Goodbye UB...Hello Gobi

Today is my last day in the capital city, Ulaanbataar.  I have very much enjoyed the city life; seeing a fashion show at the textile company, paying way too much to see the world's largest statue of Chinggis Khan, breakfast at my favorite Korean Coffee Shop, and a walk around town/folk art museum.

But in a few hours, I will be heading by plane to the Gobi desert to see the famous two humped-camels. I am not sure the living conditions or the internet situation...but I will be sure to share all about the place and experience when I get back.

Until then...

Sneak peek of the fashion show!

More than Words Can Say

I have completely lost track of the passage of time these days. The sun rises around 6am if not sooner and sets after 11pm.  Not only that, but there is a flexibility in our studies which comes from working so closely with the locals. For that reason we were never given a day-to-day schedule.

This worked out incredibility well when one morning we were visiting a some nomadic herdsmen in their Ger and were then invited to a festival which turned out to be a precursor to the annual event Naadaam. What we got to see was a children's horserace (where they walked into the Steppe one km then raced back), and the wrestling competition for adults. The outfits were colorful and traditional yet very goofy looking to the outside eye. And the winners of each round would grab a handful of cheese from the judges and throw into the audience. Such a cultural experience!

That threw off the schedule that I was never tracking with anyway, and we found ourselves going at the speed of light… lessons, presentations, adventures, all blended into an amazing experience which concluded with making and flying kites with the kids from our Ecospot Radio Workshop and then a huge traditional barbecue. There was dancing and singing from everyone though the Mongolian typically sounded much better.

In losing track of time, I have been told this is our last day out in the middle of nowhere. So I chanced turning on the phone to type out this blog (no electricity for charging). Tonight we should be back in the capital, Ulanbaatar. After a short time there, myself and two others will begin our Gobi Desert Adventure! Note sure what to expect, but when have I ever known what to expect on this trip. I am just here for the ride!

On the road again...well, the air that is...

Somehow my two week field study in Mongolia has turned into an even greater adventure. I left work on the 3rd to drive to Savannah and enjoy an amazing weekend with family. And let me tell you, they spoiled me. I ate so much southern fare and seafood, stayed at the Weston (not bad considering the next three weeks on the floors in Asia), had couple tours, and even a hair treatment at the spa.

After the amazing weekend in Savannah with the folks and the dog, I made the long trek to Atlanta and was blessed to stay the night again at a place that has come to be known lovingly as La Porte. My missionary friends gave me a place to do laundry, shower, and sleep as well as a lot of laughter, food, and even a game of chess...though I lost big time...haha. One friend even better got up at 4:00am and dropped me off at the airport.

And the rest is history. I am typing this little note from the airplane...where I got sat in the economy plus seat with all the legroom (that's blessing #2246 on my thankfulness list.) And I am heading toward my one stopover before winding up in Korea for a few days.

Hoping it all goes this smoothly for the next few days. And I am grinning big. Yay!

Two Days with a Sikh

As we stepped off the bus coming back to Kuala Lipis from our little vacation in the highlands, we parted ways to run our various errands.  I headed straight home while others went to the market to buy produce.  When they returned home, they told me about an Indian man they met. Apparently, he makes friends with foreign teachers who come here and his son lives across the street from us.

Next thing I know, the man is outside our gate telling us that he is a Sikh and that it’s his new year so we should celebrate with him.  (Sikhs are the religious group from northern India; you know the ones with the turbans.)  So of course we join him, and he treats us to a FEAST of naan and tandoori chicken, curry chicken, chapatti, and more.  During dinner we discover that he pretty much owns this town.  Literally everyone knows him, and he is an independent contractor in Public Works.  He showed us his corporate rental property and we met all of the owners of his stores and restaurants.  After he received a call saying his cows were out, we took a little bit of time to wrangle his cattle in the car with loud Indian music (a first cattle roundup for me). Then he took us to his home that he built on one of the tallest hills in the city.  He showed us the view from up there, the gold jewelry from his wedding, and many photos.  Later that night he drove us home and told us that he would be in touch.

After our “corporate dental hygiene session” aka going to the dentist with friends, our good Sikh friend pulled up in his car and asked if we would join him.  Then the busiest day in ages ensued.  Iced Milo at his restaurant, accompanying him on work errands, a walk around the pond in the forest reserve (jungle), and another visit to his home where the view was even better in the day.

Next thing I know, it is time to move the cattle again.  His son took two of our girls in his truck, and I jumped on the back of his motorbike and we set off into the winding paths of his 46 acres.  Like modern day cowboys we rustled the cattle through the palm plantation to another grazing spot by motorbike.  (anytime I saw the turban dip down ,I knew it was time to duck from the oncoming branches elsewise I would be whacked in the head and have the little spiders fall on me again…boo!)

Then onto lunch at his restaurant, a look from the highest point in K.Lipis, touring around the rubber tree plantation, a visit to the Clifford school to read about Hugh Clifford who made this area what it is during the British reign, a visit to Clifford’s old house, and back home (at least I think this all we did after lunch…but I did fall asleep in the car.)

I don’t know what else this man has planned, but once again, we left with the knowledge that he would be in touch.  And I am fairly sure that it will be a good thing to stay in touch with the man who basically owns this town.  Who knows what will happen with another two days with a Sikh?

Another African Bus

I woke to the sound of people packing far too early in the morning.  But alas, we had to be ready and out the door at 5am.  Loaded into minibuses and shipped to the border, the sun began to rise.  We had our exit visas for Zambia and had to cross by foot over the Zambezi River to Zimbabwe.  From the bridge, we could catch glimpses of Victoria Falls…but I will be kicking myself for weeks for not taking a photo.  It was gorgeous but at the moment all I could think was “this is a long 2k to the border” and “this bag is heavy”.  Perhaps someone thought to snap one…but alas.

We got another full page Visa to enter Zimbabwe which gets me nervously close to a full passport.  I might have to add pages soon.   If I don’t count the one page I will need for my Cambodian full pager entry visa, then I have two blank ones left.  So….yeah.

Anyway, on to van with a trailer for our packs, where we are informed that the route we were going to take up to Harare, the capital, is a washed out dirt road so we have to go the long way.  For the sake of ease, I am in Van 2.  Van 1 in front pulls over with an axil on the trailer messing up.  They tie it up and search for a welder.  Many stops…no welder, no electricity, no help.  Then we see the other side of Van 1’s axil bite it and smoke starts to billow with a horrid burning tire smell.  Tied it up better this time since we used the jack.

Finally we stop for a couple hours to get the whole axil welded back on.  By this time it is 2:30pm.  We and you have to remember the hour we left that morning.  However we only traveled perhaps 200k or like 120miles.  We continued onward, getting stopped every twenty or thirty minutes to pay off the corrupt cops at the road blocks.  Then cue Van 2’s engine trouble.  The noise started a while ago…but we tried to ignore it.  Then the smell followed, and the fact that we kept losing gas.  So another couple hour stop happened to fix that.

We drove through the night, with a poor food-poisoned Squadmate having to run off into the bush every so often.  And of course the road blocks with the corrupt cops.  Misunderstandings with our drivers added to the time lost and we found ourselves here in Harare at 7:30am.

An 8 hour bus ride…taking over 24hrs…with only 3 cans of juice and 4 chip bags to get me through.  But God did it.

Our new contact so nicely offered to let us have this first day off since we traveled all night, and we will discuss later with him what we will be doing all month.  He mentioned something about a church plant here in the city, but we will see.  Happy to be here though.