A stout woman of forty or so with two tone harsh blue eyeshadow and red lipstick shuffles down the plane, her hair pulled back in a severe bun. She offered out refreshments MIAT style (the Mongolian national carrier): a tray laden with cheap lollies probably bought from the
container market in town. No prepackaged peanuts here with an offer of “tea or coffee ma’am?” Next came a tray with a choice of peach juice in a tetra pack or what turned out to be sugary fruit flavoured tea. A second round of lollies was brought out so the tiny full plane of 48 passengers wouldn’t feel neglected and then the wheels emerged and I prepared to land.
I stared at the completely bald landing apparatus then overhead to the storage lockers which had more resemblance to a bus shelf. My second internal flight in a country not home and this wasn’t Thai air. I wondered about the existence of transport regulations within Mongolia and checking out the chair backs which swung freely back and forth, no headrest to be seen, I
decided they didn’t exist. Looking at the contacted emergency sheet all I could make out was a picture of a man climbing out a window and settled on the Mongolian attitude that you shouldn’t do what you are afraid of and gazed down at the airstrip coming closer. The landing was fine but even though we had seen some small towns this couldn’t possibly be Dalanzagad, capital of Gobi province.
Are we here? Monika and I looked at each other in puzzlement as some of the passengers got off and others stayed put. The pilot and co-pilot get off the plane, one heads off for a piss in the middle of nowhere whilst the other lights up a cigarette. Deciding we haven’t been flying long enough for a refuel even for such a tiny plane we figure this is the smoko break and double over in hysterical laughter. A few minutes later we’re back in the air and I can see camels down below. This was the bizarre flight to end them all!
A couple of days later we're chilling out next to huge sandunes. No driving today and apart from a scheduled camel ride later on in the afternoon our time is our own. Checking out the goats I find them equally curious and one comes over looking for affection. Goats have great natural smiles and I scratch around its horns as it nuzzles into my hand and moves its head
around cat like. Just there, that’s it. Mmmmm good! Monika comes over and receives her own admirers and we stay like this for some time peaceful in the middle of
the desert. But an earthlike explosion and I’m absolutely covered with goat snot. Shocked and stunned for a split second I can’t help but co-explode into hysterics whilst pulling at my t-shirt and making grosslike noises.
Five or six rolls of film later I’m back in UB. Monika left a couple of days ago bound for Russia and I have a flight to Bangkok tomorrow. Plans on the Burma border have fallen through and I find myself with a month or so to put to good use until I can find a boat. Yesterday afternoon it started snowing here and by evening there was a thick blanket of fuzzy whiteness covering the city which made me very happy. Leaving the apartment at 10am this morning the thermometer read –5.5 degrees. It didn’t feel so cold but I’m sure over the next hour or so it dropped another 3 or 4 degrees and my face was stinging with pain. Ouch. We were lucky enough to catch the last of the warmish weather and camp lots but now its time to go and find a beach again. I feel like I’m embarking on a new phase of life but I don’t know where it’s going yet. Been out 13 months now, I’m young free and have enough cash in my pocket. Any ideas anyone?