Acupuncturists Without Borders
37 Kelly Lynn Drive                                         501c3 tax-exempt organization
Sandia Park, NM 87047
Phone: (505) 266-3878   Fax: (866) 574-0239

Acupuncturists Without Borders
World Healing Exchange Program

Overview of Lapis Camp

Mongolia Information Packet
Our Guides- Thomas Kelly, Photographer, Caroll Dunham, Anthropologist
And AWB Founder and Executive Director, Diana Fried

AWB's third Introductory World Healing Exchange program will take place in mystical, magical Mongolia. Imagine living among the nomads of Mongolia, sharing acupuncture treatments with nomads and learning about indigenous medicine, horseback riding in the vast, rocky mountains with forests and lapis braided rivers glistening below, exploring ancient Buddhist monasteries and ruins, learning about shamanism and how it has intermingled with Buddhism over the centuries.

On this trip, we will be incorporating a training of several days for Mongolian traditional doctors who already practice some acupuncture. Those who want to participate in leading the training will do so, while others go off on day trips in the area. As with our other Introductory trips, this is an opportunity to get to know a region, local healers and others, with the intention of coming back at a later time to do more in-depth training if invited.

Meet with healers in Ulaanbattar at a Traditional Healing Center and exchange treatments. Meditate with female Buddhist Khandromas (yoginis) as they make offerings to deceased hungry souls.  Sit in reverence under the vast night sky as colors change and shooting stars emerge. Let the raw elements and spacious sky work deeply on your own spirit. Each day we will begin with contemplative practices, including yoga, meditation, pranayama, and qigong. We will also make time for group sessions to discuss the experiences and clinical practices. On this journey we travel as a tribe, a community, exploring the nomadic life and our own souls, as well as sharing in our healing practices, in Mongolia’s pristine wilderness.

At our Lapis Sky camp, located 42 klms south of Tsetserleg, Arhanghai province, (GPS coordinates: 47 16,067' E-101-08,762), beautiful yurts are nestled into a private valley, with cottonwood tree forest nearby and the Tamir river a stones throw away. This is a magical place for contemplative practitioners, yogis, photographers and artists, or those who love to read and soak in quiet wilderness. Meals are lively, filled with tales and poetry. You’ll experience a rich introduction to the wilderness and nomads of this country. During the stay at our Lapis Sky Camp, AWB and several Mongolian acupuncturists will be offering daily treatments to the nomads.  We'll be joining nomads for their annual Nadam festival and witness a 20 klm stallion race with bareback riders between the age of 6-12 yrs-old, wrestling, and imbibe the Morin khuur (horse-head fiddle) and humii throat singing music.

We will horse ride to the remote sacred Mandal mountain, a special power place for the Mongol pilgrim. You don’t have to be an experienced rider to enjoy the horse trip travel.  Our local Mongol horsemen have over seven years of experience guiding different levels of horsemanship and watch over us like children. This trip is a rare and contemplative time for meditation, clinical practice, poetry, riding, and deep renewal.

Link for more Mongolia Photos: http://picasaweb.google.com/acuwithoutborders/Mongolia

Trip Information

Trip Dates: July 27 – August 14, 2010

We strongly suggest that you plan to arrive a day early in order to have a day of rest and recuperation from the long flight to Mongolia.

Note: There will be a one day AWB clinical training, for those who have not been to an AWB training, offered on July 26th at the Imperial Puma Hotel. 7.5 CEU’s will be offered, and the fee is $150.00.

TRIP FEE (does not include international airfare):

EARLY BIRD
Full payment is due by May 27, 2010
$3900.00 (cash or check price) / AWB Membe
(add 3% for credit card payment)

$4100.00 (cash or check price) / Non-member
(add 3% for credit card payment)

REGULAR RATE
Full payment is due by June 27, 2010
$4200.00 (cash or check price) / AWB Member
(add 3% for credit card payment)

$4400.00 (cash or check price) / Non-member
(add 3% for credit card payment)

SINGLE SUPPLEMENT
$350

Trip is limited to 15 participants.

