I was not sure what to expect when I landed at the Tbilisi airport in Georgia. Although the flight was only two hours from Istanbul, I was still uncertain about what awaited me in this former part of the Soviet Union. The airport was modern but small, and I cleared passport control with ease as I had a valid visa and all my documents in order.

As I walked out of the exit door, my eyes fell on a very beautiful Georgian lady with tattoos on her hands and around her heaving breasts. Somehow, my eyes followed her, drawn by a pull I still can’t explain. “You need a taxi around Georgia, you tourist?” She smiled and gazed at me as I tried to steady myself. “Yes, I am here for traveling. I am from India and staying at the Ramada Hotel,” I explained, still unsure where the conversation was headed. “Oh, I have a taxi. We can take you to your hotel,” the lady said.

An Enchantress Called Nino

She was indeed very beautiful and she knew it. She knew that her enchanting eyes and hourglass figure would attract tourists like me from faraway lands. “Can I change some money first, then we can go? I will come with you,” I told her.

Soon, she took me to her car, a spanking BMW. It was a luxury taxi, that’s for sure. “This is my brother; he will drive us. Hello, my name is Nino, Nino Davitadze.” We drove for twenty minutes and soon arrived at my destination. I am a fool when it comes to women and, just like any man, could not resist Nino’s charms. “Well, I am here for three weeks. You are in the tour guide business, why not take me around the country? I want to see all of Georgia, one city after another. I am a Bollywood actor, you can Google me,” I introduced myself.

The entire next evening, we explored the city, drinking wine in the famous bars of Tbilisi. I will share with you some of the pictures and the panoramic view of the city from the top of a hill. More than that, it was the conversations with Nino that I enjoyed the most. She is a girl who loves tattoos and witchcraft. I knew we had common interests and that we would hit it off. I am still waiting for the night to end, as I am still tipsy from the wine and our many conversations.

I took an early morning flight from Delhi to Istanbul, with a two-hour stopover before my connecting flight from Istanbul Airport to Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia. I had already obtained a 30-day visa through iVisa and was all set to explore the city for the next twenty-five days. Yes, this would be my longest stay in a country; my previous trips had been for no more than two weeks.

But, as they say, anything can happen when you’re on an adventure. My trip started with a damper. In my absent-minded state, I decided to sit at the Turkish airport’s local McDonald’s to have my lunch. I got so engrossed in my thoughts that by the time I reached my gate to board the Turkish Airlines flight to Tbilisi, the flight had completed its full boarding and they had closed the gates. I was late by fifteen minutes. I was told that I could not board the flight and would have to buy another ticket. I must admit, I panicked a bit and rushed to the Turkish Airlines counter. They informed me that there was another flight in three hours, but I would have to buy a brand-new ticket, which would cost me another thousand dollars. As you can see, my journey to Georgia did not have a very auspicious start. But what’s done cannot be undone, and that was the case here.

Tbilisi

I managed to finally get a new ticket and board my flight. It was in Business Class. I realized that as I get older, I prefer to travel in Business Class as it is the only way to get a good sleep on a plane, especially during long flights.

The journey to Tbilisi was over two hours long. As luck would have it, a very attractive and pleasant taxi and tour operator named Nino met me at the arrivals. After changing dollars into the local currency, the lari, I decided to take a taxi ride with Nino in her BMW taxi. She drove me right up to the Ramada hotel.

“I love India. I’ve always wanted to see the Ganga. India is famous for magic, mysticism, and voodoo. You know, we have a woman here who couldn’t have babies. She went to India, swam in the river Ganga, and soon after, she gave birth to a child,” Nino told me.

“I am an actor, you know. I’ve been a Bollywood actor. See, I’ll show you my videos.” I started showing her my videos on YouTube. I feel that all around the world, this is the best way to establish trust and credibility. Just tell the world you are a Bollywood actor from India, and soon enough, you will have made a few friends.

Yes, and I feel I have already made a new and attractive friend in Tbilisi: Nino Davitadze. I am hoping she will be such a friend.

Having a chirpy and talkative tour guide is essential when traveling in a new country. You have many questions, and a knowledgeable English-speaking tour guide with pleasant manners is a must for a great travel experience. I was lucky to have two guides: Animaa and Ogi.

Ogi was in his late twenties, a divorcee, and a single parent. His daughter lives with his mother. He and his wife had been separated for years. His marriage lasted less than five years, which gave us something in common since I, too, am divorced, though it was a long time ago. Ogi had been in the travel business for the last seven years but held a degree in psychology, which happens to be one of my favorite topics.

On Route Through Mongolia with Ogi

“You see, Buddha was the greatest psychologist and psychoanalyst. He was the real deal; he gave the world Buddhism and Zen meditation. He must have been really good,” I mused.

“Yes! He was indeed, but I just read a few books, that’s all,” Ogi replied, sounding somewhat bored.

