shecyclesolo

Day 167 564 days to go. Distance: today: 0 km total 8862 km. It’s 10pm Tuesday 15/5/2012 Tetserleg. Hi there fine fine folk. I am soooo happy and excited knowing that in just over a week I’ll be home. What an incredibly cool thought to end the day with. It’s been a day of emailing and skyping and being comforted by emails from family and friends. I have found out from staff here that I can catch a bus back to UB and will book my ticket tomorrow morning leaving Thursday 8am arriving UB 5pm. I spoke with one of the staff here her name is Bayarmaa which means ‘happy princess’ and she is every bit her namesake. Bayermaa finishes work at 10am in the morning and has offered to come with me to the bus station to ensure I make the appropriate booking for Rube and I. How awesome is that!!!! Mum and Dad are liasoning with a local travel agent to arrange the flight booking from UB to Brisbane and all going well this should be finalized and paid for tomorrow. I’ll need the e-ticket to arrange the transit visa assuming I end up going with a Chinese carrier. I tried to upload the photos from the last days but the internet cafe was crammed with local folk so I’ll try again tomorrow otherwise I’ll do it UB so hold off a few more days 🙂 It’s worth the wait as the countryside west of here is very different and very stunning. I got an email from Luo Qianglong, the Chinese lad from Wuhan, who asked me to check his English grammar for an article he is writing. If he only knew how dodge his advisor is but I put my bestest English hat on and hopefully gave him some credible advice 🙂 My news of coming home for a deep breather has been met with such warmth and understanding. It just confirms how lucky I am to be blessed with family and friends so thank you x. The sunset this afternoon was showing off over Tsetserleg and I couldn’t miss the chance to snap a picky on what’s been a very cool day indeedy. I want to finish the post tonight with a handful of comments taken from emails I have received to share the incredible value of love and support. Talk soon x

‘I have been away and catching up on your blog tonight. To lose a true friend is never easy, they come into our lives, leave pawprints on our hearts and we are changed forever, may fond memories of Monty warm your heart always . I know your decision didn’t come easy, by following your heart you will always be happy and “home is the nicest word there is”.

‘I see that you’ve made the decision to come home for a bit… I just
wanted to check in and say how happy I was to read that you listen
without doubt to the messages from your heart… that is so important.
And I just know that your family will be so pleased to see your beaming self in the flesh. ‘

‘Your return to Australia is hugely welcomed by us all! We are so proud of everything you have achieved in your travels and very much look forward to many long chats over a cuppa about your experiences although I hope we can do it sitting down and not doing the Asian squat! It is fantastic that you feel so contented with your decision to know when it is enough. I remember you always said you were prepared to be flexible with your plans. Safe travel home. We have missed you.’

‘…when it’s clear in your heart and head….just do it! And you’ve done it! Respect! I love what’s in your heart, I feel this incredible adventure has brought me close to you and I love this time for that. I love what’s in your head…admiring this ability and drive during your travels to continue on to your destination whatever the conditions. But I’m sure your heart rules your head and I love that too. And we’re cycling home with you now to Oz and know when you get off that plane in Brisbane we’re cheering with them all to welcome you home. Safe travels

Darling, darling, darling………was looking for your spot not an email……..what a big day you have had traveling those 140kms Would like to wave a wand and have you home NOW. It’s all good for you to have decided to come home and it is very obvious that this decision has been only made after a lot of thought and listening to your heart. Ree, we’re very proud of your clear mind and content feeling of where you now want to be. What a journey you have taken us l all on…..and Ree darling for you it has been a journey of discovery not only for the experiences but for you personally as well……well done.’

‘That`s unexpected news but you`re following your heart and that`s a clear true voice. Feeling serene and content with the decision just reconfirms its rightness. There`s certainly no failure involved as the journey continues just as exhilarating and challenging as always – it`s only a new unexpected path you`ve chosen to take!!!! And we continue to share the ride be it Mongolia, Melany or wherever 🙂 Love you and safe traveling!!!’

