Days Fifteen & Sixteen Khvolsgol Nuur

Day Fifteen

The early birds are out and about - Richard for his daily walk, Suzanne wandering with her camera at the ready, and John, usually with the camera round his neck, is today doing our laundry.  Jess offers a day walk to the top of a nearby mountain and all except Janine accept the challenge.  Jess carries lunch and John, water and a stove. 

Turuu drops us off about 3km from camp and we follow the road to the top.  Every area of shade is taken advantage of as we zig-zag up, ever up!  Some very steep zigs are compensated by some not-so-steep zags, and it’s basically just hard work…Meaghan struggles with her breathing in the early part – but the views!!!!  At every turn in the road there is another aspect of the lake or another perspective of the mountains.  The lake changes colour and range upon range of mountains stretch back from the lake, some are forested, but others are stark, their sheer black ridges reaching skywards! 

We are overtaken by a young woman who is walking to the top because she doesn’t ride – the rest of her party, from Taiwan, catch us up on horseback some time later.

We stop for lunch on a rocky plateau, short of the top, in a sheltered place out of the wind, and with magnificent views of both lake and mountains.  After a good rest, a fine lunch and a reviving cuppa, we climb to the top where we can clearly see the snow-capped peaks on the Mongolia/Siberia border.  There is a Russian communication tower but, more spectacularly, hundreds of uvoos!  There are all shapes and sizes, some obviously built by visitors like ourselves, are quite simple, small and unadorned, but others a piled high and have khadags, flags or other decoration.  We add our own special uvoo to support our friends who  are doing it tough at the moment – they know who they are. 

Julie decides to go it alone on the return with the rest of the party following slowly…the downhills are also challenging and deserving of respect.  Some of us have probably not had enough to drink and are starting to feel the effects…and we probably should be having more regular rests.  John starts to get the wobbles (a forewarning of the onset of a 'bug') and Graeme is slowing down markedly.  By the time we get to the log cabin where Turuu dropped us off, Graeme needs serious rest time, so jess decides to continue as ask one of the boys to pick him up.  Suzanne, Richard and Meaghan go with her and John and I wait with Graeme.  After a rest with the mozzies, and an encounter with a chipmunk, Graeme decided he would like to continue slowly towards camp.  Another rest by the lake and here comes Sandag!

Janine has had a restful day walking in the area and has the camp all ready for dinner preparation.  John and I catch up on our fluids with cups of tea and water while assisting Jess, Janine and Julie with dinner.  Graeme rests up and recovers well.  Our dinner of Korean spiced yak and vegetable rice is yummy and just the thing after a long day.  Janine and Richard light the fire but most are in bed early.  John has a squirmy tummy tonight.

Looking back

Lunch with a view....again!



The long climb

Uvoo overlooking Khovskol

Cheeky chipmunk

 

 

Day Sixteen

A lazy day today.  John elects to miss breakfast and ends up sleeping under the trees for the morning.  There’s lots of laundry around, and folk are walking, taking photos, reading, snoozing, swimming (brrr!) and just relaxing.  Turuu and Sandag are mending tyres today, using the lake to locate any leaks.  A family camped nearby packs up and the daughter takes a plastic bag of rubbish into the nearby scrub to dump…go figure!

Jess prepares dinner and places it in her African ‘beanbag’ as backpackers pass by on the road as well as a couple of horse trek groups, complete with pack horses. Richard and Meaghan ride this afternoon, albeit a short ride, but an experience nonetheless.  John continues to sleep the day away but says he feels OK.  I’m a bit of a wuus and warm up some water to wash my hair and it gets decidedly cooler with a few spots of rain.  A heavier shower sends everyone to their tents.  The fire I lit to heat my hair water struggles on (with the help of a large log thrown on by Jess as the rain started) and we are able to stoke it up for the evening.

We have an early start tomorrow as we head back to ‘the real world’ after yet another unforgettable experience.  The variety of this country knows no bounds and we continue to be in awe of it and its people.


Sunrise over Khovskol



Early morning

Tree creeper

Richard & Meaghan off riding

Campsite



Day Fourteen 11.08.2012 Khovsgol Nuur

It’s a cold, damp morning and we move our tent out of the trees and into the sun so it won’t be quite so wet when we pack.  Jess has picked up the tummy wog that has bothered Julie, Meaghan, Janine and Suzanne, so we pitch in with the basic chores to assist Turuu pack up

It’s another long day’s drive today, broken by a visit to the town of Muron where we pick up supplies for our next few days at Lake Khovsgol…meat, veggies, gas for the stoves, eggs, beer and any personal items people require.  Another chance to wander around a regular market, with the interesting addition here of a line of Furgon vehicles for sale.  Some folk give Jess a hand to carry and stow goodies in the vehicles, Richard excels himself yet again with his selection of sweets, and Turuu buys a length of angle iron!

