Author: Alison

From Suzhou to Shenzhen via Northern Ireland, I love to explore, spend time with family and live for the moment.
Mongolia

Farewell to Nomadic Life and onto the Desert (Part 9)

Alison

Having woken up and gone to toilet surrounded by an audience of yaks, it was sad to be leaving this very peaceful existence. I thought about family, thinking that anything could have happened and here I was in the middle of nowhere, with no means of communication. It was amazingly refreshing. We packed up and said farewell. I was offered a bowl of what looked to be milk.  Of course it was milk, just not milk as I know it to be… It wasn’t offered to the children as it was Airag, the traditional national beverage of Mongolia. Alcoholic and … Continue reading Farewell to Nomadic Life and onto the Desert (Part 9)

Mongolia

Mongolian Barbeque; Nomadic Lifestyle (Part 8)

Alison

Friday 5th August was our last full day in the camp.  Eleanor woke up, took a bit of water, and then promptly brought it back up again. All the kids at one point during our stay had upset stomachs. Sadly there was no fried dough for breakfast, only bread that whilst supposedly fresh was stale. I had a breakfast bar. Eleanor went back to sleep, I was able to wake her up for permission to go on the penultimate ride. All changed ready for a 2 hour ride, this time we went to the east. On the first night’s ride we … Continue reading Mongolian Barbeque; Nomadic Lifestyle (Part 8)

China

Long Drops and Ancient Capital of Mongolia (Land of the Eternal Blue Sky) Part 4

Alison

When you aren’t looking at your phone, or computer, days just pass. The only reason I knew what day we were on was when I sat down with my diary and the travel schedule to work out that the 1st of August was a Monday. It didn’t matter what day it was. At 8.15am we departed, onto the sandy road heading north until we hit the main road where we turned left and kept going.  In the UK we have a phrase about the Romans having been there when a road is particularly straight. Every so often Yondo would slow down and we … Continue reading Long Drops and Ancient Capital of Mongolia (Land of the Eternal Blue Sky) Part 4

China

Ulaan Baatar (Land of the Eternal Blue Sky Part 2)

Alison

Ulan Batar, Ulan Bator, take your pick with the spelling. Be warned though, this is not a spell bindingly beautiful city.  It is utilitarian, functional, and whilst we saw it at its best on the first day (blue skie and very little traffic), we then saw it on our penultimate day when we were stuck in traffic and on our last day, it rained and there was certainly nothing pretty about it.  Its roads are concreted, not tarmaced and full of pot holes and they are bumpy (though not as bumpy as what we would experience in the forthcoming days). … Continue reading Ulaan Baatar (Land of the Eternal Blue Sky Part 2)

China

Land of the Eternal Blue Sky – Part 1

Alison

“Mongolia? As in Inner Mongolia? On your own- with Eleanor?” “No, Mongolia as in the separate country between China and Russia. Yes on our own, Martin is teaching in a summer school organised by DHSZ.” “Wow, you are…brave… That’s amazing… Why?” Just some of the conversations I had with people when discussing our summer plans. The Why question was the easiest… a country with horses, riding across a wide open space… well why not? I also wanted to give Eleanor a different perspective on life. No iPads, phones, television, internet, shopping malls, hotels with swimming pools, just green space, blue … Continue reading Land of the Eternal Blue Sky – Part 1

China

Summer has come

Alison

On 7th June my first year at school ended, Eleanor’s time in DUCKS ended and we boarded a flight back to the UK. Term had not officially ended but I was on my way to the UCAS conference and Eleanor was going to spend a couple of weeks with my parents. Mum and Dad had come out with us after the wedding and spent a month with us before going back to Northern Ireland, recover from jetlag and then fly back to Heathrow to collect Eleanor and take her back.  The end of Year 2 for Eleanor has meant that … Continue reading Summer has come