte Überleben. Fussgänger Streifen sind als Verzierung der Beläge gedacht und Ampeln gibt’s erst gar nicht. (Echt nicht). Am sichersten geht‘s mit dem Taxi über die Strasse. (kein Witz). Denn auch hier gilt: Ich bin auch ein Taxi. Die Fete in der Mongolendisco war trotz der absoluten Horrormusik recht lustig. Irgendwie ist UB zwischen Bravohits 13 und 14 hängengeblieben. Habe tatsächlich einen bis aufs äusserste getunten Hummer durch die Discostreet fahren sehen welcher mit allen Fenstern unten und mit rund 1000 Watt „I'm a Barbie Girl“ laufen lies… Die übliche Citytour ist ganz OK und die kriegerische Vergangenheit des Landes wirklich faszinierend. ... read more

“Before us lay Mongolia, a land of painted deserts dancing in mirage; of limitless grassy plains and nameless snow-capped peaks, of untracked forests and roaring streams! Mongolia, land of paradox and promise! The hills swept away in the far-flung, graceful lines of panorama so endless that we seemed to have reached the very summit of Earth.” Roy Chapman Andrews Off we got on our Gobi tour organised through UB guesthouse 450,000T each for 9 nights and 8 days inc food, accommodation, Jack, Van and Petrol. We set off in an old soviet people carrier; these are built like tanks and are designed to last. We set off from Ulaanbaatar, heading south on the last piece of tarmac road will not see for a while heading towards Baga Gazryn Chuluu. Only 3% of the Gobi is actually ... read more

Sain baina uu! (Hello) I just finished up my first experience building houses. The experience has been so many things. Eye opening, back breaking, gratifying and frustrating. Mongolia has also been a place that has been surprising in so many ways. The city of Ulaanbatar is fairly ugly. It has heavy Soviet influence in its architecture. However, it is amazing how Western and specifically American the culture is. The people are extremely friendly and gracious. It is amazing how kind they are. The two families we built houses for would give us small tokens of their gratitude. My favorite experience was how although we couldn't speak the same language (we had an interpreter but often you found yourself with the carpenter or a family member working) and how a mix of sign language and their wonderfully ... read more

"It stands to become the longest solo and unassisted walk ever completed." Ripley Davenport, a former British soldier, will attempt the first recorded solo and unassisted traverse across the huge land mass of Mongolia, on foot from east to west, starting in April 2010. Ripley will be hauling all his supplies and equipment weighing over 150kg in a specially designed wheeled trailer around 2750km in 90 days or less between 47° and 50° latitude. The main reason for this solo walk is to raise funds for two charities that support children: Hope & Homes for Children, and UNICEF. Ripley Davenport, 39 years old, served 7 years in the British military as a Combat Paramedic. He served in the first Gulf War, Bosnia, Northern Ireland and in the West Indies on numerous Anti-drug patrols aboard the Royal ... read more

After the mystical experience of Lake Baikal, time speeded up again as we headed for the Mongolian border. Carriage 10 became a micro-world, the passengers all setting their own boundaries and establishing the roles, rituals and routines that were mutually noticed, yet never acknowledged. The smallest sound became audible - whether the drone of Jean-Paul humming a demented tune at the far end of the carriage or the snap of playing cards as my Swedish neighbours completed yet another hand of gin rummy. The two Chinese attendants were tolerant, though not indulgent. This trip may have been the journey of a lifetime for Western tourists or adventurers, but these railwaymen rode this train every week. But they too seemed to fall into a torpor as the journey advanced - slowly chopping bok choi in their little ... read more

(There are photos attached so click the web link on your e-mail is you can't see them) We have just spent the most amazing two weeks in the Mongolian countryside and have had a fabulous experience. We organised a driver and a guide through our guesthouse and were joined by 2 Spanish girls and a Danish couple. Accomodation was mainly in Gers owned by Mongolian families, although we slept in tents occasionally. There was no luxury, beds were hard or the floor, no running water so no shower for 12 days and the toilets were holes in the ground surrounded by small shelters, or where the ground was too hard to dig a hole, poo where you want. The Gers all had fires, fed either by poo or wood depending on whether there were trees around. ... read more