The bus, which was suppose to take 18 hours, stopped often for dinner and bathroom breaks. I woke up in the parking lot of the bus station after a sound nights sleep. The only people left on the bus were the drivers and myself, all the other passengers has already disembarked. I thought it was rather kind that they just let me sleep away especially since the ride only took about 10 hours and had been parked at the bus station for quite a long time.
Khatgal is a small town at the southern edge of lake Huvsgol, the 2nd largest lake in asia, and is a vacation destination for Mongolians and tourists alike. The only problem is that it's really close to the Russian border so you need a guide If you are going hiking or horseback riding. I tried to get a border permit in the capital so I could ride into a valley where reindeer herders live, but after waiting 3 hours in a government office I was denied. Instead I have been hiking and riding horses through the hills overlooking the lake which is pretty darn beautiful.
While walking along the edge of the lake, I saw two men burning the hair off a couple of Marmots. I had heard that they eat them here, and that they carry rabies, but it was the first that I had seen so far. The man posed in an action shot for me but I left before they could ask me to stay for lunch.
Because there are so many places that I want to see, it has been far cheaper to rent horses for about $15 per day in different areas than to buy one for $600. The horses are tough little things and not always thrilled to move forward. The last one I rode I named Vacation.
Is that a horse?
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