DEPOSIT
A non-refundable $500 deposit by check is required to hold your spot.
Make out check to AWB and mail to:
AWB
37 Kelly Lynn Dr.
Sandia Park, NM 8704
(If you cancel and we are able to fill your spot, we will refund 85% of the deposit, and the rest will cover our admin costs.)

Call 505-266-3878 if you want to pay by credit card or go to the link below and MAKE SURE to note that this is a deposit for the Mongolia trip.
http://acuwithoutborders.org/donate_online.php

****PLEASE NOTE: We require that you purchase travel insurance. This is just a smart thing to do for overseas travel, and if there is a medical emergency, particularly an evacuation needed, you will need to have this coverage.

FULL PAYMENT AND CANCELLATIONS
Full payment at regular rate is required by June 27, 2010. If you cancel prior to May 27,2010, you will be refunded 75%, not including the deposit. If you cancel after this there is no refund. (If we are able to fill your spot, we will refund your payment minus a 15% admin fee.)

INCLUDED IN PRICE
Hotels (double occupancy); in-country transportation; entrance fees to museums, meals (B,L,D), camp crew, cook, wranglers, saddles, in-country guide; tents, ghers (double occupancy), leaders, preparation materials.

NOT INCLUDED
Airfare; Visas; airport departure taxes, insurance, sleeping bag for horse trip, alcohol, tips for guides, crew, cook, horsemen (optional, yet customary), items of a personal nature; optional fly or spinning rod for fishing. If you should get sick and need a change of accommodation or travel plans while in Mongolia, you will need to cover any additional costs outside of the regular trip plan.

Sacred Buddhist Ovoos

ITINERARY
We recommend that you consider arriving a day or two early, to settle in, recover from the trip and possible jet lag, and to be ready for the journey ahead! For pre and post-trip arrivals and departures, you will need to make your own accommodation arrangements and cover the additional costs.

Each day (with a possible few exceptions) will include some form of internal practice as a group, either yoga, meditation, or qigong. We will also include time to have group discussion about the trip, the treatments, and our experiences of this magnificent country.

Community acupuncture treatments will mainly be the NADA 5 point protocol. We will do other points as we are able, depending on the circumstances. We recommend that you attend an AWB training if at all possible prior to this trip, or plan to attend the training offered on July 26th in Mongolia.

Day 1 Tuesday, July 27 (recommend leaving a day or two earlier to acclimate and recover from jet lag)
Depart from USA. Mongolia is a popular summer destination so you'll need to book plane reservations well in advance. Korean Air (KE) via Seoul, China Air, (CA), Mongolian Airways (Miat) are recommended carriers to Ulaanbattar, Mongolia. Trans Siberian train travel can also be an option but early bookings are recommended.

Day 2 Wednesday, July 28
Arrival in Ulaanbattar (UB). Wild Earth Journey staff will meet us at the airport and we will transfer by coach to the Imperial Puma Hotel, centrally located and within walking distance of Sukhbaatar Square, museums and shops. Late afternoon orientation with our guides in Mongolia, Carroll and Thomas, and AWB leader Diana. Dinner at the Puma Imperial Hotel.

Day 3 Thursday, July 29
Glenn Mullin, renowned Tibetan Buddhist scholar, author of over forty books (including Tibetan Book of the Dead, with photos by Thomas Kelly) will be our guide through Ganden Monastery, which is the seat of Buddhism in Mongolia. Although Buddhist monasteries were either destroyed or converted into museums during the Stalinist purges of the 1930s, Ganden continued to operate as a showpiece for government officials and today is a thriving monastic center. We’ll meet the Ganden Monastery head lama for a discussion about Buddhism in Mongolia followed by a meditation. After a snack and cup of tea, we’ll meet Shaman Byambha Dorje treating Mongols and have the chance to ask him questions. After lunch, there will be an optional visit to Black Market to shop for traditional dels and riding boots. This is a Wild West market. Optional 5pm visit to the magnificent Chojin Lama Temple to enjoy a cultural performance of Tsam-mask dancing and listen to khoomii (throat singing). Puma Imperial Hotel. (B, L, D)