Day 166 565 days to go. Distance: today: 141 km total 8862 km. It’s 10.30pm Monday 14/5/2012 Tetserleg. I woke early this morning to pack and be sure about my decision. The sunrise was beautiful and not a doubt in sight yay!! Tunga made me pancakes for breaky yum. They were just plain but the batter had butter and honey in it then cooked on her very hot ‘hot plate’ so it sort of crystalized around the crunchy edges so num. Tunga showed me their horses this morning. They have about 50 of them branded with 3 circles that mean water droplets. It’s amazing how they, like all other animals, just wonder in their herd around town and as Tunga says, take care of themselves. There is one new fowl in the herd with 5 more expected soon. Tunga said that they milk the horses and make airag which is a fermented milk drink very famous in Mongolia and served to guests. I haven’t had any served as yet which I’m kinda thankful as I don’t drink alcohol and don’t want to offend. By the sounds of things its made for summer when the mothers have fowls and milk. I arranged with Tunga and Amara to get a lift for the first 30km which is a brutal road. I wanted to get to Tetserleg by tonight to let the family know what’s happening. This asphalt junction is also where the Chuluut gorge is so I got to take some more pickies in the beautiful day. They got Amaras brother to drive me there and their littlest one came along for the bumpy ride. He loved it like a real Mongolian cowboy giggling every bump when he wasn’t chatting his uncles ear off. After about half hour he was exhausted and jumped in the back with Rube where they both had a power kip. It was a long haul 141km of mixed conditions but consistently beautiful countryside. It looked so different traveling the opposite direction and on a great day as opposed to sleeting 🙂 In some sections I got the best tail wind and was cruising at 40 km/hr. There were also lots of tricky range crossings the best being the one into Testserleg which was thick gravel, long switchbacks and steep. Being the end of the day my legs were pretty spent so I pushed my girl up the 2nd half which was character building and a bonding time for us both 🙂 The last 5kms was all downhill into town and a beeline to the guesthouse. I spoke to the manager sarah who can speak perfect english with an Australian accent as the owners are Australian. She was telling me how that mountain range has claimed so many driver’s lives no one speaks of it while they cross over. It’s like a local custom. The view in the late afternoon (evening 7.30pm) sun across the town to the monastery and rocky hill behind was great and a different perspective then being on top. Tonight’s been emailing family and a very hot shower and I’m about to saddle up to some noodles and bed yayyayayayaya. Rube and I had a fun day today !!!!!! Talk soon x

Day 165 566 days to go. Distance: today: 0km total 8821 km. It’s 9pm Sunday 13/5/2012 Tariat. I was going to bed last night in Tunga’s and Amara’s main part of the house, and my feet were facing their shrine. Opsy another cultural no no. You never have your feet facing a Buddhist shrine. I flipped myself about and Tunga said ‘you must be getting sick of our ways.’ I explained that quite the contrary I wanted to know about their customs and in no way want to offend them or their ways. I reassured her how interesting it is to learn the ways of other folk in this world and as an Australian traveler I want to be a good ambassador and show that Australians are respectful of other cultures. I had the best sleep from 11pm to 8.30am getting up once for a chill bill visit to the outdoor loo. This morning I was served noodle soup for breaky and sat with Tunga on our squat chairs by the stove. I asked her about the horses heads in the back of Amara’s truck and how I understood them to be for soup. She clarified that their faith revers horses and although they eat the rest of the animal they keep the heads to be taken and offered at shrines. That’s the animal skulls I have been seeing placed around the base of the mongolian pole shrines called ‘ovoo.’ I have been invited to eat with the family and Tunga has just come in to tell me the soup is ready so I’ll be back soon.
It’s 9.30pm. I popped into the main house earlier on to stick my butt against the oven for a bit and watched their 2 boys busily cutting up the beef jerky they have stored in bulk as their meet supply. I gave them both a pat on the back and said ‘good job.’ This morning over breakfast Tunga and I spoke more about their religion. I asked her what sort of Buddhism does their family practice and she said Mongolian. She explained that Mongolian people believe they have been given the land and animals to live off and as such must take care of them both. It is their responsibility to raise and tender the animals look after the land so that it will always be there for them to live off. She said this is the core of their beliefs. They are never taught this at school alternatively it is passed on by word and practice by family and community. It was very interesting to hear her talk so freely and clearly about the simple foundations to their faith. She spoke with such heartfelt warmth it was very endearing and inspiring how the simple works so well for those who live simply. She also spoke about how they have very little money but every day say how rich they are with family and friends and closeness. They don’t want for anything and do what they can to help and share their fortune with others in need. She said how life is so long and we should never judge others with our eyes on the day as a person may behave badly one day but with goodness in time. She said how proud she is of her husband as he always treat people equally based on this principle. Again a beautiful conversation to have. I told them they both had good genes and were a good match. They laughed.

Overnight it was so cold my water bottles on Rube froze rock hard. Tunga told me this morning there had been a snow storm west of here and forecast very cold winds today. And they were!!!! I rugged up and went for my walk into Khorgo-Terkhiin Tsagaan Nuur National Park and the Khorgo Uul volcano. Park fees don’t start until the 1/6 so it was a chilly freebie and worth every layer of clothing I had on. Basically the wardrobe with the grape over the top so I was snug with my leather mits. The land is volcanic rock and rolling hills and very very beautiful. I passed over the bridge out of town and the river was still quite frozen underneath with folk collecting fresh water to stock up their supplies. I left at 10am and didn’t get back until 4.30pm and loved every step. I got the best photos and looking forwad to uploading them to share.

On that note I have decided to head home now for a time to reconnect, recoup, recover, reassess, refocus and replan. I haven’t finished my shecyclesolo travels but they need some tweeking. But for now I want to be home to share time with my family with everything that has and is happening. That is where my heart wants to be and I listen to it and trust it impeccably nowadays.

I need a time to digest my experience and learning. I will leave the details at that for now as this is a time to play with ideas, share with my family and make decisions on future directions when the time is right and based on what counts.

Balance is everything and I always find answers in the truth. The truth is I want to be home for a time and am soooo fortunate to have such a beautiful home and family to share this space with. One door closes and others open and that’s always the way of it as long as I stay clear and open.

