The sudden, massive lurch startled me into immediate action. Simultaneously, I grabbed the little Viking with one hand while grasping the nearest object with the other. A million thoughts flooded my brain as I struggled to regain my equilibrium. This was an entirely different feeling than I was used to. As the horizon seemed to shift and tremble, I felt as if I would fall at any moment.

A second lurch caused me to hold on to my anchors even tighter. The little Viking was equally startled and grasped me tighter, seeking reassurance that the world was indeed not tilting, trembling, or shaking as it seemed to be.

Then a third massive lurch shook us.

And a fourth.

My balance was upset and I had little to grasp to assist in regaining it. The lurching and shifting seemed to go on for hours, although I know it only lasted a few minutes. Strangely , the shifting and shaking seemed to normalize and I was lulled into a relaxed state, just trying to ride out the lurching and jiggling.

Just before the earth settled into normalcy, we endured four more lurches that again caused me and the Viking to grasp each other for reassurance.

Once we had regained out footing on solid ground the reality of what had just transpired began to settle in.

We survived!

 

And more surprisingly, it was FUN!

 

If you’ve never had the chance to ride a Bactrian camel, it should definitely be on your list. This was one of our major objectives when we decided to go the Mongolia. Additionally, this activity highlights one 0f the dilemmas we suffer whenever we depart for another adventure. Where do you draw the line between being a tourist and a traveler?

This may seem a strange distinction to make for someone off on an adventure, and sometimes the lines are blurred, however the distinction is significant.

A tourist is exactly what you are picturing. The bad short and Hawaiian shirt being shuffled from one cheesy photo op to the next so they can tick the box and brag to all their friends back home that they’ve seen every major site around the world. I know people who are just that sort and there is a place for them in this world. Just not usually on my trip…

On the other extreme, you have the traveler who is so self-righteous that they would never be seen in a typical ‘tourist’ locale since the mere presence of other non-locals might somehow defile their ‘authentic’ cultural experience. Fortunately for all, there is room along this travel spectrum for everyone and your place is never fixed.

So in other words, embrace the occasional tourist trap experience! Cheesy thought it may be, enjoy that camel ride! When’s the next time you’ll get the chance?

Pose holding a hunting eagle in front of a giant statue of Chingis Khan? Naturally!

Have your spouse recreate the eagle photo is the most ridiculous way while climbing up to a giant statue. Why not!

Travelling is about experiencing as many aspects of a country or culture as you are willing and able and eating at a local lunch spot without a bit of English in the place is just as valuable as stoping at the tourist trap created (in however cheesy a way) to celebrate the local heritage. We should never judge how another person explores the world as long as their hearts and minds are 0pen to adventure and they are respectful of the cultures and peoples around them.

Stay tuned for more wandering as the summer travel season is about to begin!

Wander on!

 

Once you get to UlaanBaatar (UB), just like any city, there is the initial shock of trying to figure out the quirks of the place. Where things are; how to get there; should we drive or walk? Every wanderer wrestles with these questions when they get to a new destination, and we were no exception. The solution: just jump in and sort it out later!

So that’s what we did. Our friends hooked us up with their housekeeper to take us around as a guide for part of the day, which eased us into the hustle and bustle of the strangely frenetic capital city. 

Taking a stroll around UB presents certain challenges for those of us accustomed to the usual niceties of Western European and Japanese traffic customs. Namely, laws and rules seem to have little to no impact on drivers. Lanes, stop signs, crosswalks, traffic lights, parking lot markings, etc are all treated as mere suggestions rather than silly things like laws. Right of way is given to the bravest or most forceful, suggesting that Mongolia is still somewhat of a Wild West of the Asian continent. This particular quirk of UB culture would not be too daunting if not for the presence of a 4 year old child whose sense of direction, speed, and spatial awareness tend to be unreliable on the best of days. Needless to say, the combination of being in a new city, chaotic traffic, and a spastic 4 year old Viking child made for a mildly stressful first experience walking around town.

The walk served as a great introduction to the UB experience, despite the occasional minor heart attack from close encounters with the local traffic. We were shown around by a local our friends introduced us to and that proved extremely helpful as we had no idea how to get anywhere. 

The morning took us to the Mongolian capital building, an impressive structure that appeared more welcoming than I pictured for a former outpost of Soviet communism. Unfortunately, we did not have the opportunity to explore the interior to see if the feeling continued. Thanks to the large public square so commonly found in front of national capitals, especially formerly Communist ones, we did get a respite from the chaotic traffic and had a chance to release the little one to run about a bit. This also gave the adults a chance to catch their breath away from the car exhaust and get their bearings, not that it mattered too much as we had no idea what our destination was or where it was located. 

Why am I telling you this? For anyone only accustomed to traveling in the developed world, the experience of going to the developing world can be a bit of a shock. I’m including myself in this. Mongolia was my first experience in the developing world and in many ways, it was great. But one of the keys to successful wandering is to actually get out and wander. Don’t be confined to a schedule. Don’t just take the canned tour. Break out of your comfort zone and stretch the legs while dodging insane traffic. Because that’s one of the best ways to learn a city, a culture, or a people. If all you do is look out the window of the tour bus or hang out with the expats, you’ll never get any real sense of a place. Of course you’re also less likely to get run over, but that’s a different issue!

Stay tuned for more details of our wander in UB!

Wander on!

Rob

*Photo Note: always check to see is the logo on your hat is straight. Unless you’re going for outdoorsie thug look…

**all photos by Rob Vanderbloemen

 

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