Day 4 Friday, July 30
Meet Amchi Natsadorj, founder of the Traditional Healing Center at Maba-dat-san, observe traditional healing clinic. Exchange between AWB practices and Maba-dat-san healers. After lunch, visit and meditate with the Buddhist female yoginis ( Khandromas) as they perform chod and make offerings of oneself to hungry ghosts. Evening visit and dinner at the Nicholas Roerich Center. Puma Imperial Hotel (B,L,D)

Day 5 Saturday, July 31
Travel by comfortable AC bus through Mongolian grasslands and arrive in late afternoon to Kharhorin, ancient capitol of Khublai Khan. Overnite at traditional gher camp. Gher camp (B,L,D)

Day 6 Sunday, August 1
We start our day with a visit to beautiful Erdene Zhu monastery. Ghengis Khan and his son created the beautiful and legendary city of Kharhorin in the 13th century to serve as the heart of this monolithic Mongol empire. There are only a few traces left of this once great city, but Mongolia's largest monastery, neighboring Erdene Zhu, was reputedly constructed from the ruins of Kharhorin in the 16th century. Erdene Zhu has been a place of Buddhist activity for more than 500 years. We will explore the monastery grounds and observe the monks as they perform their prayers and rituals. Erdensuu head lama has been asked to speak to us about the Spirit of the Horse and Buddhist renaissance in Mongolia. Drive to Lapis Sky camp in Bulgan Sum for sunset and supper. Gher camp (B,L,D)

Day 7-11 Monday-Friday, August 2-6
We gher camp next to the river, located next to the nomads. Morning meditation, pranayama, yoga, and qigong with Carroll, Thomas and Diana. Green Tara, a shamanist from the Western Altai mtns has been invited to stay with us at our camp and offer Green Tara meditation practices. Appreciate the Horse riding tips by Namkha, and horse ride in the vast valley of Teel. . The nomads beckon us to visit; learn how to milk a yak, make dairy products and learn about nomadic life style. Swim in the river, walk to surrounding mountains, sit in the vast silence underneath an amazing sky canopy, practice archery or enjoy the forest solitude. A gher will be set up at Lapis Sky camp for morning trainings and daily afternoon acupuncture treatments to nomads coming in from surrounding areas. Traditional Mongolian barbeque for the evening. On day 9 you'll be host to a mini Nadam, horse racing, wrestling and traditional music. Gher camp (B, L, D)

Day 12-14 Saturday-Monday, August 7-9
Our horse trek adventure begins. We ride about 3 hours to Tolgin Butts and camp in a beautiful meadow setting, with a late afternoon mountain walk through wild flowers to take in the beautiful Mongolian steeps. The second day of our horse journey is an invigorating 4 hour ride over beautiful mountain passes, past Buddhist Ovoos, through wild flower valleys to Mandal Mountain, a sacred place for the Mongols. The third day includes an invigorating walk to Mandal Mountain and meditation at sacred ovoo. The day ends with the chance to relax at the base of Mandal Mountain. Camp in tents (B,L,D)

Day 15 Tuesday, August 10
Jeep ride back to Lapis Sky Camp. For those who haven’t had enough riding, you can thunder hoof back to camp. Gher camp (B,L,D)

Day 16 Wednesday, August 11
Rest day at Lapis Sky Camp. Meditation, wrap up session with Diana. Final dinner with nomads who have been our teachers. Gher camp (B, L, D)

Day 17-18 Thursday- Friday, August 12-13
Head back to UB, with a stop at Tsetserleg to visit local Buddhist monastery, overnight at Khankhar Khad, or Eden traditional gher camp and then enjoy a farewell dinner in Ulaanbaatar. Traditional Gher & Puma Imperial Hotel, UB (B,L,D).

Day 19 Saturday, August 14 International Departure
Although we have an itinerary we will be flexible so we can respond to what arises on the trip. Special diets may not be able to be accommodated and travel in Mongolia in remote regions can be unpredictable. If you have special dietary needs you should plan to bring your own supplements. Please be aware that we are traveling to an area where the infrastructure is not similar to that to which you may be accustomed. Transport and accommodation may be rudimentary at times. We ask that you be flexible and aware that changes to the program may be necessary due to unforeseen circumstances. You must be in good physical condition for this trip. Please take out your own medical/travel insurance and consult your own travel doctor about immunizations.