Right now it’s time to get me and Rube home safe, take a deep breath of Maleny air and be with family to recover both physically and emotionally. Health comes first and foremost and its onwards from there. talk soon x 🙂

I look forward now to using my remaining visa time in Mongolia to get back to UB allowing enough time to arrange flights home and a Chinese transit visa as needed.

Talk soon x

Day 164 567 days to go. Distance: today: 10 km (hitched 161km) total 8821 km.

It’s 9am Saturday 12/5/2012 leaving Tsetserleg. I thought we’d start the day with a photo of us looking all spiffy and ready to go. We couldn’t miss the opportunity to show off Monty’s blue Mongolian silk scarf tied on rube pride of place. I bought us each a smiley face badge as a reminder to keep our best smiles on and ready for action. The Internet cafe is closed on this sleepy sat morning so uploading will have to wait. But know rune looks awesome with Monty’s scark tied on her frame and her smiley face on her GPS bag. Here’s a poem I wrote back in 2001 when Monty and I were living together in Sandgate and loving our daily walks on the beachfront. Off we go!!! Talk soon x

‘It’s Time’

My little mate can’t wait.
She’s pulling on the lead
just as hard as
a tail can wag.
Who’s leading who
down the brick wall
and onto the flats?

At least wait, little mate,
let me take off your lead.
The bull’s off through the gate,
a beeline to seagulls
and the other big dogs.
Sneeze out those nasty splashes,
touch base for a good shake.

Thanks for that, little mate,
off to do it all again,
ears pinned back,
a little stumble.
Watch out for stingray holes!
Touch base to share the excitement
and smiling as only dogs know how.

My little mate can’t wait;
onto the flats,
a beeline to seagulls,
ears pinned back.
She’s pulling on the lead
just as hard
as a tail can wag.

It’s 6.30pm and I’m in Tariat. You just never know where the day may end. We’re safe and sound and spot message sent to let the family know just that. But the bonuses for today are plenty. The weather turned yuk leaving Tsetserleg with heavy clouds rolling in from the mountains. It was bitterly cold so the rain was sleet and we got our first downpour 10km out. Bugga!! Oh well at least I had the gear to deal with the change. I had no sooner got my grape, gloves and balaclava on when a truck stopped and the driver asked if I wanted a lift to Tariat. On another day it would have been no thankyou but blinking through the sleet it was ‘hell yes!!!!’ We negotiated a price of 30 000 ($20) and tied Rube safely on the back along with the timber and horse heads he was transporting from Ulaanbaatar. He later told me the horse heads are used to make soup or at least that’s what I understood. It was a 4hr trip of beautiful beautiful countryside and sights. The scenery has become more hilly with a snow capped mountains. Trees are sparse but ever present and the land is dotted with gers and grazing herds. The average altitude today was 2000m hence there are more yaks now than cows. I saw so small flocks of cranes enjoying the many lakes and rivers and the rocky terrain is a playground for frisky ground squirrels. I lost count of the number I saw in pairs chasing the other and loving the mating season literally 🙂 They’re different to the burrowing marmots on the plains. They appear to have their nests in the rocks and look just like a small squirrel. The skies are full of bird life mostly hawks, eagles, seagulls, tweet tweet birds, ravens and sparrows. The winter months must extend longer in the western Arkhangai aimag as most lakes were still very much frozen. And it was a cold day!! Out of the wind in the comfort of the truck was cosy especially when the sun snuck out, but outside during our truck stops was chill bill big! Soooo happy to have hitched for the day. About 30km east of Tariat the road traveled alongside Chuluut gorge. It was such a dramatic feature with its sheer cliffs and frozen river way below in stark contrast.The driver was friendly and told me in English that he has a wife Tunga and 3 children 2 boys 14 and 7 who go to school in Tariat and a girl 12 who’s a contortionist and goes to circus school Ulaanbaatar. He is a truck driver and also has horses and his wife is an English teacher and runs a guest house in Tariat. He phoned his wife during one of our stops and she invited me to stay for T10000 including breaky awesome!! We arrived about 4pm and I was treated to tea and noodle soup with the family. I spoke at length with Tunga who is a very interesting lady. She did an English course back in 1996 and later got her TESL certificate. She has run her guest house and given private English lessons for many years. In 2010 a professor from Michigan university who loves fly fishing, stayed at her guest house and was so impressed by her, offered a uni sponsorship to speak about Mongolia at TESL conferences around the States for 1 year. How very cool for her. She loved the experience but missed her family and has no more plans to revisit as ‘there’s no place like home.’ 🙂 I went back to my room and read up on Tariat in the Lonely Planet. Tunga’s guesthouse and ger camp by Terkhiin Tsagaan Nuur are recommended to stay. Terkhin Tsagaan Nuur or the Great White Lake in English, is the natural highlight of Arkhangai aimag. According to legend, the lake was formed when an elderly couple forgot to cap a well after fetching water. The valley flooded with water until a local hero shot a nearby mountain top with his arrow; the shorn top cov-ered the well and became an island in the lake. Apparently a must-do is to hike to the top of Khorgo Uul volcano. A road leads 4km from Tariat village to the base of the volcano, from where it’s a 10 minute walk up to the cone. I popped back over the see Tunga to ask about the hike and her ger by the lake. She said the hike is about a 4hr return. It sounds amazing. Her ger doesn’t open until 1/6 so I’m still a bit early in the summer season. The weather tomorrow is forecast the same as today with the following days clear. I’ve decided to have a day here to do the hike then cycle onwards to Tsahir 60km away on Monday. The road travels by the lake and Tunga said it’ll make a great lunch break. It’s about 12km west of Tariat. The road is now unsealed and will be hard going but the scenery from Tsahir to Tosontsengal is supposedly spectacular going over a pass and in mountainous scenery. With the weather clearing I’m really looking forward to enjoying this area.

