Departure to the coldest region of Mongolia

“Let’s go to Tsagaan Nuur!”, we shout looking forward to an expedition segment we are sure we never forget in our life. Around the ger a cold wind blows the fine dust into the smoke hole. There has been an extremely uncomfortable temperature slide. “Does the weather recover once more?”, asks Tanja looking in the thick cloud mass. “Who knows? Sometime the temperature had to fall”, I answer. Bilgee, Tanja and me work like the diligent bees. Even if building down a ger goes relatively fast it costs to us a lot of energy to dissolve our place of stay of the last three weeks. We drag boxes in Saraas garage. All together these are 46 cardboard boxes approx. 40 × 40 cm in measuring. We heave three big boxes in Saraas log cabin. They contain laptop, batterys, battery chargers, small and big solar panel, a lot of cables, spare film and photo camera and other valuable stuff. Then we have once again an examining and critical look on what we must take. All together these are four big sea bags XXL and four very tough courier bags. In addition each of us has two saddlebags. Only yesterday I have decided now to take a laptop, 60 amph car battery and a big very light and strong solar panel. Therefore is I hope, our energy supply of the forehead lamps, cameras and film camera as well as for the laptop secured. We will see whether the sun sends us enough energy rays.

After we have removed everything from the ger Bilgee and me roll up the carpet and linoleum ground. We pack two roles so that they fit into the all-wheel coach that will bring our household and gear to Tsgaan Nuur. It lasts up to the late afternoon till we have packed the equipment to finally load it on the horse backs. We have terrifically limited what we take, still the sea sacks and courier bags have become heavy. Even if people have insured to us that we not take longer than 10 days for the distance to Tsagaan Nuur we have prepared some security food reserves. Bread, biscuits, chocolate, spreads and canned fish are calculated. for 100 km. Then we reach the place Khatgal and can anew our stocks.

As usual Bilgee spits himself in the hands and walks to action. It takes two hours till all animals are loaded. Because it is already below 4° we slip in our deels (traditional Mongol coat) and for the first time on the trip in our oversized winter boots developed for the Arctic. A little exaggerated, I add this, but we have found no place in the sea bags for it. So we put the things on and can test straight away as warmly it feels in it. At 05:00 p.m. the horses stand ready to departure in the court. We embrace Saraa. “Many thanks for your help. Without you we would not have created it up to here”, I say. “Do not worry about your equipment. I look after it. It will reach unscathed in Tsagaan Nuur”, she says. “Many thanks once more!”, we shout, open the gate and lead the horses on the dusty street.

Bilgee rides in front. With his gun on the back dressed in his summer deel, leading the heavy loaded packhorse he looks impressive, like one of Dschingis Khans warriors. I have the feeling we just walk through a time window into a forgotten world. In the sombre light of the bending day I feel the looks of children and her parents. Dogs bark and step back from the hoofs of the horses. Tanja, dressed in her thick winter deel, a scarf before the face, a woollen cap on, is not to be distinguished from a Mongol. Also my deel and cap camouflages the European, let him look like a hardly prepared warrior on the imperturbable way in a region at this season only few Mongols voluntarily visit. A cold breath of wind whirls the dust high, higher and higher till it is swallowed by the grey of the falling clouds. In our clothes wrapped the wind is not able to come to us. My clothing, consisting of thick sheep fur and wool lends me the delusive faith, mud, wind and above all no cold of the world can though us. Ohhh how I should be mistaken! Slowly but steadily the path leads us upwards, the lights of the fifth largest town of Mongolia become smaller and smaller. From time to time I turn round and look at the former commercial centre between Mongolia and Russia. I am happy to be allowed to continue our interesting and exciting trip. “Tsagaan Nuur we come”, I whisper and feel tingling energy climb up in my body.

“Does Bilgee freeze?”, I do ask myself because according to our view we are not sure if he is properly equipped for this expedition. “Whether does he know what he does?” Though we have given him a tent, an isolation mattress, five horse blankets and a 2 × 2 meter felt cover. Will that be enough to survive the soon coming cold without damage? We will see. Meanwhile the cold wind has increased. The remaining light of the day becomes absorbed from the shades becoming longer and longer, from the high growing mountains. The subsoil is covered with yellowish-brown grass and countless stones. Cattle try to find something eatable. “Does not look well”, I say to Bilgee. „Ügüj“, (“No”). “What do you think from the mountain slope there in front?”, he asks me. “It becomes difficult there to put up our tents. However, let us ride and see there”, I answer. The hoofs of our animals trip over the stone sea. To build up a tent is impossible on the aforesaid place. Except, one loves to sleep on sharp stones.
It is dark as Bilgee rides in a gulch to look for a place for the night. “There below we are protected against the Salhi (”wind“)“, he believes. Bachgui Us ÑNo waterì, I give to think whereupon we turn the back again to the gulch
We have left Mörön only two hours ago and are in the middle in an adventure without net and any security. “There we should remain”, I suggest as we reach a piece of dried meadow. With below 8° we establish our tents. After Bilgee has tied on the horses. He and Tanja are heating up water on the Chinese gas range. I put a horse blanket into the tent, inflate our isolation mattress and lie down my Deel with the fur side upwards on it. After our tent is prepared for the night I join Tanja and Bilgee. They sit before Bilgees tent and protect them self against the disgustingly cold wind. “Quite coldly”, believes Tanja. “Do you freeze in your Deel?” “No, the fingers and my face”, she answers. We eat our noodle soup and see in a not to wide distance the lights of Mörön.

From the quick meal somewhat being full we flee from the darkness in our tents. Before we speak about the timing of the awake layers by with those we from today again begin. Then I use my today’s night shift lasting till 24:00 o’clock to write down the experiences of the day.