I’ve woken up at 5am which isn’t really surprising as I was in bed and asleep by 8pm.

The horse guide has lit the fire and once again the teepee has become lovely and warm.

The 2 sleeping bags, duvet and blowup pillow kept me warm and comfy all night and I had slept right through which is unusual for me.

Not sure what’s in store today, maybe a horse lesson to try to trot which will make our 6 hr return journey a little nearer to 2 .

I might even have a go at riding a reindeer.

We were told that wolves are a problem in Mongolia and last year they came into the camp and killed a reindeer calf. 

Hopefully the many dogs will deter them and our horses will be ok as they are tied to the trees.

I’ll try to go back to sleep for a while.

I woke 9am needing to visit the forest and while I was there I heard a tap tap tap, it was a woodpecker searching for grubs!

Too far away for my phone camera so I rushed back to the teepee to get my camera. – success – a lovely photo.

Back for breakfast, boiled the water from the stream, apples, fried ham, homemade jam, bread & cheese – delicious.

There was no need to rush this morning which was perfect as every day since I’ve arrived in Mongoila it’s been a full itinerary and we’ve been up and out early.

At the beginning of breakfast there were the three of us, but as time went on there were 7 herders inside and 4 dogs sitting outside. The smell of the fried ham must have been wafting around the camp.

It’s a beautiful sunny day. How fortunate we’ve been with the weather. Only one short heavy burst of rain yesterday.

OMG, we’ve just heard we’ve moved into someone else’s teepee and there’s war! Poor Nami is taking our horse guide with her to go and try to sort it out 😱

Oh boy it only gets worse, we have been told to leave our teepee and move into one that has only one bed.

Apparent it’s a money issue. No-one is moving into our teepee as originally thought. It’s just the owners of the one bed teepee won’t get paid. I have offered to pay the cost of staying in this one for an extra night – £25 – which to be is a win win deal if you ask me. To be continued……

This dog may look as though he’s sleeping but I’m having to stand guard at the entrance as everytime I leave he goes in and raids the teepee for food.

Well it was show down and we had to go explain to the one bed t.p lady that I wasn’t prepared to move, it was so far away from our present place and it would have taken us hours to pack and move never mind 2 of us having to sleep on the ground.

Nami was great, no idea what she said but she stood her ground and we left. Nami did give them money to compensate them for their monetary loss although I said I’d be prepared to bear the cost.

All sorted, we’re staying put! On the way back to our bartered accommodation, there on the ground lay the landline, some things are just out of place.

We met the shaman who was having difficulty with her phone so I sneaked a photo as Nami was helping her.

A delicious lunch of rice and veg and after I went to the river for some water to wash the dishes. On the way back I stopped as usual to photograph everything around me.

The dogs that were hovering outside the tent enjoyed the leftovers and immediately fell asleep in the sun

The herders arrived with a variety of their carved items of jewellery and painted antlers. I bought some jade and a painted antler. Heaven knows how I’m going to get all this back as I had to pay for extra weight coming!

Sitting in the forest and a reindeer came strollong by more interested in the lichen than me. His antlers were beginning to shed the velvet and it looked quite raw.

I did it, I rode a reindeer in Mongolia. Fabulous

While Nami made dinner I took my camera and set off round the camp there’s always something interesting I’ve missed. 

In order to get the internet I have to go through the forest to reach higher ground, there I can upload my blog, answer text and phone the family. I’m always excited to tell them what I’ve been up to and what I’ll be doing next.

I took at few photos of the beautiful light on the trees and the blueberry bushes that were abundant in the ground.

Blueberry jam is very popular here and really delicious.

Nami shouted to say dinner was ready. She does so well to produce such tasty meals with such limited food and amenities.

I usually do the dishes with boiled water from the stream and my shampoo for washing up liquid – bubbles are bubbles I suppose!

As always the dogs were peering into the tent hoping for any leftovers

After dinner I took the vegetables, body lotion and soap to the head lady of the camp who was most appreciative and invited us to stay for yak tea and homemade cookies that tasted like doughnuts. She is one of the most gentlest and kindest lady I have met on this whole trip. She keeps talking to me in Mongolian and we laugh not knowing what each other is saying.

In Mongolia no-one knocks on doors when visiting, it is custom to walk straight in and the host always offers tea and a bite to eat

It was time for me to retire to bed. The young people in the camp were having a vodka party and I was happy to have time on my own.

Nami is young, 19, and was quite reluctant to go but she didn’t want to be disrespectful and refuse. 

I hope she is not persuaded to drink too much as they are older than her and a bit more wild.

I have given her my head torch to get back and I’ll  probably wait up.

Oops, I’ve let the fire go out when writing this last bit of my diary but I should be warm enough in my 2 sleeping bags, duvet and thermals 🥵

Well packing starts tomorrow and I begin the long journey home

Nite

😘