How to Get Lost

So, bright eyed and bushy tailed, we set out for the Mongolian countryside on May 21st.

Our vehicle of choice was this Russian-made Jeep-like 4wd…

Thankfully, it had a padded ceiling. Little did I know when I took this picture, we would need it!

In Mongolia, most of the roads are unpaved. Even the paved roads are desperate for renovations. Possibly in a newer car (with better shocks), this wouldn’t be a big deal. As it was, on the older stretches of roads, I braced myself for every bump.

After 6 hours of driving, we ended up near Hogno Khan mountain, at this lovely little secluded Ger camp.

We only had 3 Gers – one for Geoff and I, one for meals, and one for the employees of the camp. Cool. Talk about getting away from everything!

A ger is a round tent-like structure that can be assembled in as little as 30 minutes. First, they put down the floor. Next, a lattice-work is assembled to create the side walls. Then, they put in the centre support poles and the roof poles. Finally, it’s wrapped in a durable cotton and insulated with water-resistant felt.

The inside poles can be very ornately decorated.

It’s also typical to leave the top open, both as a vent for the wood stove as well as to let in air during the summer. Some newer gers apparantly have glass or plastic skylight “windows”.