Norris of Mongolia

Recently I was reading "Lawrence of Arabia" while crossing Tibet and China by train, and I mentioned my desire to be like him to a fellow traveler while in Tibet. Hence "Norris of Mongolia" was the title John gave me, so I think it shall fit considering what I intend to do by horseback riding across Mongolia in the summer. I only hope I could live up so such a name.

I have indeed arrived in Mongolia, after the longest train and overland journey I have ever made. Its been an exciting two months, seeing the great sights of Asia, from the Taj Mahal to the Terra cotta warriors of Xian, China. Experiencing the mystical from Tibetan monks chanting in dimly lit room that smelled of Yak butter candles, or pilgrims prostrating themselves across the Himalayas. The worshipers cleansing themselves in the Holy Ganges river, the burning ghats of the dead. A simple Christmas caroling service in Beijing. All have been phenomenal to see, some giving a view of the culturally divine nature of these places I've experienced.

Its been long, and tough. My camera with all my trip photos and journal were stolen. I've faced lonliness, tests and trials as any traveler does. Its been worth it. I may not have my photos, but I'll always have the memories. The challenges that we face can only strengthen, make us grow if we let them. Why allow hardship do anything but refine us, make us better than what we were? Travel is a journey, never a destination. The destination is often ourselves, growth experienced and thus we become someone, something we were not before we began the journey. I have grown into much more than I thought I could on this journey, and the good news is thats its not over yet!

I arrived via train at 1pm on New Years Eve in Ulaan Baatar. The moment of truth awaited me as I got off, could I handle the cold? Mentally I'd prepared myself for -20 to -40 days... and luckily I was ready. My mustache froze almost instantly with my breath hitting it, but I was ready. Turns out its all in the mind. IT IS the coldest I have ever experienced in my life, but it doesn't actually feel cold. Bizarre perhaps, but it just goes to show much of life (and travel) is indeed all about attitude.

New Years itself was spent with an old friend and Mongolian veteran of the Peace Corps, Phoebe. We met up here years back on my first journey when my love affair with this country started, and the dream of a horse riding trip to its very edge came to be in my heart. We decided to throw up boiling water into the air to watch it flash freeze, something I'd only seen on youtube and heard about from Alaskan friends. It was indeed a sight to see. We went later to Mongolia's main square, Suhkbaatar and saw the locals shoot off their fireworks. It was indeed a wild rompus of sorts, but fun. Many drunks, but a cheerful spirit considering the crowd was all facing the paltry -35F. It was a lovely night, my screams of "I LOVE MONGOLIA" and "HAPPY NEW YEAR" mixed in with all the others. I think I was just as excited about Mongolia as I was that my beard was completely frozen solid in ice, that small ice-cycles were hanging off my mustache. It is truly a bizarre feeling, but for novelties sake right now I find it quite funny.

2010 will be a good year, as I watched the sunset set upon the decade of my coming of age, I smiled for the adventures that the era held for me. Yet I look forward to the ones to come, and resolve to be a better man in the years to come. To embrace this country, its people, its culture, its language. Make it my own, so that maybe, just maybe I will live up to a simple nickname that could be even more should I truly make it my own. NORRIS OF MONGOLIA.

Sad to leave Nepal

Nepal has been the definition of adventure for the past month. I started by arriving in Kathmandu to organize my grand trek to Everest Base Camp which was a fantastic success, after 9 days of trekking and an extra rest day to cope with the altitude (not to mention Diamox) I made it to the top of Kala Patar and then off to E.B.C. Walking into a dream long harbored in my heart was an experience I'd not had, and one I'm not going to forget. Ive also done a touch of white water rafting, mountain biking, and chilling out in villages to explore the countryside further by dayhiking. All in all I'm sad to leave Nepal, although Tibet will be great to see, this is the last of my hiking or anything outdoorsy really for some time. Mongolia awaits, but its averaging -20 so theres going to be alot of curled up nights reading and watching movies, alongside my Mongolian language studies and work of course. Its been a good trip, I've grown alot over these past days but look forward to what the future offers. Further on by train is the only way for me from here, I've still got alot of Asia to cross in the coming days!