Beware of Mongolia: It can be dangerously infectious. Was it the light, that golden late evening light that cascades down from a sky as vast as the ocean, or the space, all that wild raw, gentle space that just cleanses out the insides? Or was it galloping in thundering rain across the steppes on these jet-fueled steeds for miles, experiencing an unrivaled primal ecstasy that caused this viral infection to spread? Whatever the cause, the condition was severe: a complete case of Mongolian midsummer madness.

Lapis Sky Camp: Situated at (GPS coordinates: 47 16,067' E-101-08,762), 42 km from Tsetserleg, the district capital of Arkhangai, Lapis Sky Camp is Mongolia's leading yoga and meditation camp. We welcome families, writers and Bohemian eccentrics. Relaxed, at ease, off the beaten track, nestled into the Bunkhan valley, this quiet enclave beside the Tamir River, where a sense of privacy and quiet exclusivity pervades. Yoga, Buddhist teachings, horse riding, poetry and wilderness combine to strengthen wind horse, vitality. Humor and a lightness of being are cultivated by mingling with the raw elements.

WHAT TO BRING TO MONGOLIA-SUGGESTIONS ONLY
Dear Folks and Fellow Intrepid Travelers:
As we prepare to head off to the Mongol steppe, I feel obliged to burden you with obligatory information hopefully vaguely helpful relating to stuff and health. For those of you who already have a Lonely Planet Guide to Mongolia, disregard, for those who do not, I hope this will be helpful in someway and not too disconcerting. But best to be aware of the challenges and how to prevent them. I do recommend each person think about one's own health needs as we head out into the wilds. It is essential that everyone has a horse riding or mtn biking helmet or, and if you're prone to getting saddle sores, we can provide you with a saddle fleece but not chaps. It's recommended you bring a pair of chaps that will protect your calves. Alternatively, at the Black Market in UB, we can take you shopping for a pair of Mongol riding boots, about US$40 which will protect your calves from chapping. We have a collection of horse riding and mountain biking helmets left behind by past travelers but note they very in size and quality. If you wish to air on the safe side, please bring your own helmet.

WEATHER
Only in summer does cloud cover shield the sky. Humidity is zilch and sunshine intense. With over 260 sunny days a year, Mongolia is justifiably known as the "land of Blue Sky." Short rainy season from mid July to September, but the showers tend to be brief and gentle. Evenings are cool even in summer due to the relatively high altitude. Mongolia can be a windy place. When the wind blows from the north, temperatures drop sharply, but the weather warms up just as rapidly. One minute you're walking around in a t-shirt and sandals, the next you need an overcoat and boots, then its back to t-shirts. Temperature differences have been known to range over 37.5 C in one day. The summer is pleasant without being too hot. It can still suddenly turn cold.

A water resistant duffle bag that locks is best. I personally like combo locks that don't have keys. Once you're on the trail, you will soon realize that the less you have to deal with the better. I suggest you have one duffle bag and one-day pack. Keep your weight down to 20 kgs. I will have several extra water resistant duffle bags so if you find that your duffle bag is too cramped, we can help you out and back all the bags and mats together to free up some space for your essentials.

Plastic zip lock bags for gear, cameras, etc. to protect against the dirt, etc/ garbage bags are nice for ensuring that sleeping bags don't get wet and always find other uses.

CLOTHES
No special dress codes. In UB, dress freely. One pair of warm clothes is recommended. summer evenings can be chilly, especially at Madal Mountain. I brought my long john set, pile jacket, down vest, (layers work well) warm hat and I was happy--but I am skinny and hate to be cold. Excellent rain shell and pants long-sleeved non-wrinkle light shirt useful against sun and bugs. Pants are best for riding in, and thin, durable material that dries quickly is great. Two pairs. Lots of folks like photo vests, because of the many pockets...Good wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses essential. Shammy towel that dries quickly, Sports bras for ladies work well with horses and bumpy jeep rides. Boots that ride high up the calf are quite helpful for long horse rides to prevent chaffing. Thomas rides in Australian RM boots with chaffs. You can buy cheap but excellent leather riding boots in the Black market in UB for around $40.00

Please bring a down sleeping bag. We will provide sleeping mats and tents on our horse trip. What you bring is what you will sleep on, so make sure it makes you happy!

