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Published: October 24th 2017
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Buddies
Photo credit: Gillian Barber I am not even sure where to start when I am asked what I thought of Mongolia, how I felt about the expedition and if I learned anything along the way. There were so many things coming at me at once, I am not sure I have fully processed my time in Mongolia and I certainly haven't been able to convey my thoughts in any sort of logical or succinct way. Sometimes it is just easier to make lists and be random.
Accommodations I laid my head to rest in a wide variety of places on this trip. Upon arrival in Mongolia, I checked into
The Blue Sky Hotel which is a nice hotel overlooking the main square and piercing the city skyline. It was exactly the place I needed when I arrived in the middle of the night, alone in a foreign country.
The Blue Sky offered hot showers, wifi, fantastic views and a convenient location. It also immediately made me vulnerable to gentle teasing from my new found friends.
On our first afternoon together, all of us arrived at the "homestay" which was really
The Garage Hostel and began the introductions. My luggage and
Taking A Rest
Photo credit: Gillian Barber I had not been there 10 minutes when one team member walked in and said, "So who is the one that was staying at
Blue Sky?" (Damn, I had to tell them it was me before we even formally met. And the worst part, I knew I was going to have to tell them where I was from and I was already dreading that!)
There was only one moment on the trip where I had that sinking thought of "what did I get myself into?" And it was about 10 minutes after arriving at the hostel. In my head I started counting people...at least 15. Then I started counting toilets...two. And then they told us there was only one shower that sometimes offered hot water. And then I realized there were not even enough bath towels for everyone to take a shower. Right about then I could hear
The Blue Sky calling my name.
Staying in the hostel turned out to be very fun and comfortable. I never did get a hot shower, but eventually I got a towel.
The next phase of the trip made the hostel look fancy as we were
Horse Corral in the Distance
Photo credit: Gillian Barber camping at Camel Camp in the snow. Here, we had options. We could either sleep in a little tent that was covered by a snow drift or, if we thought it was too cold in the tent, we could sleep in the ger where the camel food was kept. I assume I don't have to tell you where I chose to sleep.
There were 8 of us smart enough to sleep in the ger. We laid our sleeping bags out like little sardines and turned the entire experience into a three day slumber party. When we prepared for our first night at Camel Camp I didn't even bother to evaluate the amenities like I did at the hostel. Number of people...18. Number of toilets...0. Number of showers...0.
When we returned from camping, we drove past
The Blue Sky and some of my "friends" gave me a little more friendly grief about where I stayed earlier. I just laughed and decided not to tell them I had been upgraded to a suite.
The Company We Keep Of course there was some concern about spending an overseas adventure with a bunch of
Going for a Walk
Photo credit: Gillian Barber strangers. I am very particular about who I travel with as overseas travel and foreign adventures can bring out our not-so-gracious selves. When you are traveling, there are an abundance of opportunities where you can lose your cool. Flexibility is mandatory and you can never predict what each day will bring. For all of these reasons and many more, I want to know exactly who I am on the road with.
In this situation, that was not possible. That gives rise to concerns about how you will mesh with the new group and how the group dynamics could effect the overall enjoyment of the trip. I could not help but wonder what kind of group I would be spending my days, nights and every minute in between with. They could be crazy, ridiculous or out of their minds. I quickly found out, they were all of the above.
I cannot even describe how lucky I feel to be able to spend this time and share these experiences with this group of travelers. I tend to be a little slow to warm up to new people and can be more of an observer than a joiner, but
Silliness in Mongolia
Photo credit: Gillian Barber the personalities in this group made me feel at ease nearly instantly. The vibe was fun-loving, inclusive and supportive. Everyone was eager to get to know each other and accepted everyone with all their quirks.
I am still in awe of the sort of group that came together to meet in Mongolia and train camels for an outrageous expedition. It was refreshing, inspiring and stimulating to be around the is group of people.
You know that moment when you realize you can't identify the jackass in the room and you get that sinking feeling YOU are the jackass in the room? That is how I felt with this group of worldly, intelligent adventurers. There were published authors, engineers, people who had traveled the many corners of the Earth and people who were fearlessly following their dreams.
These people were well read, astute about world history, had engaged in international humanitarian work and had lived Google-worthy lives. I am pretty sure I was the only person who spoke only one language, with some of them speaking up to 7 different languages.
Yes, I was the jackass of the group.
Camel Handfeeding Shamrock
Photo credit: Gillian Barber Tales
It was interesting to work with the Bactrian camels. They were a little shorter and stockier than the Shamrock Farms camels and they really put on the winter coats. Some people have asked me about what is in their noses. Those are Mongolian nose pegs and they are put in the nose so the herdsman always has a high level of control if the camel gets spooked, scared or is acting in a dangerous manner.
During the training, we did not use them as we never needed them. The camels came to the Steppes to the West expedition team with their noses already pierced. The piercings have healed and they act like an earring would for us humans--not painful unless someone pulls on it.
Being An American Abroad No matter where you stand politically or what you believe about American politics it is impossible to deny the entire world is watching the circus we call the presidency. And my assumption that my companions on this trip would be progressive, liberal people with great knowledge of world politics was absolutely spot on.
Just as was confirmed when we were in India,
Checking on the Yaks
Photo credit: Gillian Barber the world is taking pity on us Americans. My new friends teased me a little about the state of our politics and the gems of wisdom the "president" bestows upon the world, but really they went easy on me. I think they chose not to kick me while I was down.
Random Observations • Ulaanbaatar has the look of a former Soviet state, but it also has very modern features. There are shops, restaurants and grocery stores that easily meet Western standards.
• Air quality can be an issue in Ulaanbaatar due to the geography--it is surrounded by 4 mountain peaks--and by emissions--there are a large number of gers in the suburbs of the city and they still burn coal in their stoves. It is known as an ashtray in the winter months when the air hangs in the valley.
• The traffic in Ulaanbaatar is bumper to bumper all the time. The only time we did not encounter traffic was very early in the morning and the middle of the night. We actually planned our schedules around avoiding sitting in traffic.
• They drive on the same side of the road as in the
Practicing his Lessons
Photo credit: Gillian Barber USA, but many of the vehicles have the driver on the right side. I never really understand why or how this happens.
• Cigarettes cannot be sold in stores that are within a certain distance of a school.
• Alcohol can be purchased in grocery stores and vodka is a fan favorite in Mongolia.
• In the city, every driver is considered to be a potential taxi driver. If you need a ride, you can simply wave down anyone, negotiate a fee and be on your way. (Don't worry Mom, I only used "official authorized" cabs from a taxi company.)
• Tickets will be given to drivers who do not wear their seatbelts and/or are using their cell phones.
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Joy Miller
non-member comment
Yikes! Slumber Party.
What an adventure! Loved all of your "blurbs". Now, as a single senior traveler, I would not have adjusted to your "slumber party" and toilet accommodations. When traveling in Mongolia, I had a ger to myself, though we did share an outdoor privy. Also, the cold weather would have sent me back to The Blue Sky Hotel. Your writing definitely leaves no doubt that you have a passion for travel and for CAMELS.