First of all, Happy Birthday to Natsuki from us. xxx Natsuki is my lovely daughter-in-law, in Japan.
Well, another challenging day of discovery.
After waking at 7am with the soft patter of rain on the roof of the Landy we decided to pack up and cut a track. Mr Johnny Mongol, who didn’t really appreciate my assistance in helping him to capture a cow for milk, last night, was on our doorstep this morning gesturing that he would like one of our 5L water bottles. With that achieved he went off happy as Larry with three young giggling girls in tow, back to his Ger.
As we were parked a couple of minutes outside town we retraced our steps and found, with the help of MapsMe, the road south east for Tsetserleg. After the road slowly reduced in importance and use, we came to a clearing with some people who told us to go back and take the other road. How far back and which other road were a complete mystery? So, we retraced our steps to where another, slightly more northern track, had departed from the one out of town. Much of the time MapsMe was telling us that we were on the right road. Four hours and 49 miles later we stopped for lunch and debated our next move. Go back or continue on? Jen held sway by saying “lets continue on”. That girl has got fortitude. The concern anyway was how would we remember the way back?!!!…:) The Tomtom GPS could not find a satellite and was not working, so we stopped every now and then to check our direction with the hand held compass. Steady, south east. It took a number of stops at Ger’s along the way to check that we were on the right path. With no wifi and no Google Translate it made things difficult but with sign language and the map, it was great help in reinforcing our compass headings.
“What’s this Martian talking about”? Doesn’t he know I can’t read or write?
mmmmm….Go that way to Ulaan Baatar..:). He was great.
That way?
or that way?
That way…..
Over streams, through bogs, over rutted passes and there, in front of us appeared the main road. The one we should have been on out of Tosontsengel, 85k’s away, five hours ago. We had a similar experience in Morocco two years ago. For the next 290k’s we enjoyed a great sealed road over two high mountain passes, but with 12k’s to go to our destination, the road disintegrated completely. Unbelievable.
We are now camped in a Ger at the Fairfield Guesthouse. It’s owned by an absent Aussie family and is well appointed.
It would be remiss of me to not inform you that the All Blacks beat the Wallaby’s tonight in Sydney 38 – 13, after being down 6 – 0 at half time.
Our room for the night.
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This lovely couple asked me for directions in Tsetserleg. They are so friendly and nice 🙂 – are the Spanish couple. Well, Catalan 🙂
And it was wonderful to get information in English, from a lovely Spanish couple…:). Thank you.
Dennis & Jen
Hi you two, really enjoying following you across Mongolia, you can see the multiple tracks that you talk about quite clearly on Google earth. What a great adventure you are having, very very envious
Hi Ash, we will call you next time to ask for directions…:)
Can,t help but notice the satalite dish outside the Ger. Technology is not to be denied. Yup saw the AB’s game, they certainly are in a class of their own. England next.
Oh! Yes and solar panels to charge their iPhones..:)
Re the photo series, it’s important to offer other possibilities for directions, to check if they are not just agreeing with you. This time they were vociferous.
Do you think John Mitchell will make a difference to the England set up? We have English followers who would be interested in your answer, as an authority on the subject..:)
Us 🙂
Ahh, proper travel – point compass and go ‘somewhere in that direction’…
Great tales and photos – keep ’em coming
Hi Neal, not all beer and skittles! Some scary moments (from a girl’s point of view anyway), but something Dennis says you would be familiar with from your Aussie outback experience. Jen