never say never

an early rise to catch the train that would take us away from this country that has crept under our skin. we sat up late the night before in the hotel bar over VERY large spirits served by girls in VERY short skirts and shared our concerns about what we had seen and experienced.

as lou had already had a bottle of red wine (i didn't like it) he went to sleep as soon as we got on the train. it was me who sat by the window and cried as we pulled out of ulan bator. such a haunting place, will we ever see it again?

the mountains gradually flattened through out the morning and by midday we were entering the gobi desert. despite having read otherwise and been told by people who have seen it, i had always equated the word desert with acres and acres of the stuff that makes up seaside beaches. and there was sand but in what a kaleidoscope of colours! and plant life in a range of shades and forms. frondy like miniature pampas grass, spiky and grey green like thyme. there were washed out 'waddies' that had a few trees marking where the water runs...when it does.
distant hills were a rich red brown and the ones beyond went from grey to purple as a storm came in. yes! it rained in the gobi! i put my hand out of the window and felt it...and told a sleeping lou...'i have gobi desert rain on my hand! :)

i had queued in the dining car for a late lunch and finally got a table with two danish ladies who were wanting to see their first camel. well, there weren't many to be seen but i have a blurry photo of one standing very aloof not far from the tracks!

so mongolia...desert, camels, mountains, gers, goats, sheep, cows, horses, wild spaces, birds of prey swooping and then the city where a third of the tiny population live and you can taste the pollution in your mouth; where the cars are all second hand and the streets are full of crammed buses, honking cars and you take your life in your hands crossing any of the roads even when the lights are with you; where on the pavements you can buy hard boiled eggs, slices of watermelon, single cigarettes, siberian nuts, get yourself weighed, make a phone call (are they using radio?); where the people are ready to smile and are much more attractive that you may imagine...
might we go back? never say never!