The weather looks threatening as we head north, but nothing eventuates where we are.  We make a detour from the ‘main road’, some of which is now new i.e. sealed, but most is under construction.  Our detour is to visit families Jess and Turuu employ for horse trek guiding and family ger stays in bad weather.  Again we enjoy seeing ‘working families’ doing what they do on a daily basis, and watching the animals around the gers…yaks sheep, goats, horses as well as dogs and cats – all part of like “on the farm.”

Finally, lake views!!  We stop at a family ger camp along the lake’s edge – the plan is to camp nearby so we can use the gers if the weather turns nasty.  Jess says ‘no’ because it’s too busy, so we go on the the place we camped in 2009, right on the edge of the lake, overlooking a sandy beach.  But…YUK!!  Big piles of rubbish have been left by previous users of the area, so Turuu picks up the shovel and some of us hold big bags which he fills, while others clear the area of general trash, including some toilet waste.  The sad thing is that Mongolians have a deep love and respect for the land, but don’t seem to be able to manage this part of their recreational lives.  We leave the bags and either a nearby ger camp or Park Rangers will pick it up for disposal.

Finally we have a usable campsite, so those who haven’t yet put up their tents do so and Jess, feeling a little bit better, puts the kettle on for a cuppa.  The lake is still beautiful and cold, warm jackets are needed and we collect wood for our fire.  “Dug” goes across the road and we have to follow a trail to the green bag, marked by white ‘flags’ tied to the trees.  Not long after we have settled in, the “shop” arrives.  Local ladies, who in 2009 arrived on motor bikes, now arrive in vans to set out their wares on the grass for us to peruse and purchase.  They do have some very pretty things and some are handmade and quite special.  I am able to find the beads that Barbara wants, and most people buy a little something for themselves or someone they love. 

Dinner is enjoyed overlooking an ever-changing lake and under a northern sky, with Siberia just a faint suggestion in the distance.  After warming up by the fire, we snuggle down for a warm night…inside anyway!  Those who are ‘fortunate’ enough to be outside at any time after midnight enjoy a clear night with a million stars!

Yak for dinner!

Doing business with the locals

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Follow the arrow at the green bag!

Lunch time

Common magpie

Day Thirteen 10.08.2012 Ulaan Burgastain Pass

We wake to steady rain so pack inside the tent.  There is a small window of opportunity to get the tents down after we have breakfast under Sandag’s awning and sing “Happy Birthday” to Richard…he has remembered that yesterday was his birthday!

Our drive around White Lake takes us to the Khuun Chuluu, or Man Stones, that date back to the Turkic era of Mongolian history, some 4000 years ago.  There are burial mounds in this area also as well as stone circles and squares, some squares with standing stones at each corner.  We cross three mountain passes, each time regaining the steppe with herds of sheep, goats and yaks and mobs of horses with their attendant gers. 

It’s a long drive today so we stretch our legs by walking for 20 minutes or so along a beautiful lush valley.  We see the families going about their daily tasks, attending to stock, both on foot and horseback, collecting water, selling airac along the roadside and working around the ger.  We are met by two little girls who come running from their ger to say “hello.”  When we collect some treats together for them they are quickly joined by another little girl from a nearby ger camp.  Just as they are accepting their gifts, there is a cry from the family ger and a tiny girl comes running helter skelter and we have a few tears until she also has her wee hands full!  Then along comes big brother on his horse, and we need to find something for him as well. 

The wind is cool and beginning to whistle as we make a stop in an area where there are   Deer Stones, believed to be the ancient grave markers for warrior chiefs, and our long day ends in a forested area, not far from the main road and we can hear vehicles struggle up the hill as we make camp in what three years ago was an amazing wildflower field.  Today, probably because of the recent rains, the grass is long and the flowers not quite so obvious.  We are tired and emotional and settle in for a cold night.

Guinea pig 'cousin'

 

Herding the horses

Walking along the valley

Yak calf

Meeting the locals

Lunch with the bar-headed geese

Gone fishin'

Deer stone

Days Eleven & Twelve 08.08.2012 & 09.08.2012 Tsagaan Nuur National Park

Day Eleven…

We are delighted by the arrival of Jargah & Batbold’s 17y.o. at 6.30am this morning to relight our stoves before we get up.  Breakfast al fresco on the edge of the lake as we prepare for our full day hike over the hills to our far-away camp further around the lake.  Leave the lovely, smiling Jargah at 9.30am to climb over two passes, enjoying the views both of the lake and the rolling hills beyond, as well as passing time alternately with each other and/or ourselves, as we are wont.  Graeme, who hasn’t been bushwalking for about 12 years, is striding up the hills and loving it!

