day 4 central mongolia

So today we are off for some hot springs. And we are looking forward to it. It is a short drive today which is good for our driver who is in pain.

We decide to go to the springs first before our hotel for the night. Good thing. The drive was beautiful. we criss crossed these small brooks and drove through fields of wild flowers of all colors. What a amazing valley. ANd then we are at a numch of ger camps all around the hotspring. We asked our guide if we could stay here instead of intown. SHe called her manager and they made the arrangements. So we got our bathing gear on and got ready to plunge into the healing hot spring. IT is 86 at the source so they have to cool it down. There are warnings all over if you have high blood pressure or heart condition to not go in or keep the time to a minimum. So we get in...... brrrrrrrrr. What? Can someone pee so it will warm up? We are very confused and a little pissed. We drove all day to get here and moved our accomodations to stay here and the showers were so hot we couldn't stand them and then the pool was freezing. Blake went to get someone. He said no hot water in mongolian and they understood. Just open a pipe and put more water in. Then it warmed up a bit. We would have had to stay in along time for it to be too hot that is for sure.

While we were soaking a young couple from Toronto came into the pool. THey were on this epic journey on horseback. Just the two of them , no guide, no gps, and 3 horses. They were 20 and 21 with moderate experience on horseback. I guess they had this romantic adventure in mind. They started out 2 weeks before with a map that had a road they were going to follow. Except the road didn't exsist. They spent alot of time getting lost. They basically went until they saw a ger and stopped to ask directions to the next well. Then 3 wells in a row were dry. They were dehydrated and the horses were dry and they managed to find a little boy who took them home and the boys dad lead them and their horses to another well that had a little water and alot of muck in it. I guess the major problem they had been having was the semi-wild horses of mongolia. The horses have an attitude and wouldn't let the guy get on one day. They tried for 8 hours to get on and the horse would just spin like a mad man in circles. Or the horse wouldn't move if they were on their back. So they spent alot of time walking the horses. The hot springs were half way into their trip. So they had to weeks to go still. They weren't looking happy.

We invited them to join us for dinner. They looked relieved. We chatted about travelling and they were going to turkey next so I gave them some hints.

Went to bed early because another long day on the road adhead.