It’s 10pm and I got a visit from Tunga and her husband who’s name is Amara. Amara wanted to see the photos from today and loved checking them out as a slide show. Teaching students then arrived from Tsertserleg and wanted to stay. So now I am in their main house all very warm and cosy. The boys are staying at their Grandma’s and Tunga has made me up a bed where they both usually share. Amara wanted to see the photos again. I started whistling to the slideshow tune on the camera and Tunga quickly told me that in Mongolia you don’t whistle inside the house. It’s a religious respectful thing. I have loved hearing more about Amara. What an incredibly interesting and talented man. He was dux of his high school but didn’t do further study as his father was ill and had to care for him. He can play guitar, sing, dance, and does wood carvings. He loves his horses. Amara built their house by thinking up how it would look, drawing the plans and building it from there. He also built and hand painted all the furniture. I asked Tunga if all mongolian people built and painted their furniture and she said it’s a rare trade and most folk buy manufactured. They have shown me some of his carvings one of a yak and the other a horse, so very detailed. The yak has a Tibetan prayer written on its side. It’s beautiful!! She reckons she married very well and Amara has good genes that he has passed onto his 3 children. Clearly she’s also a clever Mongolian sausage so between them they are totally interesting folk. Soon Tariat will get ‘glass’ cable so that homes can have internet access. Can you imagine the scope that will open up for this already resourceful little family. Currently they have an impressive library of books which they use to look up stuff as needed so the internet will be an amazing step for them. Tunga has shown me her guest books going back to 2002. So many people have stayed. In early April this year, 2 spanish cyclists stayed OMG I can’t imagine it!!! They wrote how their hospitality was a warm welcome lol 🙂 People visit in the middle of winter and talk about taking jeep rides to the local sights along the frozen rivers. That’s hard core!!!! Time to visit their outdoor toilet and get myself ready for bed. The loo is a raised outhouse with 2 slats to squat over. Very clean and civilized. I’m so tired and looking forward to a big cosy night sleep. In the morning I move back into the guesthouse before breaky at 9am then up to the volcano how very cool indeedy. Talk soon x

Day 163 568 days to go. Distance: today: Rest day total 8811km. It’s 10.15am Friday 11/5/2012 Tetserleg. It was a long night with not much sleep had and a very heavy and sad heart. The head and heart are such different places aren’t they, with their own space and way of working. I cuddled my purple jacket like a big comfy grape. You’re never too old for a ‘blanky.’ J This morning I woke at 9am and checked my emails. Yet again It catches my breath how support from friends and family makes such a difference to the spirit. I could have easily turned on my heals and peddles this morning and headed home. Not to give up but to be where my heart wants to be. And then I read an email from my family who live in Maleny and who know all too well the extreme personality of Little Head. Reading their email made me laugh and cry and has lifted the spirit no end. I know they won’t mind me sharing it in part….

‘How sad to hear about Monty. Obviously our thoughts are with you, as she has been with you for a long time. 13 years, wow, I remember when you got her, such a little feisty thing she was. Remember when Sarah was born, how jealous she was if you went to pick her up or spend any attention at all, on ‘that human small thing’. You were hers, and she intended to keep you to herself. It’s good that she spent her last years as a farm dog. She had freedoms on the farm that the city didn’t allow. She wasn’t locked in a house all day, she could roam within her own confines, and her and Honey could escape if the current stopped!! Remember the furniture that the goats wrecked in the neighboring yards! Travel safe in the knowledge that her spirit rides with you now, hope you have a special spot that she can sit comfortably on rube, because she will keep ‘getting up and moving until she is comfortable’ and that may cause rube to wobble.’ (thanyou J, K and S xxxooo)

I also heard from Beth from Melbourne, doing aide work in Eastern Mongolia. ‘Hi maree. i am very sorry to hear about your little one but am glad to hear her life was full and happy. it is hard losing your best friend at any time but i bet your first day riding solo will be a tough one being so far away. Combined with the sadness and apprehension of setting off without a partner in crime. You will be in my thoughts as we share the same stars at the moment. I also wanted to let you know that you have inspired me and I am seriously thinking of cycling home from here when my assignment finishes. I am looking into having my bike sent over – so thank you. Your courage is amazing. Perhaps I can be the first person to retrace your steps, which would be fitting as another solo Australian female rider. – of course not nearly as hard core knowing that someone has been before you, paved the way, and provided such a detailed account of their adventure. So again, thank you. Happy and safe trails, Beth

