Day 402 - Reunion with Bimba

This morning we packed up camp after a Sunday morning pancake breakfast, farewelled our little paradise goodbye and set off for our last day's walk (well half a day) to where our driver Bimba was waiting for us to continue our van tour. While everyone else set off along the flat-ish, safe, lakeside trail, Adam decided to take the more adventurous up-over-and across mountain route! This once again caused Chana more than a little stress, with her often stopping, gazing into the distance and asking "where is Adam"?!

Adam was busy enjoying the fact that out of the Chinese pollution he could still run for more than 5 minutes within coughing a lung up! Even though on different tracks we all passed over little mountain streams, and Adam was able to take some great pics of the lakes from above - he even managed to get the rest of the group in one photo, although they look just like tiny ants.
While waiting for the rest of the group, Adam got to try his first taste of Mongolian vodka offered to him from a family from Ulaan Baatar (not normal post-run re hydration techniques!). Once we joined up with each other, we slowly made our way up a huge hill where Bimba was waiting for us - it was so nice to see his smiling face after 3 days without him!!
While lunch was being prepared we sat around in the sun - and Sylvie managed to create a wonderful sunburn smiley-face tattoo on her tummy!! As we relaxed in the sun the quote of the day popped out of Sylvie's mouth: "take off your shoes, it will change your life"!

While the yaks forked out money for a marmot lunch, the boys got sneaked some to try from Bimba and the horsemen - niiiice.

Back on the road for another long drive ... well, actually, we stopped after about 10 minutes to help the Yaks fix their van for about 3 hours. Although not the ideal situation, we didn't really mind because in Mongolia vehicles often break down, and anyone and everyone hangs around to help - it's just the Mongolian way.

While waiting Adam and Franco set off to meet a local family, where they were invited into the ger for cheese, airag, large bowls of vodka, and meat - and attempted conversation - a little difficult when our vocabulary exists of hello, thank you, and 'go straight'. Upon their return Chana was extremely impressed with their solo Mongolian adventure, and took Marco over for some drinking, which ended up with Marco slipping in the river on the way back.
Finally underway we bought beer at a local supermarket, where Bimba did some running repairs on our now failing vehicle - on the upside we got to see an amazing sunset. We were soon headed to the countryside where the Yaks set up tents, but Queen Chana talked to a local family and scored us a real non-tourist ger to sleep in - heated by a poo-fueled fire!! The ger was filled with airag, cheese and meat drying right where Liv would rest her head for the night.

Adlibing it in a real ger