Drunk Guides and Bandits

---

"I'm sorry your tour guide got drunk last night so your tour has been cancelled." Natalie looks at me defeated by the situation.

She is exhausted.

Exhausted with having to work seven days a week, deal with tourists all day long and local tour guides getting drunk and not showing up for their shifts.

"That's Ok" I reply.

"How about a horse riding tour around the island?" I ask.

"Horse riding tour?" Mum chimes in realising what's about to happen.

"I've never been horse riding. Lets go for no more the 2 hours."

Two hours I think to myself, that's nothing on a horse.

Like a small trail ride.

"Ok mum will go for 2 hours the rest of us are happy to go all day." I say,and I note that Ange and two other Russians that are tourless are nodding in approval.

"Well I'll call and book you all in" begins Natalie as she's dialing the horse riding company on her phone.

Mum realizes that she is the only one that's going for 2 hours and that the rest of the day will be spent doing who knows what.

In a quiet, surrendered voice she tells Natasha she will join the whole day tour. And that's how we make our way to Shar-Nur Lake.

Riding in Russia, at least in Siberia is much like riding in many Asian countries. Provided you can stay on the horse you can ride as you wish, walking, trotting, galloping and jumping. The guides aren't to bothered in telling you what you can and cannot do whilst on the horse, preferring to talk amongst themselves and smoke cigarettes.

On our tour is a couple from Khabarovsk and Ange speaks to them about how much she enjoyed their city.

Shar-Nur means "yellow lake" in Buryati. The lake is famous due to its location. It's situated 150 meters above the steppe and surrounded in all directions by forest and hills. This protects it from the strong winds that occasionally battle the island if Olkhon. It's a bit cold today but usually visitors bathe in the lake and rub mud all over themselves which is said to cure different ailments, especially those related to cartilage.

We stop off at the lake for a hike nd some lunch.

Whilst enjoying our lunch we notice the horses get more and more restless. Turning around we spot what has the horses so agitated.

Bandits.

Horse bandits.

Three, male horses, around the age of 3 (the age when horses reach sexual maturity) have surrounded the guides very female, chestnut horse.

My young steed, being the only non castrated male horse tied up is not enjoying this and is whinning and kicking profusely. This does not deter the bandits.

We watch as they surround the only eligible female around.

Mums horse, a grey castrated male, seems to be friends with mums horse and tries to protect her horse. In vain however, as they give him a good walloping before proceeding for their prey.

Our guides finally come to her rescue and shoo away the young males on the prowl.

Ten-ten-ten.

Before you know it they are back, sneaking around bushes for their target.

The guides figure it will be easier to get us out of hear quickly, so smoking quickly and cussing frequently they saddle up our horses.

We're off in no time, trotting with the bandits in tow.

My horse, having a sense of freedom has no problem cantering to his woman and I realise I have to be in complete control.

Soon we've lost the bandits and we slow to a quick walk back to the stables to finish our tour.

I finish the afternoon with a solo tour of the local church on the island.

---