The irony Beth is that you have in turn inspired me to take a deep breath and set off again with a heart full of clarity about what this time is about. I see Life as one big opportunity for experience. To open myself up to challenge and let the soul teach me appreciation for what counts. This chance is a gift and my courage is nothing unique. Human courage and kindness is universal and the choice is ours to live in the world we make. Scary things are to be mindful of to make good decisions. Fear empowers the weak and humanity is far better than that, capable of such cool and amazing stuff. Thankyou Beth. It’s nice knowing we are sharing the same stars when it’s not snowing (J)

So I dragged my incredibly puffy eyes out of bed (not a good look thank god I’m already married J) made a coffee and checked out the world outside. It’s been snowing most of the night but this morning is warmer with a weather change around the corner. It’s so bizar to see snow over the rocky hillside where I scrambled up and blanketed over the town. There was a baby yak just hanging out and grazing outside the guesthouse. Darling beast they make the best noise. It’s like a huffing deep moo with serious attitude. Their girth and shoulders are so strong and built for hills and resilience with their heavy coat and dreads. I was enjoying him just mulling about when a woman and her son walked passed face full of smiles and wanting to chat. The boy’s name is pronounced ‘Oosta’ and is 10 years old. He had a homemade bow and arrow that he was using as a light saber to scare me off. Of course I gave him my best Obi One Konobi impersonation and we exchanged a make belief saber duel and big giggles. His mum allowed me to take a couple of photos. She was very shy and full of joy. I’ve headed now to the internet cafe to download the photos and do up my post before heading tomorrow. The internet is a bit slow but working. I am mindful of what Katie said yesterday about how amazing it is to be able to stay connected across this vast country. Ulistay should be about 8 days away subject to unplanned events and weather. But you’ll be able to stay tuned to where we are at through the spot message. I hope Kang found somewhere warm to stay last night. I know he was hoping to hitch as the ol’ fella was feeling the pinch a little not having done too much riding over the last eight months before Mongolia. I was able to check out his photos in Hohorin and get a copy. It is nice to have some candid photos with me cycling and enjoying some of the many cool experiences we shared. I have included these photos in this post.

I’m having a look through the phrase book as the photos download and there are a handful of essentials I’ve already been using plus some extra good ones to keep in the front brain. I have been calling the wooden prayer poles chortens but they are actually called ovoo. Here’s some others: sain bai-nuu or sain uu (hello and how are you?), bai yar tai (goodbye), bai yar la laa (thankyou), tiim (yes), ugui (no), ta ny nii rig (your name?), mi nii ne rig Maree (my name is maree), usstraat (Australia), bi usstraat ir sen (I’m from Australia), bi ger bul tei (I am married), cow (unee, yamaa (goat), mori (horse), kho ni (sheep), sar lag (yak), zogs (stop), baga (little), ikh (big), gol (river), nuur (lake), nuruu (mountain range), tsas (snow), Benzin (Unleaded petrol for the cooker), us (water), uul (mountain), zakh (market), zocgid budal (hotel)

I got an email from my partner just before with the funniest caption that encapsulates the Billiard Ball head.

‘Monty is so definitely with you… a perfect little grrrrrrrr’ing guardian angel, I can just picture it. Little wings and a look of disgust on her face… ‘what the frick are these things’ until she gets used to them, and then she will be harassing eeeevery one.’ Lol’ing still my love x 🙂

It’s been a 4 hour session to get the photos uploaded but it was important to me to do this. Next update will be from Ulistay I’m imagining. Until then enjoy the galleries and send us lots of + vibes

I need to let you know also that Blue dog and Miss J have found a new home. Apparently some local child or child at heart needed their company more and took them off Rube’s handle bars. Goodness knows what adventures they will now have. How incredibly intrepid of them both. We had a good time over the last week riding together so they will have lots of awesome stories to share with their new family here in Tsetserleg.

It’s 3pm and the guesthouse folk have been kind enough to let me have my complimentary breakfast somewhat late Oppsy. I been enjoying my scrambled eggs and toast (with lots of tomato sauce) all the while reading over an email from my other sister. God I’m so lucky and it’s a very good thing to be so loved. Talk soon x Janet wrote:

Sad news Ree,
But you’re sounding okay. I’m glad you’ve taken these days off…okay
the weather’s not been very supportive to venture further out west in all that snow, but time needs to be spent reliving and mourning for your little canine mate with the ferocious dentures. Love (your partners) words to
you. You were feeling so much sadness and doubt….I’m so glad you got up, with the puffy eyes, and walked outside to encounter the world as it
came to you…and how wonderful was that. Well done! Your journey continues so keep on pedaling and posting and waking up to that wonder for the next 568 days! Just know you’re not riding alone! Kisses, ride safely and keep “blanky” close. XXx

Day 162 569 days to go. Distance: today: Rest day total 8811 km. It’s 11.30pm Thursday 10/5/2012 Tsetserleg. I’m putting cream on my sun burnt legs and it’s snowing outside. Ahhhh early summer in Mongolia. Hi there fine folk. It’s a sad day today for my family and friends who have known my little Monty. She passed away this afternoon from good ol’ age it would appear living it in health and to its fullest. I went for a walk to the temple again this arv and I have written a goodbye note on a photo and bought a blue silk scarf to tie on Rube. Monty is my soul mate and wore a blue collar. In her 13 years she has given us all so much grief, love, attitude, fun and the best company ever. She was 5 kilos with 5 tons of personality and I will miss her little head. We will carry the scarf and photo home safe and sound to keep her memory close and in my heart always. Monty died a farm dog on her farm and that makes me very happy at a very sad time. Thankyou to my friends and family for your emails. I got an email from my folks yesterday. You remember me telling you about the full moon coming up over our campsite the other night? Well Mum and Dad wrote…..

