The short ride back to Kharkhorin was done in plenty of time to get organised and meet our transport back to Ulaan Baatar.
Easier packing into a modern Toyota than a UAZ bread loaf van.
More advanced suspension was nice too, although the added distraction of a large screen playing music videos did not seem to improve our driver’s already questionable speed and direction smoothness.
Out of the hills and pleased not to be riding along this road.
Thankfully we didn’t have far to go, ninety kilometres or so, to the Little Gobi – where a long, thin strip of sand dunes seem to rise from far granite peaks and extend for eighty kilometres, punctuated by spring-fed lakes. Quite a strange sight in itself. We were staying in a small ger camp on a hill overlooking a vast landscape – one that I struggled to capture by camera.
Another bright home for the night.
For the second time in two months, I found myself riding a camel! This time, the rare two-humped Bactrian variety. Unlike last month’s ride, as one would expect for Mongolia over more-regulated-Australia, the ride was less tame. In a small train, we wandered to and over some of the dunes – pitching and rolling only a little as the magnificent animals took the terrain in their long stride.
Surely this hurts less than it looks.
I was fascinated watching each step as the two toes contacted the soft sand and spread the load evenly.
The camels being much wider than the horses we’d ridden on the previous day (even more so compared to our normal bike steeds), after an hour or so we were left walking like a gunslinger of yore. A walk around the lower reaches of granite peaks in Khongo Khan park was in order. It was quite hot and dry, so we didn’t spend overly long looking around some old buildings and just generally checking out the interesting plants and creatures.
Strangely tame ground squirrels.
Back to camp for dinner and another stroll up into the hills to see what we could see as the sun sank to the horizon.
Ger ceiling, not as elaborate as some – but still much nicer than the inside of my tent.
Derelict industrial buildings always intriguing to me.
Strolling down to the old walled complex once home to scores of monasteries – since the Soviet occupation, not so much.
Most of the second ring of new shop buildings still sitting empty. But we did find a good cafe.
Apparently the coffee was good, but the wild rhubarb (of which we’d seen a bit in the hills) pie was of greater interest to me.
Just a small section of the wall of old Kharkhorin.
And a small part inside the walls – was staggeringly vast all up.
Not all the temples were lost, we could go inside some – but no photos.
For big prayers.
Didn’t work out what the occasion was, but good fun watching these guys enjoying themselves.
Finally found some postcards, and a lot of stamps! Back of the cards may have been mostly stamps…
Still loving the meat pockets…
Supermarket shopping a bit challenging – unless one wanted to buy a lot of candy.
First a stop at the big monument to the Mongol empire and Mongolia that we’d seen on the top of a ridge from the other side of the river on our ride into town.
Small empire.
Kharkhorin.
Vast empire.
Heading down there to stay on the true right of the Orkhon.
Yes, another ger. At least the hard beds were less of an issue after having gotten somewhat used to sleeping on the ground when my camping mattress failed.
A bit of wrangling so that we could go for a ride. Turned out to be more of a walk, but one of the adult sons of the family had spent time in New Zealand – so could chat with him a bit easier than most locals.
More homemade dairy goodness.
Ian and I managing to not fall off horses – the first time either of us had ridden one for many years. But as it was so slow, it was very easy going.
Nice evening for wandering the river flats though.
Car park view not shabby.
Hudson inspecting the Potts while I try to remember which valley is the Havelock and which is the Clyde at the top of the Rangitata.
Katie soaking Hudson’s cooling jacket – hard work being an active black dog on such days.
Occasionally Hudson wasn’t off covering far more ground than we were; looking back down to the Rangitata.
One of the bigger scour outs down to the Potts.
Hot going, so the occasional swamp provided cooling opportunities for some.
Less mysterious when you’re right next to it.
Spot the tents.
Our exit route for the following day.
Down to Boundary Creek – on the other side of the range from Mystery Lake.
East to Mt Somers Range.
Heading back to camp for dinner, the hills that obscure Mystery Lake obvious here. Behind that, in the shade, the other side of the Potts – roughly showing our route up.
The wind at camp was fickle, but occasionally it dropped – conveniently at sunset.
Arrowsmith Range was a regular point of interest on the horizon throughout the weekend.
Preparing for another sunny day.
But pleasingly we were in the shade of some steep hills for the first five kilometres out, before we joined the Te Araroa trail and turned south-east.
Heading for the nearest extent of the gravel river bed, unfortunately not directly.
Over to Lake Clearwater and its curious village of off-grid holiday homes. Mt Harper on left.
Hudson ever hopeful, little did he know that I’d only just brought enough food for myself.
Back above the Potts again. Getting close now, thankfully as my feet starting to let me know it’s a long time since I’ve walked seventeen kilometres in a day, and over thirty in a twenty-four-ish hours.
Fascinating to see behind the scenes, the effort and resource going in seemed somewhat unreal.
Clean shaven for a change, on the off chance you see this mug on the small screen pretending to do some carpentry.
Fortunate to stay in a place owned by friends, surrounded by native trees.
Lots of time around the water, mostly walking, some running and James caught plenty of fish to keep us well fed.
Hiking and camping with my nephews also a highlight.
Bit of a shock driving home.
Stopped again by locals driving past in a Toyota Prius, offering local delicacies and support.
(Rachel’s photo.)
Second camel ride for the year.
Later in the trip, we found many excellent bakeries.
Another day, another convenience store – resupply was seldom an issue.
Occasionally we got off sealed roads and paths – meeting the local spiders and leeches here.
My birthday spent climbing Mt Asahidake, the highest point in Hokkaido, was one of my favourite parts of the trip.
Thankfully the bears we did meet were not as ferocious as these ones.
