[Barts trip of a lifetime!] The Yak and other Mongolian stories!

[Bart]

Ok people, live from Shanghai - China, I bring you my update about my Mongolian adventure! The story has been written in Beijing, but I had so much fun there, I simply had not the time to update my blog sooner :D. I hope the stories about Beijing will be on the air soon as well :P. Enjoy!

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In grannies apartment (still in Irkutsk Russia), I woke up around 4 am that morning by my alarm clock. My transfer to the trainstation would be around 4.30. One of the grannies woke up as well and handed me a small plastic bag, and said something like ‘breakfast’. The bag contained a small piece of bread, 2 boiled eggs and a tomato! What a sweet lady! I handed her 150 rubbles (around 5 euro) to show my appreciation and her effort. Ít means little money to me, but it means a few days food to her! She just smiled to me as I went downstairs, to my driver who was waiting for me!

When dropped off at the train station I met Wouter and Linda again, the Dutch couple I ran into one day earlier when I was in the Internet café. It turned out they had the same carriage as me, so that was cool! The next 1,5 day I would spend in the train again. Next destination, the capital of Mongolia, Ulan-Batar. However this 1,5 day in the train were like a ‘walk in the park’ compared to the first 4 days I had to spent in the train. Especially since we travelled over night as well, which meant I could sleep basically half of my journey. When I was awake, I had a good time with Wouter and Linda, we played some games and watched a movie on my laptop (The Hangover) and talked a lot.

But the moment we arrived at the border, I had a nervous moment. Official guards with guns and ‘drug’ dogs (German Sheppards) arrived and looked quite serious and I immediately figured these were not some people to mess with. When one (lady) guard asked for my passport, I handed it to her. When she asked for my ‘immigration card’ I just looked at her. Puzzled! ‘immigration card’? I repeated. I didn’t get an immigration card, where the f*ck should I have got an immigration card from?? I looked at Wouter and Linda, who where holding their immigration card in their hands already! Obviously I was supposed to have an immigration card, which seems logical, ‘cause usual you get those things upon arrival at the airport. But I couldn’t remember I got one, and I even if would have got one, I would be sure to have put it with my official documents and tickets, like usual! Either way… I didn’t have one, and the lady began to stare at me, waiting for the card!

Then… I just did what works usual. I flashed a smile! Saying with my sweetest voice I didn’t have a card, ‘cause I didn’t receive one at the airport! She looked at me, (little angry) and walked off. The next few hours I was a little nervous. I didn’t wanted to get off the train for some stupid questions, or having the guards checking my luggage. And not because I had some prohibited items in my bag, but because of the fact it’s a real challenge to fit everything in perfectly (I really brought too much shit). It takes me about 30 minutes every time to pack :P! And I was quite sure that the lady in official uniform with angry dog, would certainly not say ‘let me pack you bag for you again, sweet innocent Dutch boy, I’m sorry for the misunderstanding’.



Train friends!



When we went off on the platform (the passport checks would take several hours at the border) we joked a little about my situation. In the mean time a nice Swiss couple was standing with me and Wouter and Linda, and together (with me) we had some good laughs about how I would be facing some serious jail time, sharing a cell with ‘Ivan the Terrible’ who would make me his bitch in no time!

Anyway… in the end, the lady came to our cabine again, offered me my passport and walked off. No questions asked! I was so happy and relieved! (The minute we arrived at the Mongolian border (yeah it sounds crazy, but apparently its necessary to check your passports twice) I got an ‘new’ immigration card (this time for Mongolia). I kissed it, I hugged it and treated it as a national treasure for the next few days. (this wouldn’t happen to me again I thought).

So, besides the few nervous hours at the border, the 1,5 day in the train went by in a flash. I made it to Ulan-Batar. After I said goodbye to the peepz I met, I found my guide, a Mongolian man named ‘Bade’ (at least I think it was his name, ‘cause I kept calling him this way haha) who would drive me to my first destination. The Ger-camp somewhere in a national park (Terelij) up in the mountains, 90 minutes outside of the big city!

And man, what a trip was that. I thought the scenery of Irkutsk was nice, but compared to the landscapes of Mongolia, Irkutsk seemed like an ordinary park! For every minute we kept driving, the temperature dropped and the mountains got higher, but still it was (again) awesome weather. Blue sky, bright sun and no breeze. It was amazing to be in an environment like that. After an hour driving through the mountains and ‘no mans land’ I arrived at my park. The park consisted of a few Ger-Tents for the guests, a big ‘restaurant’ tent in the middle and a simple house where the toilets and (nice and warm) showers were. It was absolutely amazing to spend my next two days there. I was all alone, after 2 weeks of travelling and being social with people wherever I came. I spoke to people maybe 30 minutes those 2 days, nothing more. I loved it to the max. In the nights I had a fantastic view on thousands of stars, with nothing but the sound of some insects and an occasional bark of a dog. The perfect place to get rest and thinking over my sins! :-D! I spent the days with some music, some reading, some walking, keeping my old fashioned ‘fire heater’ running by throwing wood on it (and of course play with the fire gnagnagna – Im still a boy) and by eating the most delicious food I got on my trip so far (all included – nothing to pay). Easily one of the best parts of my trip so-far. But rather than trying to describe how it was, just have a look at the pictures. It will say enough!