‘Wanted to tell you that that beautiful moon you saw on Sunday night was something very special….The “supermoon” appeared as the Earth and its satellite came closer together than at any other time this year. The moon was about 356,955 km from the Earth – about 24,622km closer than average.’ (from Courier Mail Mon 7/2012. How very cool is that indeedy 🙂

I also got an email from my big sister with the following quote ‘Days domed by unlimited skies the colour of dreams.’ Katie wrote…

‘That`s a quote I saved years ago waiting for THE photo -and your descriptions and images of Mongolia are exactly how I had pictured it!!! Spectacular!!!! It doesn`t stop to amaze me how such a vast place with gurts and yurts, roaming camels and nomads can still provide you with internet so we can stay in contact – amazing!! Here comes another quote – I can just picture you outside your tent at the end of another amazing, grueling day`s cycle in Mongolia….’Take a music bath under the stars and you will find it is to the soul what the water bath is to the body’ (Shakespeare)’ Thank you Kitie. Shakesphere nailed it as far as my experience of Mongolia goes. It is a bombardment on the senses of nature’s brutality and beauty. It strips away the superficial leaving me raw with very real perspective about what counts.

Kang went back to UB this morning. He said he didn’t know enough English to explain why but said that he was sorry. I was disappointed not to have a buddy for the journey westwards but am thankful for his help and the experiences we’ve had over the week. I spent today having a regather and focus to shecyclesolo once again. I had tried to upload the photos earlier but the town server crashed and with the news about Monty I didn’t get back to the cafe this arv. It’s forecast rain and snow tomorrow and then a patch of fine weather again. Therefore I’ll hold off and head Saturday. I’ll upload the photos tomorrow and give my heart a chance to catch its breath. Monty my little girl I hope your next life is full of adventure and great joy. I love you. Talk soon x

“In the Candle’s Glow”

Warm light coming from far below,
Twinkling, sparkling is the candle’s glow.
All is well up on the ridge,
The place we know as Rainbow Bridge.

Furbabies sleeping in heaven’s light,
Tended by candles in the night.
Peaceful dreams be theirs to keep,
As they slumber in this night so deep.

Hearts on earth that miss them so,
Take comfort in the candle’s glow.
Watching for them in skies above,
Bound eternally by a cord of love.

Laura Hickman
(Thank you Brendan and Cindy xo)

Day 161 570 days to go. Distance: today 69 total 8811 km. It’s 10pm Wednesday 9/5/2012 Tsetserleg. There’s a famous Korean singer staying here at the guesthouse and he’s putting on a show for guests as I type. He’s doing an ‘unplugged’ acoustic session and it sounds pretty dam good I might add and very nice background music whilst posting to you fine fine folk. Hi there how are you? We stopped at this cafe come bakery come guesthouse when we first arrived this arv and ended up staying as it’s a comfy place and worth the $15. I bought 24hrs worth of wifi so it’s cool to be able to update the blog and great timing to have a skype with family. I’m very much missing my partner and family so every opportunity to touch base is very precious yay (x). I woke this morning to blue skies and no wind how beautiful. The weather showed off the valley where we camped by the ger. I loved watching the folk do their morning farm choirs like milking the cows and yaks and herding all the animals out to the hills for the day. The folk were again so gracious. I figured this morning who’s who in their family. There are two gers with Mum and Dad living in one and their daughter and her husband and 5 year old daughter living next door. They also have an adult son who is mentally handicapped but happy and does his bit to help run their farm of horses, cattle, yaks, sheep and goats. Before leaving the daughter invited us to their ger. We were treated to a bowl of fresh thick yogurt (called ‘turig’ ). It was served with a plate of thick cream that tasted like buttermilk (called ‘Arum’). The daughter was boiling up the tea mix for the day of milk, water, tea and sugar, on the stove top. They gave us water for our trip (called ‘oss’). We shared some fun photos and their company over breakfast before heading. My sister had asked in one of her latest post comments why gers are round. This is because they are always exposed to such strong wind and weather and the round gers allow the wind to blow past. The most notorious of winds are the northerlys and that’s why gers face south. The furnishings are painted contrasting bright colors but from what Ive seen so far, they appear more manufactured that way as opposed to hand painted. There was a change of countryside today with the rolling hills becoming more sheer and rocky. There were rivers flowing and the plains were green and lush and real horse country. Trees started to appear along the riverbeds and a real contrast to what we have cycled through over the last days. We had a break by a little river by a sheer cliff that was so beautiful. There were hundreds of roosting starlings in the cliff face catching bugs in the thermals. Also nesting in the cliff were hawks and crows and other birds which brought it alive with movement and squawks and wonderful to watch. The river was running clear and full of little fish. We cycled into Tsetserleg and found this cafe. I indulged in a coffee while Kang devoured the biggest bacon, egg and tomato sandwich. We checked out the accommodation and decided to stay. I took advantage of the beautiful late afternoon and still plenty of light, to do some sight seeing. The main landmark is a Buddhist temple perfectly positioned on a hill looking out over town. The ‘Galdan Zuu’ Temple has been renovated with donations given by the locals. It stands behind an impressive 7m statue of the Buddha. Behind the temple is a large, nearly vertical, rocky hill called Bulgan Uul. There’s blue prayer clothes tied on shrubbery and intermittent chorten poles leading up the rocky face to the hilltop. I enjoyed the scramble up very much. The views out over town and the countryside were spectacular. The wind was gale force at the top and was strong enough to blow me off balance. There were wild flowers in rock cravaces on the way up that I enjoyed taking some pickies off as well as many others to capture what is regarded as Mongolia’s prettiest town. There are cows and yaks grazing wild in the parks and grassy spots around town which look so odd but very cool. I got back to the guesthouse to enjoy a picnic of eggs, butter and tomato sauce on the floor with Kang. Well at least that was my menu and he added his assorted bits to please his Korean taste buds. I was then finally able to get a hold of my partner for a short skype which was wonderful. Im missing our time together very much so it was special to touch base. We’ll sneak another session in the morning. West of here is the wilder side of Mongolia which is saying something. I suspect there won’t be much chance now for internet access until the next big town of Uliastay, 546km away. Tetserleg to Uliastay is stage 2 of the cycle west and starts tomorrow yayayayayayaya Thank you Mongolia you beautiful, tough, rugged, remote, wild place and I hope that each day continues to be safe and sound with such adventure jam packed into every long stretch of road ahead !!!!! I hope to be able to upload my photos tomorrow before heading if I have time. I wanted to include the information about Karakorum that I didn’t have time to retype the other day so I’ll end off the post with a copy of that info. I so hope you are enjoying the Mongolian adventure as much as I am sharing it with you. Talk soon x

