Things I love about Mongolia by Clare

Jubilant Ulan Bator following boxing gold.
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1)  Hats - Mongolians have over 100 types of hat for every occasion, season and social position.  You have to love a nation who believe it is unlucky to put a hat on the floor, throw it away or give it to another person.

2)  Horses - The Mongolian horse is built like a northern pit pony but has the attitude of a horse belonging to Zorro or John Wayne.  Aaron and I have spent three days horse riding so far, with one particularly incredible afternoon riding up a mountain and then back down again.  I never thought a horse was capable of such feats, especially when saddled with a rider whose experience ends at trotting up and down Norfolk lanes.

3) Chenngis Khan - Did you know that Chenngis Khan was voted "Man of the Millennium" 1000 - 2000 AD?  The Mongolians are very proud  of their national hero, and in addition to the standard symbols of honour (statues in parks, road  names etc) they have Chenngis beer, the Khan burger and Khan chips (crisps which unfortunately resemble cardboard).

4)  Landscape - Like Scotland, only  better.  I could get carried away with a stream of enthusiastic metaphors at this point but all I will say is look at our photos, which don't really do it justice but give you an idea.

5)  Mongolian national pride - During our first day in UB Mongolia won Olympic gold in the boxing.  People poured out onto the streets, honked their horns and drove up and down the main streets waving flags.  They hugged, they cried and drunk copious amounts of beer and vodka.  It was emotional.  The boxer in question was welcomed back to UB a national hero.  I'm sure that it won't be too long before he has a food product named after him.

6)  Gers - nomadic herders and ertswhile tourists live in large white round tents called gers made from felt and canvas.  They are supported by beautifully decorated tent poles which are arranged to represent the sun.  At the centre is a wood burning stove  which vents through a pipe in the roof, keeps you warm and is good for making toast on top.

And things I don't like quite as much.....

Horse milk - horses are milked 6 times a day and then the milk is churned until it starts to ferment.  This gives it the flavour and consistency of soured milk along with a strong smell of wet horse - although it is a Mongolian delicacy, and alcoholic, I will not be reconstructing this at home.

Roads - really, really bad.  They are so rutted that everybody drives either side of them, creating a series of tracks several hundred metres wide that then become a free for all.  As a result Mongolians have no preference for left or right hand drive cars.  Journeys are not hampered by traffic jams, just the number of sheep, goats, horses, cows and dogs on the road.  Cows are particularly slow to move.