The big trip

So - monday I went to Darkhan!  It is a three and a half hour bus ride away, I was travelling with Ihab, and we made out way to the bus station together.  We had a bite to eat, and then boarded the most ornately decorated bus I have ever been in.

For three hours, the view from the bus window was the same, just a vast expanse of empty land.  Now and again I saw herds of sheep, goats, cows and horses, unrestrained, grazing - on god knows what, the land is bare - and their herders, Mongolians in full traditional garb, on horseback, keeping their flock in check.  Here and there I saw solitary Gers, and thought - what a lonely life.

Darkhan was great, I was so well looked after.  Stayed with Robin, who was the best hostess.  Her apartment was so nice, I felt very at home, but also slightly like I was in an episode of Doctor Who.  Darkhan is very small, and also very random.  There is a big statue of Bhudda on a hill, and a large bleak childrens park, with ugly, painted animals, and faded painted paths in the brown dust.

Everywhere is brown dust, everywhere is brown.  Some cows drift through the central square.  there is no bus, just taxi's that function as buses, the driver stops for everyone who waves and we all pile in and hope we get taken where we want to go.

The hospital is very nice, a lot like mine, and it was so helpful to see how tings worked there, and have a lot fo vitally important input form Robin.  On the first night we went out for dinner, me and Ihab, and all the VSO's in Darkhan, of which there are 6.  It was a very pleasant meal, I heard more gossip there than I had my whole time in UB.

The second night Robin and I went for supper at the home of Sally, another volunteer.  She made us vodka tonics with ice and lemon, and we ate curry, rice and dahl.  mmmmmm.  I felt even more like I was in an episode of Doctor who.

I was sorry to leave the next day, everyone in Darkhan is so chilled!  They walk around smiling!  It was actually nice to come back to UB though, as we arrived I instantly felt 'aah, I am back home!' and similar to when I used to coem back to London after a jaunt in the countryside, I actually felt a warm familiarity when I saw all the scowling faces, fought my way through a scrum crowd of shouting people, and took a lungful of black, diseased, heavily polluted air. mmmmm city.