in the middle of the bug
We spent the first night in a ger, this second one in the Gobi desert. I don't think it could get any better. Well, perhaps it could, but I can't quite say how.
Last night was shite, to be quite honest. I barely slept, and spent most of those waken hours wondering how to work up the guts to get up, out and go pee, as well as move beyond the crowded space, huddled together with the bunch. It was very annoying.
Once I did get out, the stars were amazing and the sounds of the animals beyond compare: horses, cranes, sheep, yaks - you name it. And all of them right there, in the dark of the night, only some meters away from me.
I managed to get myself back into the ger despite the pitch black night, and pulled out my mattress so that I could sleep elsewhere. I didn't really fall asleep as soon as I wished to, but felt comfortable by the doorway anyway. I got woken up as the third jeep crew joined us around 4.30 a.m.. And then, as someone opened the door and sunshine hit my face like a protruding flash.
Some bread and some more milk, boiled this time, as breakfast. It was tasty and I was hungry.
We rode horses up the hill with Bayar and, as I had thought, it was more a question of having it done - him keeping his word - rather than pure pleasure for him. It was painfully hot and the light ultra flat - three pictures were already too many.
We left considerably late and hence are now sleeping late. The road was magnificent. We were much faster than the two other cars, so we often stopped to wait for them, which gave us awesome photo ops.
Luckily we were connected via radio, as mobile phones definitely didn't - and still don't - work. It was really neat to keep in touch via radio as we drove through the gold mines, as well as after nightfall.
But now I'm tired, and the bugs trying to pierce through the outer shell of my tent to get to the light of this phone are starting to bug me (pun intended) so I'm going to leave this at that. Darn buggers! ;)
Last night was shite, to be quite honest. I barely slept, and spent most of those waken hours wondering how to work up the guts to get up, out and go pee, as well as move beyond the crowded space, huddled together with the bunch. It was very annoying.
Once I did get out, the stars were amazing and the sounds of the animals beyond compare: horses, cranes, sheep, yaks - you name it. And all of them right there, in the dark of the night, only some meters away from me.
I managed to get myself back into the ger despite the pitch black night, and pulled out my mattress so that I could sleep elsewhere. I didn't really fall asleep as soon as I wished to, but felt comfortable by the doorway anyway. I got woken up as the third jeep crew joined us around 4.30 a.m.. And then, as someone opened the door and sunshine hit my face like a protruding flash.
Some bread and some more milk, boiled this time, as breakfast. It was tasty and I was hungry.
We rode horses up the hill with Bayar and, as I had thought, it was more a question of having it done - him keeping his word - rather than pure pleasure for him. It was painfully hot and the light ultra flat - three pictures were already too many.
We left considerably late and hence are now sleeping late. The road was magnificent. We were much faster than the two other cars, so we often stopped to wait for them, which gave us awesome photo ops.
Luckily we were connected via radio, as mobile phones definitely didn't - and still don't - work. It was really neat to keep in touch via radio as we drove through the gold mines, as well as after nightfall.
But now I'm tired, and the bugs trying to pierce through the outer shell of my tent to get to the light of this phone are starting to bug me (pun intended) so I'm going to leave this at that. Darn buggers! ;)