Our protector during this time is Batbold, who, on his trusty motorbike, is following our progress and ensuring our safety albeit from a distance.  He joins us for lunch – which he has strapped to the back of the ‘bike.  He appears again at a river crossing which will necessitate getting our feet wet, with or without shoes and socks!  Aha!!  Arriving in their little white car is a local couple who are out for a day’s marmot shooting.  They kindly offer the back seat to a couple of people and ferry them across the water…the front seat is taken by the wife and the gun!!  Now the wife gets out, leaving the gun, and the husband returns to the other side of the water to collect more people.  He makes three crossings and we are all safe and dry – even Richard who crosses over before the arrival of the ‘taxi’ but manages to keep his feet dry anyway, wearing boots and gaiters as he is, and John wearing his lovely Goretex-lined boots.

As we near camp, Turuu meets us for another, deeper, crossing and takes us to the campsite, all in the one truck…because Sandag’s truck is missing the back axle!  The need has arisen to replace the bearings in the differential, so there on the edge of the lake, the job is done…these people are extraordinarily skilled and versatile.  (John’s description…”bloody great!!”)  To add to our amazement, they have also put up our tents!  We are all tired but satisfied with our day’s walk…I start to unpack our sleeping gear while “Dug” does what he does best, but manage to fall asleep, so deeply that I miss the call for a cuppa!!! 

Tonight Turuu and Sandag take time-out from their machinations to prepare and cook Khorhog, the traditional way of cooking goat and/or mutton on hot stones.  We quite enjoy chewing our way through our meal, Mongolian style.  The sun sets, the horses, sheep, goats and yaks wander closer to the gers which dot the valley, sometimes aided and abetted by herders, sometimes just by themselves.  We don’t spend long around the fire tonight – it’s been a long day. 

Day Twelve

Turuu and Sandag continue major servicing work this morning – dust removal, oil change, checking wheels and tyres – while people wash clothes and selves.  Some swim, others wander, snooze, or do nothing at all.  There is some cloud around but it’s mostly a very pleasant, sunny day.  After lunch, John and I walk to the winter yards to sit and relax in the shade.  Horses are sheltering from the sun, but the stallion takes exception to our presence and calls his ladies together, nipping the tardy ones, and chasing down any who have the audacity to disobey, to take them away down the valley. 

I decide to return for a ‘nanna-nap’ and Richard comes for a chat.  We feel a couple of spots of rain and start to gather washing and bags from outside tents.  I ask Richard if he has anything left outside…he replies, “Only Graeme,” who happens to be sitting nearby!  John arrives and we collect boxes and food to stow under the big, white tarp, along with our dinner in Jess’s African cooking bag (more about that later), close up Jess’s tent, then retire to our own tents as the rain begins.  There is strong wind and heavy rain for about half an hour…Meaghan and Janine are both caught outside, and Jess and the boys are collecting water and having a swim.

It is now quite cold so it will be dinner and bed with possibly more rain.  However we do have a lovely fire which makes it very tempting to sit around for a bit.  Two quite young children arrive on a motorbike with the intention of taking advantage of our Mongolian hospitality – always offer a visitor food and drink.  We are having our after-dinner cuppa so a biscuit each suffices and they are off down the valley from whence they came.  Shortly afterwards we have another visitor – a gentleman on a horse which he (and his ingested vodka) is having difficulty controlling.  He leaves empty-handed, encouraged by Turuu.  And when only Janine and Jess are around the fire, a truck carrying a number of Mongolians arrives looking for “action”…they are also given short shrift by Jess!!

Jess’s African Cooking Bag – a bag full of styrene foam beads which accommodates a cooking pot in which the meal has been par-cooked.  Jess prepares a meal early in the day, pops it in the bag, and by dinner-time, we have a yummy stew!

 

Water bird at White Lake

Jess leads from the front

"Minor" repairs

In goes the new bearing!

The ground squirrel is impressed

Life at White Lake



Guardian of the winter camp

 

Day Nine 06.08.2012 Tsenkher Hot Spring

Before we go any further, an explanation or two…

1.       The basic belief system in Mongolia is a combination of shamanism and Buddhism.  The belief is expressed in the names of the mountains – most are holy or sacred as they are the closest thing on earth to the Eternal Blue Sky (Tenger.)  Tall mountains are the king (khan) and are given strong titles.  According to custom it is forbidden to pronounce the name of a mountain within its presence as it may anger the resident spirits.

