Alone on a bike through Mongolia
Trip Start
Mar 04, 2006
1
19
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Trip End
Nov 04, 2006
Moron,
Mongolia
Friday, July 21, 2006
Tsetserleg seems like miles away now!
Lots of things have happened since then. Good and less good
But first I have to tell you: This is motorcycle paradise! If you want to ride off-road that is! Going through little (and big) rivers, muddy soil, over mountainpasses, finding your way over rocky roads, through mul sand... you can all try it out here!
Andy and I decided to go separate ways as his mission was Hovskol and the reindeer people for a month. After a tear and a hug I crossed the bridge alone, while Andy to the dirt road north. Shear panic for a moment but also determination and exitement that I CAN do this on my own
01_Tsetserleg
!Travelling towards the high mountainrange south of Tsetserleg I travelled through this amazing scenic landscape! Hills, riverstream(s), some dawaas to conquer(mountain/hill crossings) and gers and cattle everywhere. I campt at this beautiful campspot next to the river, where lots of locals came to visit me. Had a great time with these 3 boys and 6 girls, whom all wanted lots of photos taken, they sang and danced for me and we had a fun time with the balloons I gave them. Later that evening 4 guys visited me with yet another bottle of vodka, which was emptied within 30min. That night I also had a less wanted visiter: a completely pissed guy, wanting to sleep in my tent (front part). After 30 min. of polite arguing and even letting him sleep outside my tent next to the bike, tying his horse to my tent (????), me tying the horse to a separate peg (as the horse gets scared, my tent will be torn), he wakes up again and I end op dragging him and his horse away for 50m shouting at him to get lost! Which he did in the end....
Passing Chuluut I skip my first plan of going over the big mountains as this road had been challenging enough, me falling twice already cos of muddy sand and a very steep pass. Instead want to go more directly towards Tsagaan Nuur. As there are no roadsigns whatsoever I end up taking a wrong path....I end up on the wrong side of the river
02_Fairfield bakery_ Heaven
. So I let my bike be and wade throught the river to the nearest ger, where I arranged an ox and carriage and a mongol man who can ride my bike through the river (knee deep)! Back on track again.Later that night I sleep at a huge mongol family, who live in 6 gers and never have met a foreigner before I guess, as I am a living attraction 24 a day. Even when going to the toilet (read: sitting down 100m away on the grass) I have at least 3 kids with me. And they all seem to think my tent is a mini ger as they all come in and join me. No privacy whatsoever. Something I find difficult at times, me being a person who really needs her personal space at times.
Also the main man in the family take me out on this little excursion, seeing the nearby caves. All good untill he tells me (using the Lonely planet phrasebook!!) that he loves me and want to kiss me! This guy is married and had 2 boys..... This is the secnd time a married man makes a move at me!!! Mongolian tradition to have more women??? I somehow can make it clear that I don't want any of it, using THE phrasebook again ))
On the road again towards Tsagaan Nuur, a beautiful lake, surrounded by volcano mountains (none of them active!!)
03_Motorbike also in the ger
. The first day I have all to myself (egoistically ignoring all the mongolians who come and visit me, not speaking any mongol language all of a sudden). Finally take the must needed and wanted shower in the lake and get terrible sunburned after! Enjoy my own-cooked meals, read a book and so on. The second night however I get a very unwelcome visiter: yet another drunk mongolian wants my attention at 01.30 o'clock! This time being less polite I shout at him to piss of (using all my mongol words and english support them). 10min. later he's still there, so I get out of the tent and start pushing him. He goes away. As I do not believe he is completely gone I stay awake, and yes after 15min. he is back again. This time more fiercely talking and hitting my tent as well. This time I get really pissed of and start shouting again, no effect, so out of my tent again! Probably not the wishest thing to do but I am so angry and desperate so I punch him in the face! Him being a mongol guy hit by a WOMAN and TOURIST, not a happy man, so we end up fighting!
Luckily he rans off after a few minutes. Thinking he might come back again I take my most important things and go to the nearest ger camp to sleep there. As I do not trust my things to be save I go back to the campspot with 2 mongol guys. As I feared this awshole has come back and completely taken down my tent and emptied all my bags (in the rain....)
04_countryside view
. Luckily he left my motorbike untouched. The next day the damage is oke, as my tent is repairable and most things can be dried, Even some things that were stolen, we found again in/near the lake! I am very grateful to the people at the ger camp as they helped me out big time. After 2 drunk-guy incidents I camp next to a ger from now on...Near Jargalant (on my way to Moron) I end up camping with 3 dutch tourists on a private tour! The cook is brilliant, I am allowed to eat with them and eat freshly made sushi! in Mongolia! Also the driver, read: mechanic, fixes my chain box very professionaly!
Then on to Moron. This is not one of my best days as I crash twice with the bike. The first time I somehow do a fishtale (my backwheel moves away and I cannot correct it), so I fall down to the right, sliding along. Luckily not much fysical damage: just a few cuts and sore pegs (breast mussles). My bike has a bit more damage however. Good thing is I can still ride the bike. After a 15min. emergency kit help from the first tourist bus I stop, I am on my way again. Passing Shine-Ider I somehow loose control over the bike again and fall down a second time, again to the right... This time more damage to the bike and me being so demoralised that I want to ditch the bike there and then
05_lucky feather and tulip
! Enoogh for me!!Aching all over I have to continue however, at least to the nearest town. So I get on the bike once more and travel the longest 45km of my life on a very crappy road!
That night I treat myself to a normal bed in a guesthouse! Leaving the bike and damage controle for the next morning!
Today after a reasonable night sleep I woke up and went to look for a local mechanic to fix my bike (the thing is rented!!). 2 hours and 45 euro later it is repaired as good as it can be. It already being 21st of July I decide to skip Hovskol. My first goal was driving through Mongolia on a bike, seeing THE sights is less important. Tomorrow after another good-night-in-a-bed-sleep I will ride on towards Erdenet. Depending on how quick I can get there (without crashing again ) I will see if I have time to visit Jeroen in Selenge Aimag. I hope so. Then back to UB again.
Where I will jump into an internetcafe again and tell you all about my last motorcycle diaries and photos to be added!
Talk to you later!
Liekie
