Gobi Desert
Trip Start
Jul 07, 2008
1
8
29
Trip End
Oct 01, 2008
Sainshand,
Mongolia
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
The camp wasn't as traditional as it could have been as it had running water in the communal shower block and our tent even had its own fridge!! The fridge was an absolute must as it was sooo hot by the time we had finished each morning's sightseeing that the water we had would have been better for bathing in than drinking.
The area where we were is quite renowned for Mongolian Buddhists as it includes an "Energy Centre" at Shambala land, the 108 caves, where the 5th Bogut (like a king who was also a religious leader) and some other monks meditated for 108 days only having food on the 54th day, and a monestery which has been rebuilt following the soviet repression of religious freedoms
Ger Camp
.As we were in the Gobi desert we, of course, saw sand dunes but also a strange little place of "Gobi Trees" which grew in the middle of an otherwise barren landscape.
For the guys there was also Black Mountain which they were "fortunate" to be allowed to climb (it's steep and it was more than 30 degrees that day). For the ladies there is the monument to women which is, ahem, appropriately shaped to reflect the nuturing nature of women.
On our last night at the camp there was also a very energetic and long game of basketball on a dirt court with some builders who were building some extensions to the camp, it was very tiring and spirited!
