Our mode of transportation for this trip was an off-road Russian Van. Togo was our driver and Nemka our translator and guide. I suspect Togo knew more English than he was letting on but just didn’t use it as much. Encounters on the steppe and getting around Mongolia was nothing like we were use to but it certainly was more exciting!
Seriously, this was the mother of all terrain vehicles. Encounters on the steppe included driving through creeks, rivers, over fields of jagged rocks, up steep hills and not once did we have to change a tire. This van could handle anything. Nothing stopped us. We were free to explore the Mongolian Steppe and all that lay within.
you don’t know what awaits around the bend.
Encounters on the Steppe
At first glance, I probably should have been fearful of crossing this bridge but I wasn’t. Togo let us out to walk while he drove across. I felt drawn to it. Maybe the reason was because it was so uniquely unusual and cultural. It did its job without flare, without stately trusses, and it demanded to be photographed. So I did.
Andrew, unimpressed with the bridge, was more focused on the cattle cooling off in the river.
Rough Terrain
Driving the steppe was similar to experiencing severe air turbulence except it never quit. We braced ourselves during the roughest terrain. Andrew discovered that falling asleep was not wise. As his head started to sink, we hit a bump and he bent his glasses on the center table. Lesson learned: travel with a second pair of glasses! The strange thing is that we actually got use to the ride; it was a great abs workout! Andrew had a backpack full of books and the views outside the windows were breathtaking.
Andrew didn’t mind facing backwards so he sat in front of me. For the first few days, I thought the containers that sat just before the table were gas tanks. Concern, may have flickered across my mind but I had already acquired full trust in Togo and Nemka. Days later, I found out the containers were for water storage for cooking, cleaning, and drinking! I will admit that I felt some relief!
The Well Organized Van
The van had ample storage for camping and dining equipment, table chairs, propane stove, as well as luggage, diesel tanks and water jugs and a myriad of other necessities. All was neatly packed, and everything had a spot. Later, I discovered that the seats turned into a bed. Me, the non-camper, was impressed to the point of thinking that maybe camping could possibly be enjoyable.
Van-side Picnics
The meals that were made van-side were tasty and we picnicked like royalty. Togo and Nemka joked and cooked together and shooed us off whenever we offered to help. Impressed with how the traveling table fit together, I offered to put it away. I was rather proud of myself until I realized that I had totally forgotten to pack the chairs and there was one other problem – it refused to close. Togo watched me with amusement and then with all his patience, re-did my work.
Andrew discovered that every hill brought a new experience and a freedom to be on his own. He would take off exploring as soon as he was out of the van. No phones, screens, internet, or electricity was a learning curve all by itself. Andrew adapted well to this different lifestyle – except for the squatty potties. These were difficult and a real pain (pun intended) since his healing knee couldn’t bend but that is a whole other post. Like the bridge, I saw ‘art’ in the various types of Asian pit toilets.
