It is a rare occasion when you get to travel to a country of which you know very little. Even the various parts of Europe where I do not speak the language (which is quite a lot), there are still cultural ties that help to bridge the linguistic gap. A bakery or a deli regardless of language tends to be familiar territory for anyone with a culinary background so the likelihood of starvation is low assuming you have some of the local currency and a healthy sense of adventure. The challenge comes when you enter a culture about which you know little and speak even less of the language.

We chose to wander to Mongolia to fulfill a promise. Years ago some of our friends made a similar leap of faith and chose to work abroad. During our conversations, they stated that one of their goals was to go to Mongolia and we told them that if they got there, we’d visit. They got there, which meant we had to fulfill our part of the bargain! We had no plans for our spring break, so Mongolia became our destination to escape from our sub-tropical paradise.

Other than a smattering of historical facts recalled from my years studying history, Mongolia stood as a rather large unknown locked between the competing Cold War enemies of my childhood.

That’s why you go to Mongolia. Or Hungary. Or Kenya. Or whatever destinaiton your heart desires in the search for something new and adventurous! Whether your plan is to wander to foreign lands or explore what’s in your backyard, the key is to wander and see what’s out there.

Photo by Robert Vanderbloemen

Stay tuned for more details of our Wander in Mongolia’s capital-UlaanBaatar!

Wander On!

Rob