Jackpot

Because there are no watercourses in the hilly scenery it is often absolutely deserted. Yaks, sheep, horses and goats are also hardly to be seen. From time to time, however, we meet some shepherds who mow hay for the winter. Because the progress has not stopped during the last years also not in Mongolia, they are not any more on the way by horse carriage or cattle carriage but with small vices.

We enjoy the loneliness and impressive scenery. Nevertheless, Tanja worries because we can not always water our horses. We own luck and find at the right time full puddles on an earth runway of the rain. It is enough water, to satisfy the thirst of the horses and of Mogi.

In the first evening after the Selengeriver we hide on a juicy meadow behind a bright larch wood at the foot of a mountain range. Even before we can built up our tent a pelting rain is coming up. We are wet up to the skin and dog-tired.

Even if seldom in Mongolia, we stay undiscovered up to the next morning. After the routine expiry of the camp dismantling and loading the horses it goes at a trot further by endless valleys, about a 1,700-metre-high pass range and above gigantic green areas. “Care hole!”, Tanja`s call warns over and over again there riding with her horse Naraa. These are deep holes of the groundhogs in those a horse can easily stumble.

During our first Mongolia expedition in 1996 my horse has broken once in such a tunnel. The result was that we put down both 360 degree roles. Besides, luckily neither the horse nor I was injured. This time we want to avoid such falls by exact observing of the ground.

We reach the small village Raschant, buy some food and leave the log cabin small town fast behind ourselves. Immediately the loneliness embraces us again. Again we traverse a gentle ridge and a mountain range. We let our horses Sharga, Tenger and Bor walk free. During Bor searches for grass he bangs with his equipment against tress. We are lucky, the load does not fall of the horse. “You should lead Bor the remaining distance over the mountain”, I say on which Tanja Bor on the leadership rope takes. “When do you think there comes the brook?” Tanja asks hours later after we already have 45 kilometer put back. “I think on the other side of the mountain hilltop we should see gers in the valley”, I answer hoping that the brook leads water also this year. Really we see the round white gers in the green valley spreading out before us. “There you see? How I have announced it”, I say made easier.

“Saijn bajna uu (good afternoon) our horses need water. Is there in this valley a brook?”, I ask a woman just before her ger stands and spreads out Aruul (fresh curd) on the ger roof to dry it. “ There only some hundred meters farther is fresh water“, hear I made easier. I wave Tanja to drive the horses to the brook. “Here is a brilliant place for our camp”, I say after 50 kilometers groaning from the saddle rising. Our legs hardly touch the ground a man with his two small sons comes toward us. After the usual questions are asked, where from, and where from which country we come and what we in Mongolia actually do, the man called Gangsuch asks his brother to bring a whole bucket of full mare’s milk. Immediately he fills a bowl and passes it to me. “For strengthening”, he believes friendly grinning. Even mare’s milk very needs getting used to for a European stomach we follow the request and drink the fat and vitamins extensive drink. “It will go well”, I do say looking to Tanja who on the past trip not had made the best experiences with mareís milk. Then the Mongols help us to put up the tent. “Great tent”, they praise over and over again and laugh because they do not know such kind of a material house. Hardly there stands our tent they leave us again alone. “And the Airag?”, shouts Tanja Gangsuch behind. “It is for you”, he says laughing. The Airag should strengthen you. “ But, nevertheless, a whole bucket is too much?“ “What you are not drinking today you can enjoy tomorrow.” He answers and goes on. “Again jackpot”, I mean Gangsuch watching. “What do you mean with jackpot?”, asks Tanja. “We have found a family with high Mongolian hospitality again.” “One can say this loudly”, believes Tanja happy.