FISHING EQUIPMENT
For fishing on the Tamir for grayling, lenok it's best to use a collapsible spinning rod and real that fits in a hard case or breaks down into a portable zipping reinforced bag. Bring along strong test line, leaders, some bobbers and different sized lead weights. For spinners, you can bring different colored panthers, and other kinds (there's a professional fishing store in UB). It's also good to bring along some medium size hooks if you plan to fish with live grasshoppers. For those that plan to travel down to our camp, the fly fishing is excellent so you should have a fly rod and an assortment of flies grasshopper, irresistible, and some fly balm to keep the flies floating. If you're a hardcore fisherman, bring along a pair of fishing waiters with felt soles to keep you from slipping. A fishing net is also recommended.

Water bottle (1 liter, leak proof metal or nalagen, can double as a hot water bottle)

Torch (headlamps are always useful), mosquito repellant (with as much DEET as possible!), high factor sunscreen.

Shampoo packets are great and cut down on bulk rather than bottles. Best if possible is biodegradable soaps such as Dr Bonner's, etc. Wet wipes or anti-bacterial gel is useful as often there are few opportunities for bathing on the horse trip. We travel with solar showers and for those brave souls; you can always take a plunge into the streams. Bandana is always useful with dust.

Binoculars for bird lovers.

PHOTOGRAPHERS
If you wish to photograph while horse riding, a criss cross Snuggher Strap is recommend to prevent your camera from bouncing about. Alternatively, wear a Lowe Pro sling backpack. Fanny bags will rub against the back of your saddle. Camera backpacks can ride inside the support vehicles and will be close by most of the time.

We have a solar charger at our Lapis Sky camp for re-charging batteries. But once we’re on our way to Mandal mountain there’s no solar or electricity. Last year, Leo Well’s brought along a charger that worked by plugging it into the Russian jeep cigarette lighter device. We will have support vehicles traveling with us.

US dollars cash, money belt, a few pens, spare passport photos, Swiss army knife, spare camera batteries, compact digital cards, lighter, razor, razor blades, shaving cream, (UV) sunglasses, chap stick, tampons, dental floss, deodorant, ear plugs, pain killers.

SADDLES
We have Chinese Army leather-riding saddles, which were hand crafted in Ulaanbaatar and are plenty comfortable. They're similar to a Mongolian saddle in design but with much better padding. I also have five western Corduroy saddles.

TRAVEL INSURANCE
If ever there was a country where you needed travel insurance, Mongolia is it. With the outdoor lifestyle, unpredictable weather and bad roads, accidents are not uncommon. Agencies like Council Travel, Trail finders, Flight Centre, and Campus Travel sell insurance along with their tickets. Some policies specifically exclude 'dangerous activities' that can include horse riding. Ask about an amendment at a higher premium. Few, if any medical services in Mongolia will accept your foreign insurance documents for payment; you'll have to pay on the spot, get receipts for everything, save all the paperwork, and claim later. For Mongolia, a 'medivac' clause or policy, covering the costs of being flown to Beijing or Hong Kong or home is essential.

In case of injuries, we refer patients to:
SOS Medica Mongolia UB International Clinic.
The clinic is staffed with professional International Doctors.
SOS Medica Mongolia UB International Clinic
4a Building, Big Ring Road, 15th Micro District
7th Khoroo, Bayanzurkh District, Mongolia
Tele # +976-11-46-43-25, 46-43-26, 46-43-27
Fax - +976-11-45-45-37
Email: admin@sosmedica.mn

Copies of all important documents, please bring 3 extra passport photos (passport data page and visa page, credit cards, travel insurance policy, air/train tickets, etc.) Leave one copy at home and keep another set with you separate from the originals.

EXCHANGING MONEY
Depending upon your spending habits and drinking habits, it's always good to have some extra cash at hand-$500-$1000 dollars depending what your taste in Mongol souvenirs is like.