Hahorin or Karakorum was the mecca centre mid 13th century when Odegei the son of Chinggis Khaan built the Mongol capital here. 40 years later Kublai moved the capital to Khanbalik now Beijing. With the fall of the mongolian empire Karakorum was destroyed. The city remains were used to build the first Buddhist monastery in Mongolia in 1586 called Erdene Zuu (A Hundred Treasures). Originally it had between 60 and 100 temples, about 300 gers inside the walls and, at its peak, up to 1000 monks in residence. All but three of the temples in Erdene Zuu were destroyed during the Stalinist purges of 1937 and an unknown number of monks were either killed or shipped off to Siberia and never heard from again. The monastery remained closed until 1965 when it was permitted to reopen as a museum, but not as a place of worship. It was only with the collapse of communism in 1990 that religious freedom was restored and the monastery became active again.

Day 160 571 days to go. Distance: today 62 total 8742km. It’s 9pm Tuesday 8/5/2012 80km west of Tsetserleg. It’s sooooo windy and cold this evening. I’m tucked in my tent cosy and keen for an early night. It’s nice to be out of the weather which is nuts outside. We’re at 1600m staying at a ger up in the valley about 2km from the road. They are a friendly family. I’m not sure who’s who. There’s an older woman who could be the mother. She’s 57 and a younger man about mid forties. They have a five year little girl, a young lad early twenties and another older man with a disability say in his early 30s. The woman invited us in for a bowl of hot milk. The father arrived home soon after and we all had some milky lamb noodles served with chunks of home made parmesan cheese. All mixed up it tasted pretty good after the ride today. It made me giggle when the father put tomato sauce all over his. It’s the ‘makes everything taste good’ philosophy that I told Kang was very Australian. The family then came to our campsite and I brewed them a coffee and showed off my family photos. We thanked them for their hospitality with some candy, fruit and noodles. The family have visited us during the evening and had a ride on Kang’s bike. Kang then took the motor cycle for a spin and we took some pickies which they loved. Photos are such a great hit. Today’s ride was through beautiful rolling green hills with valleys and rivers and grazing herds. We got to enjoy it with an awesome tail wind which was big fun. It was a later start as I got to go to the internet cafe which was great. A bit tricky to find but eventually got pointed to the right building, up a flight of stairs, down a corridor and into a tiny room with four terminals. So tucked away but super fast computer speed perfect for downloading photos. The internet gives me such a sense of connection and I value it big time. Time for bed for an early start. Talk soon x

 

Day 159 572 days to go. Distance today 52km total 8680km. It’s 4pm Monday  7/5/2012 Hahorin (Karakorum).