We had brought cheese and bread with us on this trip to the mountain areas of Mongolia. The Ger we stayed in was warm, and Ogi would always be the one to light the oven and heat the Ger.

Ogi was my driver, helper, and tour guide, and he even helped me with all my laundry throughout the trip. I made a few videos of him playing with sheep in the shed. He was my constant companion as we went horseback riding deep into the snowy peaks and mountain ranges.

The eagle hunting tradition has been adopted by Kazakh families, who form the largest minority community in Mongolia. The region is very rocky, with huge rock formations ideal for eagles to nest and lay eggs. The high rocks provide a safe haven from predators like wild cats, foxes, deer, and jackals. Many eagles nest in this wild, nomadic country.

The Kazakhs are of Turkish descent, with their community extending to Kazakhstan. The art of eagle hunting has been practiced in this region for thousands of years, and Genghis Khan, the ruler of Mongolia, greatly encouraged this traditional practice. I managed to visit one such family deep in the wild outbacks near the Mongolian-Turkish border, trying to learn about these eagle hunting Kazakh people. My guide, Ogi, took me to see one such family. They lived in a modest brick house, with a television, a few fans, and even a solar panel heater. Some even had mobile phones. I was welcomed by a young teenage girl who served me hot tea and biscuits. There was soup, toffee, and white milk tea. It was cold, and I needed something warm. I had three glasses and then noticed the wall in front of me. I saw the fluffy, woolly skin of a snow fox and an exotic high mountain rabbit. There were three skulls on the wall along with a traditional harp-like musical instrument.

The Eagles

I was tempted by the fox skin; it was unique and exotic. I thought it would be a hit if I could sell it through my website, so I decided to buy two fox skins from the Kazakh eagle hunter family. I asked my guide, Ogi, to ask the head of the family if I could buy the exotic fox and rabbit skins. After some haggling, I bought two fox skins. Ogi had his reservations. “You might need documents to take these on a flight. Isn’t it banned in your country? I mean, this is animal skin, fox skin; it might not be legal to carry it,” Ogi advised honestly. Ignoring his advice, I bought the skins and shoved them in my suitcase.

I took some photographs of the area, and just next to the house, I could see scores of eagles flying in the sky. I managed to capture pictures of them; they looked majestic against the open blue sky.

One of the family members started to play a musical instrument that looked like a banjo, and the teenage girl brought me an animal skin hat, which I wore for fun. The family was hospitable, and I paid them for my purchases. They were simple, humble people with very few wants, living a nomadic life, herding sheep, raising chickens, and looking after cows and yaks. These people have been living like this for generations.

Mongolia has a cold and rocky terrain, and I was very close to the rugged mountain area of the country’s outback. This was the Tavanbodh National Park, where I stayed in a Ger for over four days. I lived on meager rations of bread, cheese, and boiled potatoes. I slept on a wooden cot bed inside two warm sleeping bags. Luckily, I had brought my thick warm brown jacket, which kept me warm. Here, temperatures would drop as low as minus three degrees Celsius. Ogi had to constantly burn cow dung to make a fire that kept us warm all night inside our tent. This was truly roughing it in the outback, right in the heart of nature. I would relieve myself outdoors and bathe in the freezing waterfalls of the park. Ogi and I ventured deep into the mountains on horseback, searching for rock paintings. I did a lot of horseback riding here.

On my way back to the city of Ulaanbaatar, I even spotted huge whirlwinds and tornadoes dancing past my car. I managed to capture them through my lens—dust flying high in the air like a dance of nature. These huge whirlwinds, like small storms, whizzed past me. There were three or four of them dancing in the fields on either side of the road.

The Ongi Monastery is a scenic wonderland situated next to the Ongi River in the Saikhan-Ovoo district of the Dundgobi province. It actually comprises two monasteries: the Barlim Monastery located on the north bank of the Ongi River, and the Khutagt Monastery on the south bank of the river.

Ongi Monastery was built in the 1660s. At its peak, it boasted four universities and over thirty temples, all managed by more than one thousand monks. However, the purges of 1939 by the Communist Party of Mongolia devastated this region. Over two thousand monks were killed, and others were taken captive, with some forced to serve in the army.

Ongi Monastery

The area where the two monasteries once stood was reduced to ruins. Thanks to the democratization of Mongolia, three monks who had once studied at Ongi Monastery decided to return and restore the ruins. Visitors can now see a museum and even visit a restored temple. The area is particularly beautiful at sunset, with breathtaking views of the Ongi River flowing past green meadows and mountainous terrain. This place is a photographer’s delight, and I managed to capture some great pictures of the monastery and the surrounding hills.

The Stalinist and Communist purge of 1939 left the place in ruins, with monks slaughtered and temples vandalized. The Ongi River provides the area with a tranquil and silent atmosphere, making it feel very peaceful to be here.

