Divja dežela - Wild land

8.,9., 10. in 11. junij 

Ravno sem se vrnila iz divjine osrednje Mongolije. Kot sem omenila v prejšnjem zapisu, sem kupila 3 dni izletov v notranjost Mongolije. Prvi dan sem tako obiskala Terelj narodni park. 

Moj prvi sopotnik je bil Michael iz ZDA, veteran vietnamske vojne, bivši pilot, danes pa mirovni aktivist in popotnik. Njegove zgodbe bi lahko poslušala ure in ure.

Park je od mesta oddaljen le nekoliko več kot uro vožnje, a dovolj, da hrup in industrija mesta izgineta in ostane samo se čudovita narava.

Travnati hribi, nenavadne skalne oblike, čisti potoki, črede konj ter zelo malo ljudi. V parku je sicer nekaj turističnih kampov, a midva sva bila namenjena k družini, ki je poleg svoje jurte postavila še dve za goste, s čimer zasluži nekaj dodatnega denarja. V jurti je zelo malo pohištva, samo postelje, pečka na drva in miza.

Šla sva pohajkovat naokoli, po kosilu pa je sledil sprehod na konjskem hrbtu. Moj konjiček je bil trmaste narave, pa sem raje šla peš. A nič zato, je bilo drugih lepot dovolj.

Naslednje jutro smo se vrnili v UB, kjer je moral Michael na vlak, meni pa sta se pridružila Annie z Nove Zelandije in Halfdan z Danske. Tokrat je bila pot veliko daljša, saj smo šele pozno popoldne prispeli do jurte. Spali smo korak stran od najpomembnejšega mongolskega budističnega samostana, ki se imenuje Erdene Zuu.

Zgrajen pa je bil na mestu nekdanje prestolnice mongolskih kanov, Karakoruma. Od veličastnosti tega mesta ni  ostalo nič, a je samostan prečudovit in vsekakor vreden ogleda.

Naša jurta se skoraj v ničemer ni razlikovala od tiste, v kateri sem spala prejšnji večer. Gostiteljici je bilo ime Gaja in je s svojo prijaznostjo več kot dokazala, kar pravijo o gostoljubnosti in prijaznosti Mongolcev. Ne samo za goste, sama skrbi tudi za majhno prodajalno ročno izdelanih spominkov, kjer smo si vsi trije dali duška v zapravljanju.

Po večerji, ki začuda ni vsebovala mesa, (ta je skoraj simbol mongolske kuhinje) se nam je pridružil zelo star gospod v tradicionalnem kostumu, ki nam je zapel in odigral nekaj ljudskih mongolskih pesmi. Tako sem imela priliko slišati značilno mongolsko petje v živo.

Naslednji dan smo se zapeljali še globlje v divjino, v predel, ki mu rečejo mini Gobi, saj je prekrit s peskom in je res videti kot puščava.

Tu smo imeli možnost zlesti na kamelin hrbet. Tako sem prvič sedela na kameli z dvema grbama. Se mi zdi, da je bolj udobna, a morda nekoliko manjša od svoje enogrbe sorodnice.

To noč smo jurto delili se tremi mladeniči. Čudovit sončni zahod nad sipinami, igra kart, krasna druščina in požirek vodke so bile sestavine super zaključka krasnega dneva.

Zadnji dan, po vrnitvi v mesto, sem obiskala še mongolski prirodoslovni muzej, ki pa je bil eno veliko razočaranje.

Če ne bi razstavljenih dinozavrov nasli v tej deželi, res ne bil bil vreden obiska.

Tako - moj vlak proti Irkutsku odpelje ob 21.00. Mongolija in njeni ljudje so mi resnično všeč, a me daje radovednost, kako je v Rusiji. Fabien je že v Irkutsku, jaz pa bom tam v sredo zgodaj zjutraj. Res me čaka skoraj 36 ur voznje.

To je torej konec mojega solo potovanja. Neverjetna izkušnja, ki bi jo (in jo verjetno bom) rade volje ponovila.

8., 9., 10. 11th June 

I'm just back from the wilderness of the Central Mongolia. As I mentionned in the previous entry, I have bought a tour in a guesthouse and my first stop was in a Terelj National Park. First day I travelled with Michael from USA. The man was in Vietnam war, then he was working as a pilot and today he is a peace activist. I really met some interesting people on this journey!

We left early in the morning and already about 20 minutes later the city disappears and the beauty of Mongolian landscape starts to unveil itself. The Terelj National park is quite close to the city. It is a land of grassy hills, rock formations, clean streams and very few people. There are some tourist camps but we were guests of a family who just have put two additional gers next to their's and accepts guests for a small extra income. In the ger there were only beds, stove and a small table. Very simple but enough.

We went for a little hike and after lunch we were riding horses. Mine was stubborn creature and I really can t say I have enjoyed the experience, but being outside in the nature was just great.

Next morning we drove back to UB, where Michael had to catch a train and I picked up Annie from New Zealand and Halfdan from Danemark for next two days. This time the journey was much longer and only in the late afternoon we arrived to our ger. We were next door to the most important Buddhist monastery in the country, Erdene Zuu, which was built on the site of the ancient capital of Mongolia, Karakorum.

There is nothing left of this once big and important city, but the monastery is definitely worth a visit.

Our ger was nearly the same as the one of previous evening.Our host's name was Gaya and she took really good care of us. She also has a small souvenir shop with homemade products and I couldn t resist buying some:-)

After diner (which surprisingly didn't contain any meat and previously we were told that Mongolians mostly eat meat) a very old guy in a traditional costume came to sing a few traditional songs, which he played on a traditional instruments. That was my chance to hear a Mongolian throat singing.

The next day we drove even more into the wilderness into the area called mini Gobi where we slept. It was simply beautiful, sandy landscape. The tour also included an hour of ride on a two-humped Bactrian camel. It is more comfortable and somehow smaller then a one-humped one.

This time the three of us shared the ger with another group of three boys. Stunning sunset over the dunes, card game, great company and a shot of Mongolian vodka were the ingredients of a really great end of a perfect day.

Last day, back in the city, I visited the Mongolian Museum of Natural History which was disappointing. If those dinasours haven't been found right here in this country there would be really no reason for a visit.

My train to Irkutsk (36 hours) leaves at 21.00. I really love this country for its people and extraordinary nature, but I'm curious what lies ahead in Russia. Fabien is already there and me, I should arrive on Wednesday morning.

This is the end of my solo travelling part which was amazing experience. I would (and probably will:-)) go again.