After 18 days, a post. (All out of order, it's being writen just as it comes to mind)

So I'm back to civilisation and hating it. I've been back in UB since yesterday afternoon and I'm finding it very hard to adjust. I've met some amazing poeple and had experiences beyond my wildest imagination and now I havae to face the fact that it's all over. This country has been an amazing find, all the people (both western and Mongolian) who have traveled this road with me have made this trip. But before I go completely off on a tangent I'll write some more aabout what I've done and where I've been.
First it has to be the mini Nadaam and singing to the mountains. Our first camp site was incredable. It was the Gobi but we were situated in these rocky out croppings that were just beautiful. National Nadaam is takes place the 11-13 of July but many other Nadaams take place around the country in the weeks afterwards. I was very privilidged to see two local Nadaams and to sing to honour the mountains. FOr people who don't know singing is a great part of the Moongolian culture. When the kids are sent out with the herds they sing to keep themselves ocupied, the Mongolians sing when they are happy...if I had to give them a title it would be the people of song, so for me to sing to the group and to honour the mountains was a big thing. The Gobi is a semi desert with only three percent of it as sand dunes. I will always remember the coulores, pastle greens roling away into soft pinks, purples and oranges as far as the eye could see. Beautiful massifs with verigated red and brown folds on the horizon, tempratures of 35 plus. Our first stop in the Gobi (which is the Mongolian word for desert) was the Yolyn Am Valley in the Three Beauties National park. The Three Beauties was created at the same time as the Himilares and are the result of the aftershocks of the conlilsion of the Indian and Eurasian subcontinants. They could be called the baby foothills of the Himilares. I have found several explinations for the name Yolyn Am but the one I like most is the Vultures Mouth. It is the most amazing valley which has ice in it almost year round. Most of the ice had melted by the time we got there but it was still incredable to see pack ice in the desert and be out of the searing heat! The Valley/gorge itself was also beautiful and the on walk down we saw the Mongolian Horse and Yak ( a frequent sight later on in the trip). I was wearing my sandals which are not good climbing shoes so I took them off and climbed the Yolyn Am in bare feet. From the start I got a reputation as an excentric! Just as I remeber it said in the itinarery that we would be going down to Yolyn Am all in the one day but Jess decided it was to much so we camped in the desert, got rained on and had a lightening show! I got dehydrated at Yolyn Am (not a good experience) so when we got to camp Jess made me drink two cups of water and a cup of tea...It felt good to be finally rehydrated and I didn't have a repeat attack.
While on the way to Yolyn Am, the drivers decided they were going to have a mini Mongol Rally. We were going up to 100 KPH on some of the worst roads you've ever seen, flying over humps and bumps in Russian trucks with no seatbelts but boy was it good!! After a week in UB the open road was amazing, the freedom and thrills to be found with no speed limits and no other traffic as far as the eye could see, Bliss. Sophie and dad, you would love the off roading in this country...it's mad!!!!!!!!!
So After Yolyn Am, we camped in the Three Beauties. What I love about this country is that you can pull up virtualy anywhere and pitch camp. There are no designated camp site, you just go where ever the wind takes you. There I saw lots of wild Gobi Hampster. I don't know why but these incredably cute wee besties just made me squeal with delight. I suppose having kept hampster as a child it reminded me of all the fun times that these little things can bring. We were camped along a stream and the hampster came to the water to drink, fab!
After two nights in various locations in the Three Beauties we moved onto Hongren Ells (The singing dunes) and Bayanzag (The flaming cliffs.) Both were incredable for different reasons. At Bayanzag it was the water fight (insitgated by Dowaa and the Drivers!) and at Hongren Ells it was the camel ride to the base of the dunes, Basenhor's singing and the Ger home stay. Unfortunately I had managed to get grit and suncream in my eye so I retired to bed early but there is a hilarious photo of me with tea running down my face taking the tea bag cure to the nth degree!
Sorry to interupt this narative but I am so aware I have to go and pick up my passport so I will continue when I get back. I still have so much to tell you all, I can't wait!
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