Positive thinking generates positivity
N 49°42'773'' E 100°11'497''
Day: 378-380
Sunrise:
05:55/05:58
Sunset:
20:54/20:51
Total kilometers:
1722
Soil condition:
Grass
Temperature – Day (maximum):
15 °C/27 °C
Temperature – day (minimum):
12 °C/20 °C
Temperature – Night:
2 °C/10 °C
Latitude:
49°42’773”
Longitude:
100°11’497”
Maximum height:
1492 m above sea level
Every morning for the past few days, I’ve been shoveling our horses’ manure into a bowl and pouring it into a pile behind our tent. In the meantime, 90 to 100 bowls have been collected. According to my estimate, that should soon be a ton of horse manure. A necessary job to avoid dying in the stench of horse droppings frying in the sun. There is no doubt that we live the life of shepherds. We get up at the same time as our Mongolian neighbors, let our animals out to graze, check on them every hour to see how they are doing, rush to their aid when they are being harassed by a stallion in heat, spray mosquito repellent on their backs to save them from flies and water them two to three times a day. Then I dig a hole into which I throw the burnt remains of our garbage. Tanja boils water and prepares the fresh grain porridge. We fetch water from the pump house, write about our experiences and save the pictures on our laptops. Whenever the opportunity arises, Tanja drives to Mörön with our neighbor to buy groceries or run other errands for our trip.
Our neighbors are also constantly busy. In the morning, after milking the cows, the milk is boiled in a large wok and poured into cans or bottles. Cheese is prepared and cream is skimmed off. While the women are busy at the stove, the men saw and chop firewood, work on fences and enclosures or sometimes slaughter a goat or a sheep.
Sheep were sheared yesterday. Because there is no power nor with the scissors. An exhausting, time-consuming job. Once the furry animals have been freed from their warm woollen coats, they are given an injection, marked with a colored blob on their rumps and allowed to mingle with the bleating herd again. Every now and then horses are ridden. It is not uncommon for the usually young rider to fly through the air in a high arc. As soon as he lies on the ground, he swings back onto the horse’s back. There is no showing pain here.
In the evening, shortly before sunset, we bring the horses in front of the tent, stake them each to a peg and treat their now almost healed bruises. With loud shouts, our neighbors round up their herds of sheep, goats, cattle and horses. The sheep and goats go into the kraal, and the calves also have to spend the night in a small wooden fence. At this hour there is a lot of activity. Everyone is fully occupied. Only when the heavy blanket of darkness descends over the valley does peace slowly return.
Although we had one or two challenges to overcome, it was a wonderful and harmonious camp. All in all, the most peaceful part of our trip to Mongolia so far. Although we would like to continue our ride, we enjoy the time between the two yurts with their extremely hospitable and lovable inhabitants.
The weather is changing. After six weeks of being hit by thunderstorms almost every day, it hasn’t rained for four days. It’s blowing all day today. A gusty wind rattles our tent canvas. Although it is only the beginning of August, we are already talking about fall. The thermometer also dropped to just 2 °C last night. Truly a country with extreme weather.
Ilchelaugsuren chugs up to our tent on his motorcycle early in the morning. “Do you have to go to Mörön?” he asks Tanja. “Not today. Thank you very much,” she replies. “I have a present for you,” he says. A slight smile plays around the corners of his mouth. “A present?” I ask in astonishment and make my way to his moped. Then Ilchelaugsuren hands me a beautiful snuff box in a colorful embroidered bag. “If you meet nice people on your journey, you can use it to show your respect,” he says and explains how to hand over the tin. “A little taken aback by the unexpected gift, I thank him warmly. “Here’s something else,” he says and gives me a gold-colored metal disc with a galloping horse embossed on it. “You can put it in the holder and place it on your Buddha altar,” he explains, handing me the holder. “Tschin setgeleesee bajrlalaa”, we thank him as he rattles away. Only later do we learn from his daughter Olziihutag that her father will be spending the next ten days in Ulan Bator. “He suffers from migraines and is seeing a specialist. We hope he can help my father.”
After more than a year, the country surprises us again. This time with the much-described hospitality. Again we learn how important it is not to judge anything. When we arrived in this valley, I was ready to leave Mongolia. Horse thieves, unreliability, dishonesty, storms, thunderstorms, heat, cold and so much more had boiled me down. The unwanted wait for Bilgee and the associated reorganization of the onward journey are now proving to be a great gift. Our experiences take on a new, pleasant direction. When our preparations were complete, the visa extension held us up again. In hindsight, this can also be seen as a gift, or rather as a gift. There is no point in resisting what is happening. The best thing is to accept this and come to terms with it. What do you want to do about it? Head against the wall? Mongolia is proving to be a great teacher for us. Acceptance, letting things flow, patience, tolerance, perseverance and trust are taught here. Not always in a pleasant way. Sometimes with pressure, but if we are honest with ourselves, this country and its inhabitants are remarkably instructive. As always, it depends on your perspective on the situation. You could curse about one or two negative events. But we also have the choice to recognize the supposedly negative as a hint. Possibly even as a very instructive life situation. Tanja and I prefer to turn the supposed minus into a plus.
Only yesterday I was really angry with Saraa. Thought she was threatening us. But maybe it wasn’t like that at all? It is a matter of interpretation. If she wants to fly to Japan, that’s her right. If her heart is set on getting the necessary money for the flight, that’s understandable. Who are we to judge or condemn? Without Saraa, the entire Mongolia trip would not have been possible in this form. It was good to sleep on it for a night. When we decided to contribute US$100 towards her flight ticket, the news was positive. “I got your visa extension.” Positive thinking generates positivity and negative thinking generates negativity. A well-known statement whose truth is confirmed time and time again.
We look forward to your comments!
