The Land of Make Believe - Bucks Fizz - Part I

 With the lovely Lorraine we were no more than 45 minutes out of Beijing, China on our way home from a most memorable 3 week’er, when the Captain came over the Tannoy announcing, “Ladies and gentlemen if you care to look out of the starboard (that threw me) windows you will notice a prominent white spot in the desert below which is Ulan Bator, capital city of Mongolia”!

THE GREAT WALL

Immediately, that turned into the catalyst that one day would take me to that remote and almost unknown country, but maybe foolishly let everyone on the oil rig know of the intent. Hardly had the words left my mouth than into the Control Room strode Jim the Medic and Big Fat Billy (a.k.a. Rather Rotund William) asking, “can we come”? Except for the ‘lady / s’ in my life it was ‘always solo adventures’ with the bottom line being no mates, no problems so agreeing that single demand it was to become a ‘trio’! Myrth prevailed with all who entered the Marine Control Room but with 'best in class' being cockney and ex-commecial artist Captain Derrek (Del Boy) Palmer who produced an artwork on one of the state boards depicting how things may turn out - joker to the end!

With our aircraft having already crashed into the desert and the seedy and broken down hotel both attracting the Vultures it was I, with binoculars poised, that led the Yak with Billy as passenger and Jim the Medic, complete with First Aid kit, bringing up the stern, but the myrth was not to end there.

With the Green Line representing our track over the 14 days on the ground the
first day and first visit was to Treelge to the east giving us a flavour of what was to come but what was found on the way back could not have been choreographed. There before us on the side of the road a Lady and Gentleman with a full grown

YAK
ready to ride for the price of a pint, and a golden opportunity to depict

Del-Boy's Doodle in to

Real Life.
The next ambition was to cover as much of the

Mountain Steppe
as possible making our destination from the capital

some 300 miles to the west but firstly to seek transport.
Down to the Market Square and there stood Gambold leaning heavily on his somewhat worn out ex-Russian jeep and nealy biting our hands off when asking if he +

Jeep were for hire. 

There's a feeling I get when I look to the west,

and my spirit is crying for leaving.

Our First True Nomads

You Don't Have to Change the Wheels on a Yak or Camel.

The herds men and women warmly welcomed us to their tented homes offering us both
Mare's Milk Beer (yes as in lady horse) and their hard Cheese and asked us to stay the night, unfortunately no time.

In my thoughts I have seen Rings of Smoke through the trees,

 And the voices of those who stand looking.

 Ooh, it makes me wonder!

While there could not have been a warmer welcome at the Yurt Encampment at 

LAKE HOVSGOL

The first sight at distance thought to be the second largest in the world only to Russia's Lake Bikal.

Our new home for 5 days with the locals loving the Lemock, a Trout like fish, to their table.

And it's whispered that soon if we all call the tune.

Then the piper will lead us to reason.

And a new day will dawn, or those who stand long.

And the forests will echo with laughter

Our Home for 5 Days with a lady of senior years lighting the Pot-Bellied Stove at 05:00 each morning.

and a short visit to the School for the children to meet the

Strangers From a Foreign Land
and bearing the fish as a gift.

All to Soon Time to Return to the Capital

Lyrics - Stairway to Heaven - Led Zeppelin