Chris in the Countryside Part I

My first trip to the countryside of Mongolia was eventful. An awesome experience. 10 days. One set of clothes and a different bed each night.

Sunset at Bogd Soum, Bayanhongor Aimag. Rocks and sand, and dust, heaps of it...

Some kids just out of school...watching the foreigners. It was a cold day from memory

My first trip on a Camel. I am 35 and the kid is 4.

Jon, an old guy and me. Jon is the MED coordinator, the old guy was the local legend (see the vodka photo below) and I was... well I was there, making up the numbers, a great team player.

A trust fall... I should have grimaced a bit more for effect...

Highlights include 2,329 different types of dairy products (OK, so that’s a little exaggerated, but there are a lot of them believe me!) The best of them being Yak yoghurt. Seriously, the yak yoghurt was sublime. Yuppy, vegetarian, lefty, gourmet types would pay way too much money for it at those fancy delicatessen places,. The sort of food joint that my brother Steve and I would love to own. It will happen mate. Just believe.

Buddhist rock paintings from 1752

Another ovoo, this one was on the side of the road, convenient.

The piles of rocks are Ovoo's. An Ovoo is a type of shamanistic rock cairn found all across Mongolia. They are in the traditional animist belief spirit places. Every one that we come across we have walk three times around it and place an item on the pile. They are everywhere.

Ovoos are often found at the top of mountains and high places and at borders and cross-roads. They serve as both navigational aids in a country with few roads and fewer signs, and religious sites, used in worship of the mountains and the sky as well as in Buddhist ceremonies.

Travelers in Mongolia should not pass by an ovoo without stopping. They are expected to stop and circle the ovoo three times in a clockwise direction. They should pick up a rock from the ground and add it to the pile before leaving. Also, travelers may leave offerings in the form of money, milk, or vodka.

Ovoos are also used in mountain- and sky-worshipping ceremonies that typically take place at the end of summer. Worshippers place a tree branch or stick in the ovoo and tie a blue khadag, a ceremonial silk scarf symbolic of the open sky, to the branch. Thanks wikipedia...

One of the best Ovoo stories that I heard was that often people who are cured from leg injuries break their crutches and offer them as a gift to the Ovoo. There is a shortage of medical equipment like crutches for a reason I guess....

The buddhist carvings are from 1752. Pretty impressive. Its weird that they are older than the British settlement of my country. Even older than AFL - 150 years old this year!

View of Bayanhongor Aimag from a nearby hill, yes and theres an Ovoo as well

The other highlight was the Mongolian meat. Every meal is meat. Every meal! Because the animals are all fed from fresh feed, forming fit fresh (7 x F’s!) animals its quality meat. One of the ADRA Mongolia staff jokingly said that, ‘Vegetables make me angry!’ Sainbayar (on the right of the photo) has meat as the main part of every meal. That’s no joke, I saw him eat 3 meals a day, for a week. Nice guy, high cholesterol I would reckon though.

Preparing for the Mongolian BBQ. Very nice, quality meat - it tasted fantastic

The weather is extreme. Winter gets down to -40C or so. That’s during the day people!! That’s cold. Once spring comes around the temperature might break zero every now and then, but it gets really windy, dusty and thoroughly unenjoyable at times. Every thing I wore for the 10 days was dusty.

The sky is big, it reminds me of desert Australia but cold rather than hot. Wide and open sky, with a bright sun, almost in contrast to the chill in the air.

Which road? It doesn't matter.. all roads lead to Bayanbulag - as we say in these parts

The embarrassing moments end and begin with the notebook-in-the-toilet story. I dropped my notebook from my coat into latrine one early morning in Bayanbulag. It was morning (who functions well in the morning? No one! It’s unnatural) I hadn’t had a coffee yet and… well, toileting in sub zero temps is not fun.

I am tempted to sack every staff member that could confirm the story, oh well. Who would clean up after me….

The hospitality and rituals of hosting people are very important. Entering the Ger the right way, sniffing the offered snuff bottle, the food, accepting the vodka shots (at 10am if you don’t mind!) the right way - if you don’t want to drink you dip your ring finger on your right hand into the drink. Flick your finger to the sky in front of you, then flick it to the sky behind you, then place your finger on your forehead and put the drink to your lips. Then place the drink back down on the table in front of you. Easy. Ummm…

Things I learned that I have to share:

The people in the countryside look after 40 million animals.

40% of these animals are Goats (cashmere). Because the goats are kept primarily for their wool, it’s generally accepted that there are too many. They last live for 15 years. They eat everything and their hoof’s are very damaging. But the size of your flock is apparently a phallic symbol here. Oh well. Men will be men. The next terrible winter season will result in many livestock deaths as a consequence.

There are 17 commercial banks operating and legally registered in Mongolia for only 2.9 million people. Almost every family is reported to be in debt in some form or another. Waiting for their annual cashmere cheque I would think.

50% people are living in Ulaanbaatar (the capital city) and the rest are either at the aimag (state or province) centre and the countryside. For a country, so dry they all seem to depend on the livestock and countryside in many ways.

It cost between 2000T (A$2.00 – good value!) and 6000T (A$6.00 – what a ripoff!!) for hotel overnight (usually the local school dorm?) accommodation at the Soum (shire/district) centres. Around 1500T (A$1.50) to 2000T (A$2.00) for a excellent meal as well.

There is no water to wash, just a sprinkle to clean your face, hands and neck if you are lucky once a day. if your a local then beleive life is hard. The local ladies still manage to look great though, make up, fashion clothes etc. not entirely sure how they manage it...

I wore the same clothes for 10 days. Though I got a shower at the Aimag (state/province) centre after 7 days of travelling. That was sooooo nice.

I had to wear a tie and suit coat (20,000T – A$20) to sign an MOU with the Aimag (state) Governer – thanks to those Chinese workers for that cheap polyester coat. After more than a week at the bottom of my bag it comes out unwrinkled and shiny. Did I look sharp or what!!

I am on the left in case you are not sure... he wanted my signature, what can I say... its hard when you are popular.... so I am told!

After playing volleyball at Zag (cool name I reckon!) Soum I have come to a few conclusions;

• Despite my height advantage the locals were not impressed with my skills. OK. not sure who to blame for that.. oh well.
• The international rules of volleyball seem to vary (yes… we lost but I am not bitter – but there will be no more projects in Zag!! HA HA HA HA HA… Out was it? I don’t think so)
• Teamwork is to be kept at a minimum at all times, a Mongolian theme. I still wondering how Chinggis Khan (Genghis to you and me!) managed to organize an army to take over the known world in the 13C. He must have had leadership, logistical and organizational skills beyond my comprehension. I have enough fun with the ADRA team…. Only joking ADRA people – its all love and amusing pleasantries all round. However, if you are reading this on company time then I am not joking! Actually... I am watching you right now. That’s right. Back to work. Yes that means you Natalie....
  

Sand dune in Bogd Soum, just beautiful....