Reach our first stage aim

At 7:00 o’clock we open our eyes and look outside. All horses are still there. It was a night with very little and worried sleep. We are wondering if Ulzii is really not coming anymore or if he just had a bad day yesterday? “He will at least come for his salary”, I say. “However, for it he must not come to the camp. I think he will visit us at Saraa`s place”, replies Tanja. “Probably”, I answer once more the sleeping-bag over my head pulling. At 8:00 o’clock we hear the zipper from Bilgees tent. Immediately we also creep out from our small tent and welcome him friendly. “Oglooniimend!”, I call (good morning). “Oglooniimend!” Bilgee answers in a good mood.

Bilgee comes along immediately to get the two old horse posts which he has discovered yesterday on a hill. “I go with you!”, I shout, put my jacket on and run to him. I like to show him I happy I am to take over Ulziis duties and that we also reach aim without translation. “It is quite peculiarly to us Ulzii has left us shortly before the aim”, I say in German and in sign language as we walk side by side. “Ulzii behaves like a small immature boy. This does not feel well”, I understand. I am glad that Bilgee judges the situation again like an adult, experienced man .

Back in the camp Bilgee starts to saw one of the trunks. “I have discovered two other horse posts on another hill. With it we own for two days fire wood. Only the horses hardly have to eat on the meadow”, he considers. Only now Tanja and I realise that Bilgee thinks we are planning to stay here for several days. However, for the organisation work which approaches us for the winter it is impossible to stay here outside of town. We need approvals for the time we like to live in the nature reserve of the Tuwa. We need the political backing of the mayor of Mörön and because we are not far from the Russian border we need to find a special approval of the military. We need the complete equipment for a ger and must arrange with Saraa how we can transport our equipment in the village Tsagaan Nuur 350 kilometer away from here. At the moment we have no idea where we leave our horses in winter. Only how do we explain all that to our Bilgee? Without translators, impossibly. Our Mongolian is up to now a disaster. However, though we practice this language but is not learnt easily. Though Ulzii was the worst translated we ever had on an expeditions, however now we note as hard it is without him. If Bilgee would not react so sensible and smart already now this trip would be on its end.

At 12:30 a.m. we leave the overnight stay place behind us. Slowly we ride this time only the three of us, to Mörön. We use one of the countless lanes the cars have moved in the steppe. After two hours we reach the town sign from Mörön. “Now we are in the entrance to the town”, Tanja says her mobile phone at the ear holding riding on her horse. “I come and get you”, answers Saraa. Ten minutes later an old car meets us. A woman at middle age gets out. “Whether she is Saraa?”, I ask. “I think so”, believes Tanja. The woman talks to Bilgee. Because she has not welcomed us yet we still do not know whether this is really Saraa. “Saraa?”, I ask. “Yes”, she answers. “Bilgee knows where we live. I have explained the way to him. Simply follow him. Then we meet at home”.

After we have unloaded the whole horse carriage and have settled everything in the small log cabin Bilgee and me stand before the gate and consider how we get it shut. It does not last long and we find a solution. A metal clutch from my spare parts box is quick screwed to the door by we move two chains and a Chinese lock. “Looks well”, believes Bilgee laughing. We shake hands and go again to the house. Meanwhile Saraa is back from shopping. We have small dumplings filled with sheep meat and cooked in milk. To celebrate the day being happy we made it up to here we have shopped in a small food store not far from here for all of us a few beer and peanuts.