A horseman came by I went outside to see him. He carried
a long pole with rope at the end, maybe to catch stock?
He
dismounted and hobbled his horse. He had a ready made hobble string.
It was kinda in the shape of a “T” with two loops at one end
then one at the other. The loops were fastened with a wooden toggle
through a small loop like the Chinese buttons. So both front feet
hobbled to a back foot.
He was also very interested in the truck,
coming inside for a good look. John was at his computer so showed him
some photos of camps. A shame we did not share any language.
After
he left we got to, to rotate out tyres. 1hr 30 all finished and packed
away. It is becoming quiet easy.
We
tried to start the engine and it failed to start - cranking over quickly
but did not fire. Battery or injectors?
Although
the start batteries were still at 12.7v we joined the sets inparallel and had
the solar charging both sets. Everything inside turned off to give maximum
charge.
After
the tires we showered and washed hair. I then fried us up some tomato, capsicum, palenta and egg just as I was serving our friend
came back in his little blue truck.
As
I had water already on the boil I made him a cup of tea, and handed
out a bowl of sweet biscuits and lollies, he squatted outside and
drank with John, only having the one lollie.
He
had come to ask us over for lunch we showed him ours. As john showed
him his shovel and crowbar which he was really impressed with and
other bits and pieces outside I finished my lunch.
We
explained we would be over in one hour to visit.
The
start batteries stopped charging at 14v and the engine started quite
easily. Batteries then.
Arriving
at their Yurts we noticed that two had been packed up, There was the
main one and then still 3 others still standing. Everything was tidy.
I noticed a pile of sheep and goat skins under cover. They had been
cured to a degree but were still quite stiff.
One
question that I have been unable to answer is where do all the bones
go? We have seen the occasional dead animal and its bones but with
all the meat these Mongolians eat what happens to the bones?
Both
inside and outside the main yurt was more elaborate than the old
ladies we went into. Two single beds lots of chest of drawers and a
fair few cooking utensils.
We
were given warm milk which again was nice. John had one of the fried
bread type bun which was just that, but did not have any fat taste so
maybe cooked in oil? Also they are burning wood here for fuel rather
than dried dung.
Putting pairs of socks together is a daily job for mothers all over the world
Their
late 20yr old plump son was also their in traditional cloths. All
told they had 5 children but we could not learn where they were. Again
some very elaborate photos on the wall.
Parking
within the crescent of the wind blown sand we took some photos of EC.
We like sand.
Running fresh water between sand dunes
Leaving the lake and sand behind us we headed south
east back towards Uliastai and then Altai where we hoped to buy two
new start batteries.
Some
more great roads and some of the larger “land squirrel” type
burrowing animal, the smaller one and this eagle. He is not the big
one though.
Many
herds of horses and Yaks, Yurts with all the mod cons.
Just
outside Uliastai we drove to the top of a hill to getaway from the
road but also to enable us a roll start if required.
We
are still not 100% sure it is batteries but by swapping them out we
will know one way or the other.
127km Camp site 1951m alt.
127km Camp site 1951m alt.