UB, the Gobi, UB and home

We are home, after a 36+ hour trip.  Flew to Seoul at midnight, arriving at 4:00 am.  Oddly enough even the runway in UB was bumpy.   Sue had found us a transit hotel room for the 13 hour layover and we slept well for 7 hours.  The best part was the shower--hot water with great water pressure--hooray.  Now to finish the last few days of the trip:

We went back to Ulaanbaatar for an overnight and left early in the morning for the Gobi desert.  We were surprised and happy with the weather--cooler than MN and not the 100-110 degrees predicted.  We began in Eagle Valley and spent the day hiking.  Normally the valley, located in the southern Altai Mountains, contains a spur of ice--not this year.  Global warming seems to show it effects everywhere.  Beautiful craggy rocks with purple, red and yellow wildflowers everywhere--a bit of rain made the canyon walls sparkle like diamonds.  Pikas (cute, small guinea pig like rodents) provided entertainment as they darted from rock to rock and down into their holes during our walk. Before we entered the valley we visited a small museum with examples of local domestic and wild camels and many birds and mammals of the area.  Also had a few dinosaur eggs and bones.  The area is rich with dinosaur history. Back to the ger for dinner.

In the morning we drove, again, to Khongoriin Els, Mongolia's largest sand dunes.  Out of the flat steppe the dunes rise hundreds of feet.  Some of the group took on the climb to see if they could make it to the top to hear the dunes sing.  They made it 2/3 of the way up the dune, but two drivers made it to the top.  Quite impressive.  Coming down is fast and fun as you can run or slide.   The sand is so fine it is almost like dust as it blows.  Next stop, camel herders, where we rode the two humped bactrian camel.  A bit easier to ride then the one hump but Nancy is still found of the Morocco experience, but Sue loved her two hump camel.  They were soft, very tall and very gentle--felt like a camel coat since they had recently been shorn.  Back to the ger for a Mongolia hot stone feast known as a khorkhog.  A goat and veggies are cooked between layers of hot stones in a pit.  Interesting taste, a bit chewy but very mild and edible.  Thanks to our hosts.

The morning brought a drive to the flaming cliffs of Bayanzag--a famous archeological site--and reminiscent of the red rocks of the US southwest.  Lots of successful dinosaur excavations, many paleontologists think this is the mecca of the fossil world.  Lots of geods in the area.  We had a great time walking and looking at rocks.  Back to camp for the last night in the gobi.  The stars filled the night sky from horizon to horizon.  Very special to see them fill the heavens.  Still can't believe it rained and was cool most of the day into the evening.

One last bumpy ride back to the airport.  Saw gazelles and broke an axel on our van--that says it all.  Arrived safely, flew back to UB and visited one more art museum and had a final dinner together at a Mongolian bbq.  We were entertained by a power outage and then a group of modern throat singers, horse fiddle and drum group--quite exceptional music.  You have not heard anything until you hear throat singing.  By the way, Mongolian rap is pretty good--van music.

Farewell to our fellow travelers from Canada--and the long trek home will be made tolerable by our memories of Mongolia.  Bayarlaa--thank you.