We left the ger camp at 8:30AM, heading to see the ruins of the Ongi Monastery (formally known as Ongun Khud) where 1000 monks once lived and worshiped. Originally started in 1760 eventually 28 temples were built on two site, facing each other across a local river. There are even four Buddhist universities on the site. The temples were completely destroyed in 1939 when the Communists controlled the area. Two hundred monks were also killed and many others sent to prisons. A new temple was built on the site in 2004. There is also a museum of Buddhist artifacts at the site. We spent about an hour visiting the existing temple and museum before moving on, with an expected 80km trip to our next stop, the Flaming Cliffs, the famous location where dinosaur eggs were found and changed our view about dinosaurs.

We made a short stop when we encountered a herd of camels near the road. It was the first encounter we had with camels and everyone was curious. A stop in the small local town was also made for a rest stop and a chance to pick up some snacks in the local market. After Leaving the town our lead driver surprisingly made a wrong turn and we had to double back a short distance to find the correct road.

Then the unexpected happened! We ran into a stretch of mud and water, the result of the rain we recently had. Stopping to assess the passage we found a passenger van stuck in the mud. It was about noon. As is the custom we immediately offered to help, taking out a tow strap and pulling the van out of the water-logged mud.  Since we had 4 wheel drive vehicles we felt we could traverse the watery passage. Over the next three hours we alternately helped each other maneuver our way through the muck, stopping periodically to free one of our vehicles which became stuck. This included helping another mired two wheel drive van with Polish visitors who should not have even attempted traveling through the watery mess, but they did and got stuck.

Well, two of our vehicles ultimately made it through the area. I have a ten minute video documenting our successful travel through the watery mess but l have not figured out how to upload it to this blog. Unfortunately our third vehicle got stuck again. We managed to free him but he got stuck once more. It was now 4PM. After considerable effort to free the car we realized we were going to be unable to free it and at 7:30 PM we decided the vehicle (and driver) would have to be abandoned for the night. We transferred the people and luggage from the stuck vehicle to the other two vehicles and headed to the ger camp.

Then we had a “from the frying pan into the fire” moment. As we approached a normally dry wash near the ger camp we instead found a rapidly flowing river!  Maggie got out of the lead vehicle and stood there saying “there should not be a river here”! Normally it would not had deterred our experienced drivers except that there were two vehicles half submerged in the middle of the river! It was now 8PM. Our drivers took off their shoes and starting walking through the river, looking for a safe passageway. Much of the river depth was only a foot or so; however there were often holes where the water depth was close to 4 feet. It was not safe enough to try a crossing. No problem, Maggie says. She puts in a call to secure the ” Russian tow truck” from a village some km away, to tow us safely across. So we wait. We missed lunch and it was now past dinner time at the ger so Maggie put in a call to the camp and asked them to pack up dinner for us and bring it to their side of the river. Our drivers will wade across and carry the dinners back to us. By 10 PM we were drinking the left over vodka and eating our dinners on the tailgate of one of the vehicles. The Russian vehicle had not yet come.

About 10:30PM Maggie ordered us to load up. We thought that perhaps they learned of an alternative nearby location to safely cross the river. After driving about 10 minutes we pull up to a ger and what appeared to be a “tiny house” on wheels (a modern ger alternative?).  Why did we stop?  Maggie negotiated renting the tiny house for us to sleep in for the night. What did you say? All nine of us sleeping on the floor of this unit? Is there enough room? What about the snoring?   Pandy, our English lady, said emphatically that she would rather sleep in the car. I had slept on a hard floor in a monastery in Korea on my trip there and knew I did not want to experience that again. I also voted for the car, as did my son, Scott. So by 11:30 PM the three of us settled in the comfy seats of the Lexus and had a decent night’s sleep! The rest of our group did sleep on the floor of the tiny house and the poor drivers slept under blankets on the ground outside the tiny house. I am not sure where Maggie slept.

What a day! What an experience! What will tomorrow bring? Will we be able to cross the river?