Our long journey was coming to an end as today was the 11th day. Mixed emotions run through my mind. Happy, because a shower is near. Sad, because I will miss the simplicity of the nomadic family and the beautiful countryside with various landscapes and animals.
For breakfast, we had another loaf of homemade bread. Just as delicious as the day before! Today's journey began with a lake view of "o-was." Here there were multiple "o-was" that in the future would become one large "o-wa." Next, we stopped at two grottos. These were called Prisoner of the Dogs and Ice Cave. Both grottos were developed due to an volcanic eruption number of years ago. Before actually beginning our long van ride, we made a stop at the massive Hide Away volcano. We climbed up through the rocks, rubble, and trees to get to the crater. The volcano is approximately 5,000 to 8,000 years old, 250 meters in diameter, and 150 meters deep with a 35 to 60 degree incline. People climbed below to continue with the building of an "o-wa." A Mongolian lady surrounded by local children recited a beautiful poem to us about the volcano. We sat on the side of the crater taking in the view as this was our first time seeing a volcano. Our journey took 10 hours including many potty breaks and stopping at a local market. At the local market, Mishka bought presents for tonight's accommodation. Migaa informed us that we were staying with another UB driver's grandmother. Mishka appeared to know the road travelled, because he was driving like a "bat out of hell." He was very happy upon arrival as he had a huge grin from ear to ear. We arrived to the ger and were instantly greeted by the family. They appeared to be humble, but shy. The ger was very beautiful with detailed lace and silk curtains and wooden beds painted with vivid colors and detailed designs. For dinner, the family served homemade noodles with carrots, potatoes, and pickles. Migaa rounded us up to participate in goat herding. All family members participated in this event. We were unable to figure out the method for herding the goats together. However, we came to the conclusion that the babies and mothers were separated from one other for the milking in the morning. This was a wonderful experience to be a part of. Later that evening we met a 15 year old named Chiabat. He was currently taking the summer break from school. He had one month left in the country side and will go to Singapore to study English and travel. He asked us many questions regarding our personal lives and travel. You could tell his motive was to practice his English speaking skills, which I have to say we were quite impressed. He was delightful and very well spoken.