The first real holidays! until now I've managed to do little trips around the country and specially UB during the weekends or sometimes combine work with pleasure. This trip was my first real holiday! I heard of Khuvsgul before I came to Mongolia, it was and still is on my top 3 list of places to visit while I'm around this end of the world (want to go back during the winter when the lake is frozen). For different reasons of course, but the scenery was meant to be one of the most outstanding of the whole of Mongolia (I do agree know that I've seen it), and also because is the cradle of shamanism (what remains).
I could write details, but i know also that too much reading wont really capture your attention, so instead I'll just highlight a few thing next to the pics.
There is almost 800 km from UB to Hatgal (the soum/town by the lake), as an European you'll think it takes 8 hours to get there... that's the math my head does automatically anyways, but it takes 20 hours of driving non-stop. When planning the trip we decided to take advantage to see the Amarbayasgalant Monastery (one of the few that didn't got destroyed during the purges), and take it easy, so: 4 days of driving up, 5 days by the lake and 2 day to come back.
I took around 460 photos during this trip and it's been so hard to select only a few... You know is true there's not much "to see" around here, you can drive for hours and not see a thing, but that nothingness is what makes this country stunning, I could spend so much time just looking at that nothing!
I could write details, but i know also that too much reading wont really capture your attention, so instead I'll just highlight a few thing next to the pics.
a ger skeleton...
The first day we drove to the monastery camp around and went to visit it in the early morning...
The modern ger!
Amarbayasgalant Khiid
the rebirth... get inside turn 3 times clock wise, and get out... you are then sin free!
Lunch! we had such beautiful spots
Erdenet, and the mines
2nd night of camping and the whole group!
It is quite rare to see white yaks!
Lunch spot
Camping close to Murun
Nyamaa (driver) and Bold (friend that travel with us for a couple of days, M. Hi-Tech, he had anything you could think of!)
THE LAKE!
Finally!
Finally!
The compulsory group photo
Nyamaa, not posing No!
Pollution! The lake is completely frozen during the winter, cars, trucks go through it, and the result when the spring come is this! It disappears relatively fast, the wind pushes it to the borders... I was pretty shocked i have to say, they say is the 2nd fresh water resource in all of Asia after the lake Baikal...
Having say that, it didn't stop me from sunbathing by the frozen polluted lake!
A few hours later the dirt and ice is gone and we try to go for the swim experience, without much success! far too cold! 
Our neighbours
After 10 month in the country finally got to eat fresh smoked fish! Soooo good!
I have thousands of photos of the lake, it's just absolutely stunning!
And as it happens, yaks cross the camp place...
And as it happens, yaks cross the camp place...
...followed by those kids, who were probably asked by mum to bring the yaks home, and got distracted by some tourists... They spend hours playing, and having so much fun with the horses... as long as the camera was out they kept showing their skills! pretty impressive i have to admit!
As a miror
Pink mooned lake
Horse Trek
One day on a horse... I baptised mine "Tabasco". Before hand our guide asked us if we knew how to ride, when the herder arrived with the horses straight away gave me the nerveous one... Not sure then I blamed i didnt really knew how to ride... I'm happy now she insisted... Tabasco was amasing until now the horses i've been one have been quite lazy, not this one, i only had to let go and he'll start galoping . To be honest it took me a little while to feel confortable, but today i can say i had the time of my life! This day will be one of the top 10 moments of my life! Galoping along the Khuvsgul lake!
Not so sure then....
Ninna, also getting used to hers..
Ruth and Pascal
We visited the "fake" reindeer family... Sadly enough they buy some reindeers and bring them by the lake during the summer, they charge the tourist to take photos, meanwhile the reindeers die (wrong habitat)
Lunch break
My horse had to be at the head...
With Byambaa, he found it hilarious i loved galoping, and at the end of the day he'll come next to me and shout "schu!" and both horses will start racing!
While i struggled handling 1 horse Byambaa manage 6!
Hiking around the lake
After far too much rain we decide to go anyway, it had been snowing on to of the mountain!
After far too much rain we decide to go anyway, it had been snowing on to of the mountain!
We wanted to come back to the tents bordering the lake, but got stocked, had to climb the mountain... happy days!
Then i undestood why some people say Khuvsgul is a sea
The way back
Murun, the biggest city around the lake (well 80km away from the lake)
Random herders bringing the horses back...
The volcano
more than a hike it was a climb!
It has been at sleep for a while now... nevertheless it looks impressive
The reflexion of the see on the crater
The top of the crater...
This is where we camped!
The last day of driving we came across a salt lake
And as it happen many times during the trip the car broke down... And what do we do when the car breaks down? We sunbath... There's no point of getting stressed, just get the book and the matress out and wait!
NB: It trip was also a farewell to my partner in crime Ruth, also known as Eddie (from Absolutely Fab) who lived here for 2 years and is now in Dublin enjoying the beer gardens (If you read this darling, i doubt it, but if you do... I miss you! yours Patsy xx)
No comments:
Post a Comment