After my 2 days in the Ger-Camp, my guide – Bade, picked me up again. I already made a deal with him to pay him 50.000 of “whatever you call the currency in Mongolia” (25 euro’s) and for that he would spend a day showing me around in both the mountain area and the city! This became some money well spend, ‘cause he was my guide for 10 hours that day and showed me some fantastic spots and things I wouldn’t have seen if I were by myself. I went to a ‘famous’ rock called ‘the turtle rock’ a massive piece of rock shaped as a turtle. He brought me to a nomad family where I got my first cup (and last LOL) of warm Yak milk!

Speaking of Yaks. I mentioned to Bade, that the minute he spotted a Yak, I wanted to take a picture of it. Of course we passed a Yak which was somewhere grazing in the grass. I asked Bade if a Yak was dangerous (like a bull) or friendly (like a cow). I believe the exact words of Bade were “no no… friendly animal… very calm, you go there… I take picture”. Although I believed him, the fence around the Yak kind of said the contrary. I mean, every animal in the park, (horses, cows (even camels)) were roaming free, with no fences around it and basically free to approach. But the Yak… not so much. A large fence was guarding it. But, I still wanted a picture of me and the Yak, so I jumped the fence, ready for an awesome pic! I thought a movie would be nice as well… so I instructed Bade to make a record of my action which I would call ‘Bart approaching the Yak’. When I was doing my ‘Steve Erwin vs. Crocodile Dundee’ imitation (I WILL NOW APPROACH THE YAK) I sneaked up to him, in a circle motion. When I was a few meters away of the Yak, it suddenly stopped grazing… lifted it’s head up… and we stared to each other for a few seconds. (Damn it’s huge). And at that moment, The Yak made a sudden move and made a LOUD noise in my direction like he was RUNNING TOWARDS me. I RAN LIKE A BIG SISSY hahahahaha. I really thought the Yak was coming after me. ‘cause it was really like the CHARGE motion a bull would have done! But clearly the Yak didn’t. It was just a ‘warning’ movement, which I think meant something like… “back off stupid Dutch boy, or you will become famous as the first dumb shit who has been eaten alive by a Yak”. Anyway, no picture with me and the Yak. But I DO HAVE a classic movie of me running like a bitch, and Bade laughing his ass of while he was recording me! I hope I’m able to upload it soon! Its hilarious!

The rest of the day I spend time in the city for some sightseeing. Also I visited the national museum (which was awesome) with all kind of Mongolian history, 100’s of small and big stuffed animals, and the highlight, a skeleton of a giant T-REX look-a-like-dinosaur. When I was a little boy I was crazy of dinosaurs, so it was so cool to see it. Unfortunately I was not allowed to take a picture of it.

When I left the museum I heard ‘Hiiii Baaaart’. I turned around and there I saw Sarah and her dad David again, the two Irish people I spent my 4 days with, during the train trip from Moscow to Irkutsk. What a coincidence. We chatted a little and we decided to meet up later that day for dinner and a beer together. After that I took Bade (who waited for me all that time) for a beer, before he would take me to the view point, which would give me a great view of the city. Bade told me Mongolia has somewhere around 2 million residents, but 1 million where living in Ulan-Batar. Quite crowded you can say.

My last stop after the viewpoint was some sort of ‘national’ folk dance and throat singing event, for which Mongolia is well known. I paid around 6 euro’s to get in, and it was absolutely amazing. Typical Mongolian dances and music (with some very cool instruments I had never seen before) and some very extraordinary dressed people dancing and singing. It was so cool to see it.

Bade finally dropped me off at a ‘Mongolian BBQ’ all you can eat restaurant. David and Sarah joined me and after I thanked Bade 100 times and gave him his money and a tip, the 3 of us had a massive meal in the restaurant. All kind of meat and different kinds of salads and side dishes were available in ‘buffet style’. You walked to the buffet, got your raw meat on a plate, and walked to the 2 Mongolian cooks, who would prepare it for you on the spot. Including some awesome tricks like ‘flambéing the food’, ‘juggling’ with the knives and flipping pieces of meat from the hot cooking plate right on your plate. Awesome dinner, eating as much a I could, for less than 10 euro’s! 

And with that dinner as the last activity of the day, I said goodbye again to my friends again and started walking towards my hostel. Which was somewhere ‘down that direction’ Bade told me before he left! Well… I didn’t mind. I would manage…. After all, it’s one great experience so far. It would turn out fine… as it always does!

< to be continued >

ps. click here for pictures

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Geplaatst door Bart op Barts trip of a lifetime! op 10/05/2010 12:48:00 PM