Ulana and Davaa - Day 8 Solo

Davaa with her horse. Russian saddle has padding.

I chose a good ger today. Two women, one single, no men, two kids. We chat and chat. They show a lot of interest in me and ask questions: Where have you been? Is LA dangerous? Did I fly here? Is it quick?

Today I saw almost no one. A lone rider, but I was not lonesome. It took one hour to traverse one valley, then another hour for the next. Then the road forked. I loooked at th emap and took the road more travelled, and that made all the difference - because I landed here! And, it was the right road to Bayanzurkh. I chose the longer road to Moron.
Ulana says I can ride Max maybe three or four more weeks. The year is growing late. Winter will be here soon. The grass is fading and Max is hungry.

Watering Max

This is Ulana's ger. Davaa is the 21 year old friend who helps out. As I rode up to the ger she stepped outnd waited for me to dismount and tie up Max. Sometimes when people see me approaching their ger, they pay me no heed, as if it were nothing special.

Mongolian etiquette: it is OK to burp but don't blow your nose during a meal. Don't eat lying down. Don't step over food or pots. Don't hold your tea bowl with your index finger inside the rim.

Ulana ys she lives here only one month a year and moves four or five times over the course of a year. She goes by motorbike once a month to Moron to buy provisions. One kg of tea, bought as a cake, lasts one month, from what I gather. Mongol nomads move according to the seasons, always with the top priority being the welfare of the herd.

Ulana tells me that Davaa is now arriving with the yaks. I go out to video, but it is twilight and at ISO 6400, the image will be grainy.