At several banks and countless licensed moneychangers in UB, you can change most major European and Asian currencies. The US greenback is still the easiest to change in UB and is the only currency you might be able to change in the countryside. Note that moneychangers will give you a slightly better rate for new (post 1998) US dollar bills and for higher denominations. In the countryside anything larger than a US$20 will be hard to change. You can change US dollar traveler checks into US cash in UB for a 2% commission. American dollars can sometimes be changed for Tugrik at banks in aimag capitals but it is bound to take forever as officials try to figure out the official exchange rate, much lower than in the capital. Watch out for counterfeit American dollars in Mongolia. At present US$1=’s 1420 Tugrik

Most major banks and top-end hotels in UB will change traveler’s checks but only those in US dollars from major companies usually with no commission and minimum fuss. If you lose your American Express checks or credit card, or Thomas Cook checks, contact Trade and Development Bank in UB.

CREDIT CARDS
You can use Visa, MasterCard, and American Express in UB at top-end hotels, expensive souvenir shops, airline offices and most travel agencies. The Trade and Development Bank can arrange cash advance on your Visa, MasterCard, and American express Cards for 4% commission.

International transfers, tend to be wrought with problems. It can be done through the Trade and Development Bank and takes 3-5 days and costs $40 plus 0.01% of the amount transferred.

SECURITY
At some point in a trip to Mongolia most travelers end up carrying a fair amount of US dollars or Tugrik. All you can do is bury it deeply in your money belt and in several different places, with only small sums in wallets and outside pockets.

SUMMARY OF RISKS
Except for getting frostbite in winter, Mongolia is generally a healthy country to travel in. The dry cold climate and sparse human habitation means few infectious diseases that plague tropical countries.
In case of injuries, we refer patients to:
SOS Medica Mongolia UB International Clinic
4a Building, Big Ring Road, 15th Micro District
7th Khoroo, Bayanzurkh District, Mongolia
Tele # +976-11-46-43-25, 46-43-26, 46-43-27
Fax -+976-11-45-45-37
Email: admin@sosmedica.mn

We carry an Iridium Satt phone. Tele# 8816 315-60857

SUGGESTED MEDICAL KIT CHECK LIST

IMMUNIZATIONS
No specific vaccinations are legally required to enter Mongolia. Peace Corps Mongolia asks that volunteers have IPV (Inactivated Polio booster dose), Mumps, measles, rubella, typhoid, diphtheria, tetanus, rabies, hepatitis B, and Japanese Encephalitis B vaccine, Hepatitis A.

Make sure you are healthy before you start traveling. Make sure your teeth are ok. If you wear glasses, take a spare pair.

BASIC RULES

FOOD
There is an old saying "if you can cook it, boil it, or peel it, you can eat it, otherwise forget it." Vegetables and fruit should be washed with purified water or peeled where possible.

Fortunately we will be using cooks who have experience cooking for westerners and understand our hygienic concerns.

WATER
Mongolians insist that the tap water in UB is safe to drink. However there can be occasions in later summer when the water becomes unsafe to drink--but public health alerts are issued. The number one rule is being careful of the water. If you don't know for certain that the water is safe, assume the worst. Surface water from rivers and lakes may well have been contaminated by livestock feces and should be purified.

It's essential to carry your water bottle with you, regardless of where you are traveling. Have a Steri Pen to zap any bacteria. Dairy products in the countryside are always unpasteurized and should, in theory, be treated with suspicion, though boiled milk is fine if kept hygienically.

WATER PREPARATION
Boiling is one completely satisfactory method to ensure safe drinking water. A rolling boil for 5 minutes is effective. Store boiled water in clean covered containers.

Iodine tablets may be used to treat water. One tablet per quart is sufficient, two if the water is cloudy or very cold. Mix well and allow to stand 25 minutes before use.

At our camp, we boil our water, and use Steri pens on our horse trips which emit ultra violet rays to zap any parasites.

Infectious diseases to be aware of in Mongolia: brucellosis, bubonic plague, diarrhea, hepatitis, and rabies.

Before you get angry and complain about why things just don't work as well as they could or should, take a second to think about what Mongolia has experienced and is still enduring: years of Chinese domination and Soviet Communism; a perverse climate; a terrible road and transport system; nomad lifestyle which rarely compliments western thinking and economics, a young, sparse population which suffers from poverty and poor health and unrestrained capitalism and development since 1990.