The ride today has been really hard and really spectacular with so much cool stuff along the way. Im currently sitting in the hotel room all squeaky clean having my washing done by staff as a treat. Kang is eating his entire food supply which is pretty impressive. Despite the shorter distance the hills were constant and long and hand in hand with that notorious headwind. But the effort is so worth it!! I saw my first Mongolian camels today. Camels are called ‘Timer’ and goats ‘yama.’ A small herd were grazing in a field we passed OMG!! They look so odd with huge hoofs and beards and a thick winter coat shedding for summer and giving them the best Bob Marley look. Quite untidy actually but I wouldn’t say that to the head herd honcho. We walked closer towards them and the others were a bit startled but not him. He just stood his ground checking us out. This herd of goats and sheep then came through he valley. It was really funny seeing just how smart goats are and sheep aren’t. Clearly the boss camel wasn’t moving or letting the herd through. The sheep all went up to him and stodd there looking ahead where they wanted to go but not sure how to manage that. Every goat just took an immediate wide birth around and kept going. Slowly the sheep cottoned onto to this and followed. What a wonderful treat to watch. Im loving the little marmots. They are in most fields if you stop long enough to ‘critter spot’ particularly in the early morning and evenings. They scamper between holes and leave a path of little footprints which Kang has nicknamed ‘good roads.’ J I saw one little critter today being snared by a hawk which was tragic but an impressive display of nature at its brutal best. At about 50kms out of Hahorin we came out to an open plateau that Kang said looked like a scene from Tibet. It was amazing, The ride along the plateau was the hardest yet with cross winds meeting and blowing in gusts out of control! An incredible experience!!! The cross winds were sending a all of dust spirals down the plain wow so weird!! It really loved today after a crap start at the ger. Another man was very drunk this morning and wanted to push his drunken masculinity on me as I was preparing to head off. I blasted him the best mouthful of assertiveness I could muster and left him looking holding his ol’ fella looking the right idiot. It was a crap but good experience to be more specific about ger choices. A single ger with a family is the safe go. Makes now for a good story and Im definitely the wiser. Kang said so accurately, alcohol makes good men act badly’ and isn’t that the truth. We’re heading off to town now to do some shopping and have a looky around for that internet cafe. Talk soon

PS I ended up finding the café and have updated the post while Kang checked out the Erdene Zuu temple this morning. Ive run out of time so the next update should be from Tetserleg in a couple days time x

 

Day 158 573 days to go. Distance today 90km total 8628km. It’s 5.30pm Sunday  6/5/2012 45km east Hahorin (Karakorum).

Im sitting eating my chick pea and lentil curry with noodles watching a field of marmots scampering about so busy in the late afternoon. It as so great to have an early start today and finish up to enjoy an early dinner and lots of light to soak up the scenery. Kangs cooked and devoured his dinner already and has found a shady spotfor a kip. Between the tweet tweet birds, marmots, sheep and goats, it’s an entertaining show over dinner better than any video. Well maybe with the exception of Harry Potter J It’s 360 degrees expanse of plains with pockets of summer grass coming through. In the distance is the classic Mongolian hills and lowlands grassy and the higher tough and rocky. When I say hills they would be 2000+ m seeing we’re at 1300m. We spotted the ger about 2km down the valley off the road but there was no one round when we arrived. Just now I can see the farmer returning on his motor cycle bringing the herd back to camp. I’ll be back…

It’s 7pm. How funny is this? I’m watching Kang ride off with the germ anon his motor cycle to get water from who knows where. This fella has a broken leg. I thought he was showing me his new boots from Ulaanbaatar and I slapped them agreeing how good and tough they were. Unfortunately he was telling me he had gone to Ulaanbaatar to have his broken ankle fixed …opsy!!!! I’ve volunteered to stay and watch over camp with the puppies. Hopefully they’ll return in one piece with water. Staying at gers has been somewhat like…hello hello and a gesture if we can camp. Then we offer and share a cigarette and candy and a coffee. We get out the map and show our travel plans. We discuss their animals and mobile phone reception and anything else most of which I don’t understand but exchange smiles all happiness. The fella here is a bachelor and loves Kangs Iphone. I got some fun pickies with this fella. Despite seeming a bit crazy he’s very animated and cheeky. He’s back on the bike riding with his ‘mending’ leg soo tough soo nuts but there’s work to be done I suppose. Tine to recharge the ipod using the solar charger. Thank you my love for setting me up with very cool kit!!! X back soon.

It’s 10pm. The boys ended up at a communal well about 5km away and Kang arrived back quite pale from the crazy ride but with water so he was happy. He said the well was iced round the sides and the water was so cold when we put it through his filter. The ger man is following Kang around like a big brother which is very cute but I think kang will be happy when he goes to bed. They went off to round up the herd at sunset and it looked so great the two boys bonding. A group of his friends arrived earlier and one was very drunk and untidy but they left after a while. Not before being pretty inappropriate with me so I escaped into the safety zone of the tent until they headed. Alcohol seems a problem for some men and women here. It’s very sad to see such beautiful people behaving so pathetically. Who knows there hardships and difficulties I suppose and alcohol is a problem everywhere as we all know. Im sitting on my bed with the full moon showing off through he tent opening and its pretty dam beautiful. I’ve just flicked through the photos from the last days and they’re awesome. We stopped today by a lake where there were a pair of cranes wading and feeding round the edge. They are so elegant. A herd of horses visited for a drink and it was a real treat to watch the comings and goings. We had another stop at a high point before a 50km stretch of desert. There was this old fella tending his herd and came over to say hello. We shared a cigarette and nut bar and he loved getting his photo taken. We stay at a hotel tomorrow at Horhorin for a cleanup and hopefully internet access!!!! Off to bed for an early start. Talk soon x