2.      As we travel across Mongolia we come across mounds of rocks and stones.  They vary in size from a few rocks to large piles of rocks, stones and dirt.  We sometimes see things like empty vodka bottles, sweets, money, crutches and blue scarves.  These mounds are known as uvoos and are erected by local families and travellers to show gratitude and respect and to the honour the spirits of the surrounding land.  They are circled three times in a clockwise direction and a small offering is made to ensure the safety of the trip, to ensure good fortune in life, or to give thanks for better health, a safe journey or maybe for much-needed rain.  You don’t need to produce crutches or an empty vodka bottle – 3 small stones will do just as well.

3.      The blue scarves, known as khadags, are traditional ceremonial scarves and are found blowing in the wind wherever you find an uvoo.  The wind activates and carries the essence of the prayer whenever it blows and creates energy for the area in which the khadag rests.

Thanks to Jess for these explanations.  If you need any further information, talk to us when we get home.

Rain!!  The roads are quite badly affected but we are off to Kharkhorin, also known as Karakorum, the destroyed ancient city and ‘home base’ of Ogodei Khan.  Erdene Zuu Monastery is our objective which we explore as the rain continues to fall.  This is the first monastery built in Mongolia and is still considered it ‘sacred heart.’  Many of the buildings were destroyed by the Russians, but there is still an active population of monks and we are fortunate to be able to witness one of their daily prayer rituals. 

As people choose where their interests lie, a few decide that the coffee shop may be an option…it’s wet and cold and the lady in the visitor centre is pleased to take our wet coats as we wander around.  But, woe is us, the dear little coffee shop is closed!!  Reclaim our coats and cross to the ‘shopping strip’ outside the walls…walls which are sheltering a number of goats as they huddle in the rain…to see if we can find refreshment.  We see a lovely, young girl standing outside a ‘shop’ – a wooden frame with plastic draped over it and ‘secured’– and she says, in English, “Coffee – yes!”  Julie, Graeme, John and I accept her offer, and we are served a large cup of hot, sweet, white coffee for 1000 TRG (about 80₵AUD).  We are introduced to her sister who is the cook and are warmed by both the coffee and the experience.

Meanwhile, Turuu and Sandag have been to a local restaurant and ordered our lunch.  They pick us up at the monastery and we are transported to a large plate of traditional noodles which really warms the cockles of our hearts.  We are also mightily impressed by a young fellow and his little brother who are using a bucket and dustpan to scoop the water out of the ‘foyer’ of the restaurant.  We wade in but are delighted to find that we are (sort of) dry on the way out!

Back on the road it’s still raining and the fun begins.  Sandag’s truck can’t make it up a steep rise and, when he gets out to engage 4WD, finds he has lost the all-important allen-key required for the job.  A passing driver stops to help out as we walk up the hill and watch as the truck also makes it over the top.  Then there are two river crossings – the first one Turuu takes in his stride, but Sandag just makes it through.  The second is deeper.  A horse and rider cross first to test the depth for Turuu as Sandag puts plastic bags over the important engine bits, and away we go!  Turuu’s passengers watch, photograph and video the epic and we all cheer as Sandag pulls the truck out of the water, and then inspect the driving lights where there is enough water to house a small number of exotic fish!  But we are all dry and safely “on the other side!”

We see our first yaks today on the way across the steppe as we approach the Khangai Mountains forest.  It is here, at the Tsenkher Hot Spring ger camp, that we have yet another new experience.  Firstly we are met by young people from the camp who carry our bags to our gers, and then light our ger stoves!  We appreciate this as it is a chance to dry out some quite wet gear.  Graeme, however, is sleeping on the mother-side of the ger…that is, facing the stove opening as it’s the mother’s job to keep the home fires burning…and is not so enamoured with the possibility of ‘cooking’ during the night.  We allow the fire to go out after it has thoroughly warmed us and the ger.  While this is all happening we soak in the hot pool – or rather the warmish pool, until Julie and Richard use buckets to transfer really hot water from an adjoining pool (too hot to sit in) to heat things up a bit.  We eat in the girls’ ger again – they love entertaining! – and spend another warm, dry night in this traditional accommodation.





Jess and our host at Khongo Khan

Ger camp at Hot Springs

Hot springs & shaman uvoo



Standing guard on shaman uvoo

Our hosts at the "coffee shop"

Men at work!



