Travelling through a fairy tale wood

It is 11:47 p.m. I sit in the icy tent and write with cold fingers these lines. The howl of a wolf penetrates from the mountains to us down. Mogi behaves like a lunatic. His barking makes me crazy. It goes continually without any interruption. Furiously I attack from the tent in to the frosty night. ÑMogi! Shut up! The dog does not take the slightest notice of me. He stares in the wood and barks and barks. Best I would strangle him. But this makes also no sense. Then, however, though it would be again quiet in the camp but we would have no more Mogi. I come on the idea to hang some horse blankets before the carriage and block Mogis few to the mountains as well with several sea bags. Mogi barks a few more times and gets silent after a little while. Freezing I creep by the high grass back to our tent. I open the stiffly frozen tent. At 01:00 a.m. I creep again out of the tent to wake up Bilgee. Tiredly he answers my wake up call to take over his watching layer.

In the morning we get up as arranged at 8:00 o`clock. Nothing is to be seen or to heard by Ulzii and Bilgee. Both have built their tent about 100 metre above our camp in the meadow slope Tanja is going to wake them up They sleep like unconscious person, believes Tanja when she returns to our tent. At 9:00 o’clock still nothing to hear. I go upwards to wake them up once more. After several calls Ulzii answers sleepy. Bilgee is dog-tired. What? We are also dog-tired. Nevertheless, we have put out an early start, I answer as hi slowly opens the zipper of the tent. Bilgee is exhausted from leading the horse carriage, says Ulzii interpreting the man lying beside him. Nevertheless, then at least you can get up, I answer and start again to climb down to our camp. At 9:15 o’clock Bilgee comes sleepy to the horse carriage where Tanja has based the kitchen. Sorry, I am Sorry, he answers friendly to me immediately. ÑIt is okay. Later I ask Ulzii to translate from now on to divide the work of leading the horse carriage. with Bilgee. I can understand that this job is too strenuous for one person. Therefore, it is only fair if Ulzii and me share this work with Bilgee.
Sharga is very dangerous. He steps and bites. I think it is no good idea if you lead, answers Bilgee caring. We have worked on our past expetition travels with horses, camels and elephants. Also there quite a lot of unpredictable animals were present. It is good that we know how dangerous Sharga is and that we have to handle him with care, I answer. Before we go Bilgee puts some of the dry nanny goat meat in water to prepare a meal it in the evening.

Today we get moving already at 12:00 o’clock. Our small horse train succeeds slowly, however, steadily the light gradient. Today Sharga has his rest day and Bor must pull the carriage. We move by a fantastically nice forest. The high flower meadows show the first signs of autumn. The deep dark red stretches a contrast to the birch woods with their white trunks. Bilgee pulls Bor about a green path by the forest. Thus I have never experienced Mongolia, I am pleased to enjoy this fantastically nice day. Here is no ger, no people. Without doubt we are exactly there what one can call wilderness.

Should I lead the horse carriage for some time?, I ask Bilgee. He friendly declines. We traverse a temporary built bridge about a brook. Bor did the crossing very well during Tenger avoids and rises up his head with excitement. Ulzii is in trouble not to lose him a second time but is finally able to hold him on his halter rope.

At the end of the valley we find a nice camp at a forest edge. Big horse cookers follow us curiously. Then they go racing in wild gallop by the close brook. The water spurting up in the evening sun and is carried by the wind above the green meadows. Welcome to Mongolia, Tanja smiles

After we have built up our tents Tanja gets buissy with the camp kitchen. We hear that Bilgee and Ultzi would like to cook for them self today. Because of their meat consumption they have a completely different taste from us. Food is the ALPHA AND OMEGA for the both. Without meat they would be very unhappy and not to be hold on the trip. They have a small gas stove, besides, but no gas. ÑCan we get please a gas cylinder?ì, asks Ulzii. Because we are cooking with a petrol stove I have bought only from a belly feeling two gas cylinders from Erdenet and can offer them to our companions. ÑThese are the only ones we have.ì I say. Although they knew we go on a trip and that they need gas cartouches, they have none. How should one understand such a thing?ì, asks Tanja.Ñ Who knows? Maybe the cooking with gas has become so normal in Mongolia that they did not think we could heat up with anything other our food. With the energy consumption which they have while preparing their meals such a cartouche lasts at most for three to four meals. We get soon an energy problemì, I consider loudly and think about whether we should cook future by the camp fire. ÑThis is a good idea. It looks like we find enough woodì, is Tanja with me an opinion.

While we have our dinner we speak about the route of our journey and whether we can reach our aim still before the winter. The days become increasingly colder. Above all at the nights the temperatures are far under zero degree. With every kilometer we ride further in the direction of the north it is getting colder. The city of Mˆrˆn is the coldest town in Mongolia. In Mˆrˆn we must think again over our route and plans. If it gets to cold is not to be thought of getting on with our badly equipped people. They already freeze now every night.

Even before we creep in our tents we decide to remain at this place for two days. In the afternoon Bilgee had expressed the indirect wish. Because to us a happy team is important we made this decision. Also Bor is missing a horseshoe as well dangerous Sharga has lost one to the hind foot.
Indeed, out of my view it is critically to anew Shargas horseshoes. His ex-owners are not apparently the best people. How else an animal can become so dangerously for people. My belly feeling had warned me when they immediately wanted to sell him. However, because of fear to get no other carriage horse I had ignored my feeling. Now we have this absolutely unpredictable animal.

ÑToday I feel for the first time free again. As if I belong here. My head becomes slowly clear again. The stress in Germany and the strenuous preparation slowly start to grow pale in my memory. I think one of my most important learning duties during this trip it is to take everything more easy. Not to built up such pressure and stress for me. Maybe I learn that of the Mongols. They are definitely more easy and relaxed. It would be fantastic to become one with this countryì, I say to Tanja lolling myself in the sleeping-bag.