THEFT
Mongolia is a very safe country and Mongolian people are some of the friendliest and most helpful in Asia. Most Mongolians are very poor and foreign goodies are a real temptation. Theft is seldom and violence against foreigners, just opportunistic. Pick pocketing and bag slitting with razor blades are increasingly common on buses and in the Central Market, but not nearly as a rife as in China. Valuables should be kept in a money belt and buried under your clothes. Some people find this arrangement uncomfortable, so another alternative is to keep these valuables sewn inside of a vest (waistcoat.)

CAMPING
Mongolia is probably the greatest country in the world for camping. Local people and even a few curious cows or horses may come investigate our camping spots, but you are unlikely to encounter any hostility. Minimum Impact Camping:
Carry out all non-biodegradable rubbish. Or bury deeply. Make an effort to carry out rubbish left by others. -Where there is no toilet, choose a spot at least 100 m from any water source, bury your waste at least 6 inches deep, and bury or burn toilet paper, if possible. - Wash with biodegradable soap at least 50 m (160 feet) away from the watercourse. Disperse the water widely to allow the soil to filter it fully before it finally makes its way back to the watercourse.

Ensure that you fully extinguish a fire after use. Spread the embers and douse them with water. A fire is only truly safe to leave when you can comfortably place your hand on it.

Don't rely on bought water in plastic bottles. Disposal can be a major problem. Use purification tablets and boiled water instead.

HORSERIDING
One thing to bear in mind is that when mounting a horse do so only from the left. The animals have been trained to accept human approach from the left. Horse may rear if approached the wrong way. The Mongolians use the word chu! to make their horses go. Most important advice: watch and learn- Mongolians almost invented horsemanship-and be prepared for at least one good spill.

GHER WELCOME GIFTS
Vodka, sewing needles with large eyes thread for women, lighters, toothbrushes, toothpaste, notebooks, pens, pencils, hand mirrors, snuff, Swiss army knives, and pictures of the Dalai Lama. Make sure gifts are small, otherwise greater expectations for future visitors. Pick 3 or 4 items put in zip lock bag. To show respect and avoid arguments, give practical gifts with both hands to the oldest woman and the tobacco, snuff, matches to the oldest man.

SUGGESTED READING LIST

Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World; Jack Weatherford, Univ. of Minnesota Prof. Excellent Book.

The Lost Country, Jasper Becker

The Journey of William of Rubruck to Eastern Parts of the World. Danzanravjaa, (Mongolia's most influential Buddhist poet.)

Perfect Qualities, Translated from the Mongolian by Simon Wickham-Smith <wickhamsmith@gmx.net>

Riding Windhorses- A Journey into the Heart of Mongolian Shamanism - Sarangerel, Destiny Books, Rochester, Vermont www.InnerTraditions.com. ISBN 0-89281-808-5

Men and Gods In Mongolia, by Henning Haslund Adventures Unlimited Press ISBN 0-932813-15-1

Eagle Dreams: Searching for Legends in Wild Mongolia. by Stephen J. Bodio. The Lyons Press ISBN 1-59228-207-5

Hearing Birds Fly: A Nomadic Year in Mongolia. Louisa Waugh. Published by Abacus. Winner of the ONDAATJE PRIZE ISBN-978-0-349-11580-1

Wildflowers of Northern Mongolia, by J. Oyumaa

Guidebook to Locales Connected with the Life of Zanabazar, First Bogd Gegeen of Mongolia, By Don Croner, Published by Polar Star Press, Ulaan Baatar ISBN 0-9779553-0-3 produced and Distributed by INMongolia Co., Ltd. www.inmongolia.com www.zanabazar.mn <don@zanabazar.mn>

Lama of the Gobi- The Life and Times of Danzan Rabjaa Mongolia's Greatest Mystical Poet. by Michael Kohn ISBN 1-59971-905-3 Maitri Books, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.

Women of Mongolia by Martha Avery-Published by Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-587854-x

Mongolia The Legacy of Chinggis Khan. Thames and Hudson ISBN 0-500-23705-0

Mongolia The Land of Blue Skies, by Gauri Shankar Gupta Photos by Thomas L. Kelly. Published by Lustre Press/Roli Books ISBN :978-81-7436-454-8