From the nomadic steppes of Kazakhstan to the frenetic streets of Hanoi, Asia is a continent so full of intrigue, adventure, solace, and spirituality that it has fixated and confounded travelers for centuries.
Crossing from Mongolia back into Russia was quick and painless, as border crossings go. The first laugh of the day was the Mongolian “road tax” of about US$3. Err…and for which roads am I being taxed, exactly? Done with Mongolia, it’s a 10-mile ride across no-man’s land to the Russian border. A customs declaration form is filled (twice...
I followed a track north toward the aimag capital of Arvayheer with the goal of replenishing food and water for camping. In the smaller villages, the store shelves are stocked with food items with expiration dates that are measured in decades: instant noodles, colas, candy, canned soups and sauces, powdered soup bases, and pasta. I like to have some of that on hand...
I lit out from Ulaan Baatar with a fresh transit visa for Russia; the numerous small delays of the past month had left me with a scant few days to explore Mongolia, re-enter Russia and enter Kazakhstan. A quick taxi ride to the Russian embassy, and two days later (and US$250 lighter) I had two more weeks to head south to the Gobi, then northwest to the Olgii region...
From Ulan Ude I followed the main highway south, noticing that the rest areas and passes contain ovoos, or sacred stone cairns. A few kilometers from the Russian border town I encountered a road sign in Russian, and also another strange language. My brain churned on it for a few seconds before I realized the second language was English! It was the first non-Russian...