Mongolia Bound!

This year's anniversary of the Nazi invasion of Charlottesville passed almost without note in our house, quite a difference from the last seven years. It's not that we didn't remember, but we were, wellm distracted. I had a major deadline for a work project—the 25-page draft was due yesterday. Meanwhile, we were making lists and using up leftovers and cleaning and—PACKING! Today, we are off to Mongolia, to revel in throat singing and camel riding and starry desert nights.

Mongolia was never really on our bucket list, though I have always said I'll go anywhere if I have the opportunity. Road Scholar, a nonprofit educational tour company for elders, started sending us their catalog when Joe turned 65. We always read it with interest, fantasizing about the amazing places they go. And then, late last year, the catalog announced "Special Price–Free Airfare" on a trip to Mongolia. I've never been able to pass up a great deal, and it made the trip almost affordable, so we signed up. It seemed impossibly far in the future then, but now, here we are. Packed and waiting for the dogsitter to arrive. 

It's quite a trip ahead of us. Two and a half hours to the D.C. airport, which we're going to early so we can apply for Global Entry before we leave. Then, at 9:50 tonight, our Turkish Airlines plane takes off (God willing) for a 10 hour 15 minute flight to Istanbul, where after a three-hour layover, we'll fly another eight-plus hours to Ulaanbataar, arriving the day after tomorrow, exactly 12 time zones ahead. So, from door to hotel door, we'll be in transit about 30 hours, if all goes well. 

But then, we'll be in Mongolia! We realized I knew very little about Mongolia before planning this trip. Here are a few things we've learned: 

There are no divided highways in Mongolia.

Mongolia once controlled almost all of Asia and much of Europe.

It was part of the Soviet Union, and afterwards, became a parliamentary democracy. International observers find its elections to be free and fair.

Women have been recognized as hunters, warriors and leaders throughout history. Ghengis Khan's great-granddaughter, a great warrior, was named Khan when her father died. 

Mongolia is the last outpost of the wild bactrian two-hump camel and the wild Przewalski's horse. 

Mongolian throat singers can produce three notes at once: a growly drone and two overtones. 

I'm sure we'll know much more soon. See you in two weeks! 

Comments

  1. gloriabeard55@gmail.comAugust 14, 2024 at 2:32 PM

    Wow! That's an awesome trip. I don't know about the plane ride, seems like a lot of hours up close to the sky!😂🤗💕👍🏾

    ReplyDelete

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