News, Views and Reviews from Mongolia with Jess and Eternal Landscapes

No Images? Click here

Welcome to The EL June Newsletter

Our News, Views and Reviews from Mongolia 

By Jess!

 

What We Got Up To In June

Ouyha - one of my EL trip assistants being interviewed having  received project funding as part of the Higher Education Reform Project of the Mongolian Ministry of Education, Culture and Science.

At the end of our 2016 team training and development trip. I try to be a flexible boss so EL team members were able to bring their children so they didn't have to worry about finding child care

One of my EL drivers (Ganba!) meeting Nyambuu - a member of the Cooperative Ar Arvijin Delgerekh that we work closely with (a community of yak herders coming together to protect their way of life). 

Sandag, Bayaraa, Ganba and I together with the Mongolian team of the 2016 Peace Run. 

The Sri Chinmoy Oneness-Home Peace Run is a global torch relay that embodies humanity's universal aspiration for peace.

One of our beloved Furgon's  en-route through the central heartland. 

It has a high wheel-base, ample luggage space, a sociable layout with forward and backward facing seats, surround side windows and most importantly, impressive off-road capability. 

Our campsite at Baga Gazriin Chuluu. The area consists of unique granite rock formations within the semi-desert steppe of the middle Gobi. Baga Gazriin Chuluu has local area protected status and is considered sacred by the local population who make their home here.  

We're not an ever-expanding company. I have seven drivers and once all seven are fully booked, so are we. This philosophy allows us to remain small and to focus on our main philosophy - sustainable travel in Mongolia.

Supporting local is a major part of my philosophy behind what drives EL.  A local project we support is the Gobi Oasis tree planting project in Dundgobi Aimag's provincial centre - Mandalgobi.  Turuu and I planted these trees back in 2011. We've been in competition ever since. Mine is (obviously!) definitely (ahem!) the one on the right. The biggest one. 'Boss one!' 

A 'sweet' thank you for me from my team of Mongolian female trip assistants - 'the girls.'

In the words of one, 'We appreciate you always because you lead us the right way. You are strong like a Mongolian mother. You are not a stranger and not an English woman. You are our Jess.'

July Events 

 'Erviin Gurvan Naadam' - The Three Manly Sports.

Naad means games and Naadam highlights the ‘three manly games’ of wrestling, archery and horse racing. 

Horse racing is completed in age groups and only male horses’ race. The shortest race is 10-12km (two-year old horses - Daaga) and the longest is covered by the Ikh Nas group - castrated horses more than 5 years old, racing  roughly 25-27km.

Professional level observers don’t like to miss the 3 and 4 year old races and mixed breed races as they want to pick good horses for future races and trading. Tradition dictates that race routes be long and straight to best test the character and stamina of the horses. The jockeys are required to do minimum work at navigating their horse during the race. They don’t need to change the course of the race, they don’t need to try to stop the horse - they only need to let the horses run.

 

Ankle Bone Shooting 

‘Shagain Kharvaa’ is known as the fourth sport of Naadam. Don’t dismiss it. It is a great spectator sport. Actually, probably my favourite competition of the whole event. 

Male teams of 6-8 members flick domino-like tablets on a smooth wooden surface towards a target of sheep knuckle-bones, aiming to knock them into a target zone. Each shooter possesses their own adjusted shooting tools including stools and wear uniforms  embossed with distinguished characteristics depending on their rank and merits. 

As you’ll be able to see, it’s all about accuracy. Members of each team communicate via traditional shooting melodies their opinions to the shooters developed and expanded in each Mongolian provinces and regions. It is a nationwide sport and there is a Mongolian Federation of Knucklebone Shooting.

 
 

It's Not Too Late To Adventure Ahead In 2016

Some travellers to Mongolia come, visit, and move on to the next destination and experience.  For others, it is so much more than that. It is the start of a much longer commitment.  Where the immense, raw, silent landscapes and the way the locals make their life in this harsh terrain keeps calling you back.

But first you must come to Mongolia. If you're still considering looking for a holiday with a difference in 2016, then you may want to consider what eternal Landscapes and Mongolia has to offer. 

Why not explore my website and get in touch with any thoughts or questions you may have.

 

That's it for this edition.  As always, thanks for reading and do get in touch with your thoughts! 

You can always keep in touch with what we're up to through my EL Blog, or my previous newslettersor even the EL Facebook page. For a more personal introduction to Eternal Landscapes, you can also read my Facebook notes.

Wherever the road continues to take you - Sain Yavaarai - Journey Well, Jess