Day Ten 07.08.2012 Tsagaan Nuur

Rain affected roads still an issue and our drivers continue to amaze us with their tenacity and skill.  We depart early for the town of Tsetserleg, the capital of Arkhangai province.  This is a chance to explore the fantastic markets and experience Mongolian life as it happens.  There are indoor market stalls and an extensive area outside where you can buy anything from a pair of plastic flip-flops for 2000TRG ($1.40AUD and they’re fantastic!) to a ger for $9000USD!  And everything in between, including a sheep from the back of a truck or a piece of sheepskin lying on the ground that might fit your cat-basket! Three supermarkets, a meat market (horse, yak, camel, mutton or beef, prepared, if you like, by a lady wielding a tomahawk!) fruit and vegetables (potatoes, onions, peppers, carrots, tomatoes, cucumbers, mainly), general household stuff, and lots of different sweets.  Richard becomes the ‘Purveyor of Sensational Sweets’ and advisor to the less talented.

Jess buys supplies and we head for lunch at Café Fairfield.  This café was set up by an Englishman and is now owned by an Australian couple from Sydney.  They have connections to a community of missionaries and are spreading the Christian word in this area as well as providing employment and training to local people, both in the restaurant and an attached accommodation facility.  This is to be our first opportunity to connect to the internet but, alas, foiled again…”Internet broken – we must fix it!”  So people, wherever you are in the world, we can’t talk to you just yet.  However, we can charge batteries.  Richard decides to climb to the Galdan Zuu Temple for an overview of Tsetserleg and we pick him up on our way out of town…just as well his status as ‘PSS’ makes him a required person!

Several years ago, Jess built a small uvoo overlooking a deep gorge on the way to White Lake.  She and Turuu tend this uvoo and have named it for her company, "Eternal Landscapes."  I have brought the khadag Jess gave me for my birthday in 2009 to place on the uvoo as a thank you for allowing John and me to return to Mongolia and in appreciation of her friendship.

After visiting the uvoo, we drive to  Khorg Uul, an extinct volcano  (2965m)where we climb to the crater’s rim for a fine view of the lake.  Many Mongolian families are also visiting today.  All except Graeme and I decide to join Jess in a stroll around the crater’s rim.  After Graeme returns to the truck,  I wait for the walkers and make some new Mongolian friends…they ask me to take their photos, then they want to take mine, then we have our photo taken all together by someone else, and then we have a sing-song, led by Mama in her bowler hat with tinsel decorations!

It’s not far to the edge of the lake and our overnight ger camp with Jargah and Batbold, a couple, who supplement their income in this way to educate their children.  Jargah, who has the best smile, cooks us a dinner of rice, coleslaw and chip potatoes with a sauce, followed by a bowl of freshly made yoghurt and a cup of hot tea.  Yum!!  Our ger stoves are lit by their 17 y.o son.  We enjoy another toasty night and all our gear is now dry.

Black kite?

Placing a khadag on Jess's uvoo

Graeme on the crater rim

Walking the rim

Day Eight 05.08.2012 Khogno Khan Nature Reserve

Our drive to Khogno Khan is again made interesting by water hazards.  Our first stop is at some giant boulders which overlook the surrounding valley and the foothills, which are our destination.  Turuu is again concerned about the coming weather – there is storm activity and low cloud all around us – so again the decision is made that we won’t camp in a hidden valley near a small working temple, as planned.

We visit the temple, where there are only a few working monks, and set off of a walk up into the hills where the ruins of a monastery await.  Weather is OK when we set off and we have but a very short time to explore before the first drops of rain fall.  Graeme decides to return to the trucks and the plan is for the rest of the party to walk up to a saddle which will take us across to the next valley where Turuu and Sandag will be waiting.

Before we quite reach the top of the pass, the rain is quite heavy.  Thunder and lightning make umbrellas not-an-option, and although most people have rainwear of some sort, we are soon very wet.  The going is wet and a bit slippery underfoot and we can hear water running down through the rocks as we make our way carefully into the valley.  The trucks are not immediately visible but soon Turuu comes around the corner, closely followed by Sandag and Graeme.  Much relief as we clamber into the trucks and make our way to yet another family ger camp owned by friends of Turuu and Jess.  The owners are away but their cousin is “house-sitting” and looking after the animals, so we are welcomed by this very jolly chap, Jess cooks dinner in the family ger and we eat at the girls’ “place.”  It is a very wet night but we are dry and warm.  I would not be forgiven is I didn’t mention this special toilet (Dug has the night off!) some way down the paddock, 3 sides corrugated iron about waist high, and using the traditional ‘2 planks’ design.  Doesn’t sound much – guess you had to be there!!

Monastery ruin

The "boys'" ger




Herd at The Boulders


 

Walk to Monastery ruins