Day Three (June24_05) On our drive we met a 63 year old retired school teacher herding animals on a Mongolian pony. She was very friendly and handed me the reins to encourage me to go for a ride. The narrow saddle and small size of the pony encouraged me to let my friend Ann try it! We also saw an awesome truck with a large trailer go by with camels laying on their knees all lined up in perfect rows. Didn’t get a picture of it as they went by to fast on the road. The shot that got away!
We drove to Hogno Han (5-6 hours) and stayed in a Ger camp located in the foothills of the Hongo Han Mountains. Three stunning geographical zones are represented in this area; steppe, desert, and forest. In the afternoon we explored the sand dunes and surrounding area. We visited a nomadic family living just past the dunes and took their photos while the entire family took part in the milking of the goats. The baby goats came running back with much bleating after being separated from their mothers during the milking. We were invited into the Ger for some yogurt and conversation. The lady of the Ger asked me to take her picture with her puppy and her favorite calf. I will send the pictures to my Mongolian guide and she will try and find the family in the same area to pass them on to the family.