Anyone who knows me,
knows I love words……..
Whether using them (some would say too much 🤣)
writing them in long winded stories (some say often going nowhere 🤪)
or reading them. 📖
I did a blog somewhere beginning “words words words”
a la My Fair Lady and,
when I went to look for it, I found, well not one, but two,
oh wait, three; (better stop looking 🙄).
See what I mean about me and Words, Words, Words.
So, if you are curious, or love words;
here are 3 ‘wordy’ posts. 😊
(Open the links to read 😉)
And then,
there was no time for words
only for horses and riding
and the joy they have brought an old gal.
It all began when I had some time on my hands and wanted to visit
Mongolia
– not sure why –
you know I am a little crazy 🤪
Visiting Mongolia and not including horses just didn’t make sense
as in my mind that is where it, they, ‘all began’.
The marauding mongol tribes and all that.
Problem was, I was 64 and could not ride.
So I followed sage advice and settled for a ride in Margaret River –
my reckoning being it too began with an M ,
Mongolia, Margaret River.
A start. – what could go wrong?
Well nothing,
as it transpired,
it was magical,
painful yes,
but magical.
https://leepowrie.com/2017/11/01/margaret-river-harmony/
Be bold and have a read – the comparison will be interesting 🤣
And with that, began the most amazing few years of learning,
exploring, expanding my world in ways I could never have dreamt of.
And Mongolia receded into the back of my mind,
neither a need nor desire as life had me busy.
And now?
I hear you ask….
What are you on about –
words words words leading us nowhere……..
Well, what if I said these words were leading me
off the grid
I invite you to join me in spirit,
with a promise to share as much of my next adventure
as I can on my return to ‘the grid’
Life is full of surprises.
All you have to do is keep your heart open,
your eyes looking ahead and a smile on your dial,
even in the tough times.
And so it is that through mutual dear friends,
Mandy & Pat Retzlaff
(@Mozambique Horse Trails; 104 Horses – do read it)
I was connected with a remarkable woman,
Claire Thomas by name.
Bold, brave, fascinating,
documenting stories, both painful and joyous
to challenge or enchant us.
This is Claire Thomas……
Open the link and be blown away as I was.
Who knows what will happen if you do 😉
She has invited me to join her
and I am confident I shall be both challenged and enchanted.
And where are we going?
To Mongolia,
to the Altai Mountains,
via Beijing, Ulambataar….
Add to that the flight from
Melbourne to Biejing
You can see it is a Long Way.
The Altai Mountains are in the north west of Mongolia and the Britanica states :
The Altai mountains are a complex system extending approx. 2000km from the Gobi Desert, through the Western Siberian Plain, through China, Mongolia, Russia and Kazakhstan.
The name comes from Turkic-Mongolian Altan meaning Golden.
Okay, enough words about the geography.
How about the weather?
Right now in Melbourne we are sweltering in temperatures of 39-40 ‘C.
Yes Celsius.
We are living in semi darkness trying to keep the heat/light out.
The kids (and dog) have moved into the living room –
it being marginally cooler than their back room.
And ME?
I am navigating the thought of -23’ Celsius –
yup, that Is Minus!!!!!
The mind is baulking at having to think of such cold weather
when we can barely move from the heat…….
But navigate I must…..
Thankfully not the way to UB (Ulambataar)
Air China will do that,
but round the idea of cold, cold, cold.
Sharing accommodation, (which is common when I travel), is one thing –
the added dimension of such cold makes me wonder if we will be sharing body heat too 😉 if you get what I mean.
So I found a thermorest I last used in 2001 in Nepal (long before blogging 😂) ; does it still work, am I too old to sleep on it ;
will it keep some of the cold off?
So, just like trial packing, I have done a few trial sleeps. 😉
Seems okay. 🥰
And now to the “BIG REVEAL”
I am still pinching myself at this opportunity.
I am not going on a tourist trip to Mongolia,
where we ride around on ‘tourist horses’
seeing the ‘tourist’ things.
That would be great, I have no doubt,
but often leaves one feeling a little like a voyeur,
even a little patronising.
I will be going with Claire Thomas
and two others.
We are staying in the homes of Claire’s friends.
We are following the eagle hunters.
Carrying their eagles while riding in the Altai mountains.
We are eating, drinking, laughing, sharing, and learning from them.
drinking tea while visiting Alankush.
In return, Claire is filming their stories.
For two reasons;
to help maintain their traditions
and
to help fund them for the future.
Because we all know,
we have changed the world
and what sustained rural communities for centuries
no longer does.
Which raises the question of where our responsibility lies…..
One of their urgent desires is to educate their children.
Which means sending them away to schools,
which means funding them….
Anyone interested in supporting them?
Let me know.
All the Beautiful photographs belong to Claire Thomas.
Do yourself a favour and explore her website.
Opportunity knocked.
I took it and will keep you posted.
Till next time adieu
I leave shortly.
Brave New World of Blogging 