Up late this morning 09:30ish and down for breakfast: eggs, cucumber and sausage meet, tea and bread – yip, no sign of any mutton, potatoes or onion 👏

Today we are heading 130km north to Dood Tsagaan Lake where we will camp and meet the horse team who will take us to the Reindeer herders the next day.

The scenery is just as stunning and something I never tire of seeing.

As we travelled over the steppe we met a variety of vehicles taking the children to school. It was Sunday but they had to be taken the previous day as it was so far away.

A small 4×4 passed with, I kid you not, at least 12 kids crammed in. Unfortunately I didn’t get a photo as they passed so quickly and I only managed to see their faces squashed up against the windows.

Our driver did stop to speak to a motorcyclist who was taking his younger siblings to the school

While travelling we listened to some Mongolian country singers and rock bands and I introduced them to Lewis Capaldi, Passanger, Chicago and a few others. We had a bit of a karaoke going on in the car 🚙 🎶

Again it was considered too cold to camp so we were put up in a guesthouse in a stunning location right on the banks of the Lake.

We took a walk to get a shower but there’s was a huge queue of kids outside and we decided not to bother. Instead we went to some wee shops to buy groceries and sweets for the next few days and I bought some vegetables for the reindeer families for our visit.

The little village was bustling with horses roaming around, kids playing basketball and motorbikes going up and down the dusty roads.

I had the most amazing group WhatsApp video chat tonight with Bill, Rachel, Craig and Danielle. We spoke for ages and it gave me huge comfort to see them all on my phone. I could only do it now as there is a mast right in the middle of this village- how perfect was that!! 🥰

Tonight I had the chance to wear the tunic loaned to me by Nami’s mum. I dressed for dinner and yip you guessed it, mutton, potato, turnip, onion and pickled gherkins – we already had it in soup form for lunch 😂

After dinner I went down to take some sunset photos of the lake and mountains in the distance. A beautiful end to wonderful day.

Tomorrow we take a short 2 hour drive to pick up the horses. I’m not too experienced in horse riding and these horses are known to be feisty. I’ve asked for an old nag and to be lead by a rope. 😂

It was rumoured that the reindeer herders had moved camp and we wouldn’t be able to find them but I’m delighted to say there are a few families still in the vicinity 👏 👏 👏

I’ll need to look out my flattened jelly pants and try to re-inflate them for the ride tomorrow 🩲

Nite

😘