No visit to Mongolia is complete without a camel ride across the sand dunes and deserts of the Gobi. I was lucky to stay in a Ger tent right in the middle of the Khongor Sand Dunes. This is a vast, dusty brown ocean of sand that stretches for miles. The sand dunes shimmer in the afternoon sun, and it can get quite warm. The camels of Mongolia are large, stocky, and full of wool. They have thick wool coats to withstand the extreme cold in winters.

I climbed on top of one such camel for a ride through the sand dunes, and I just went with the flow. We climbed for hours through the desert, with soft winds blowing from the west as I slowly trudged on. There are hills and mountains of sand dunes; the entire place is dry, airy, and dusty brown in color.

Camel ride

I moved through the desert sands with the camel navigating the dunes with ease. We moved slowly but surely, the tall, thin limbs and large, broad, flat feet of the camel carrying me through my journey.

The Mongolian camels eat shrubs and other plants that grow wild in the desert. They are gentle creatures, obedient to their masters, and have been carrying goods and people across the deserts for thousands of years. Camel milk is also consumed in this part of the world, and they even make alcohol from it.

In the late evenings, I stayed at the Gobi Discovery Camp in a Ger along with my guide, Animaa. She was a chubby Mongolian girl, very sweet but plump. She accompanied me during the first leg of my Mongolian odyssey. I slept in a warm Ger at night, as the desert gets very cold at night.

“You know, I don’t like the way you pay money to people, especially in the bar and hotel. You can’t throw money at them; it is very rude. You will annoy people; it is disrespectful,” Animaa told me, irritated by my habit of throwing money at people. “No, no, it’s just that I am in my own world, thinking about the next story and blog post. I also get confused with the money and the denominations, that’s all,” I replied, almost apologizing for my rudeness.

There was a huge black dog who would run across the garden area and around the tents. I would take slow walks around the place, exploring it during the evening.

Ulgii City is where I spent most of the latter part of my travels in Mongolia. There is a small airport in Ulgii City, and one can take a small plane from Ulaanbaatar to Ulgii City. The flight takes a little over two hours, and from Ulgii City, you can take a jeep. In my case, I took the services of a Bukhanka UAZ-452, a very rugged Russian-made old van also called the “bread loaf” because it looks like a loaf of bread.

I spent most of my time eating chocolates and cheese with bread, as that was the only food I liked when we were in the mountains or moving through the mountains on horseback. As luck would have it, I also stopped to see some old Muslim burial places or graveyards deep inside the mountains, buried deep in the valleys of Ulgii City.

This is a predominantly Kazakh place, and two hundred thousand Kazakhs live in and around the mountainous city, which has very cold temperatures. The city is large yet simple. The houses are very basic, but there are supermarkets and shops all over the city, along with flourishing restaurants serving chicken and rice. I managed to have a large bowl of soup here, as that was the best thing to keep me warm.

Ulgii City

My Russian-made Bukhanka did a great job, and I had an old but very experienced driver taking us on this adventurous ride.

I walked over frozen riverbeds and even jumped into a waterfall. The place had a very mystical feel about it, especially the area around the mosque and the Muslim graveyard, where there were flags with the Islamic symbol of the crescent moon.

The people here don’t speak Mongolian; they speak a local Kazakh dialect. There are hotels, but not many, and they are more of the basic type. You will need a Kazakh-speaking tour guide here as no one speaks Mongolian. There are markets and bazaars, and one can get the local dried curd, which is full of vitamins.

This city is also famous for its Eagle Hunting Festival. People tame and train eagles here, then showcase their eagles’ skills in festivals and local competitions. I was also lucky to have tea with a local eagle hunter family on a later day.

The mountains, the grassy land, the many lakes and streams, along with dusty roads and bridges, give this city a very ancient feel as if it has been locked in time for centuries.

Ulgii is a city in western Mongolia and is the capital of the Bayan-Ulgii Aimag. It has a vibrant embroidery industry inspired by Kazakh art and music. One can find animal skin fur hats and exotic fur jackets as well in Ulgii.

Ulgii is situated on the banks of the Khovd River, which is vast. It is a must-see place for travel lovers.

Most Mongolians living in the wilderness away from towns and cities lead a life of sheep herding, herding yaks and cows, and also keeping camels. Most people live in white tents and gers. They have solar panels provided by the government to heat water and cook food. Cow dung and wood are used to make fire and heat water and cook food. There are no schools in the area, so children join the tradition of their fathers and herd sheep.

I would occasionally get out of my Jeep to walk among the sheep herders and give them water. Many places in the desert have small water channels where camels and sheep drink water from. I managed to wander close to such a place and gave the thirsty sheep some cool water.

It is a remote place, but I felt so close to nature. I could see ancient old bridges and rivers flowing through the dusty land. The sheep would wander around the road and the watering hole. Occasionally, a few of them would get involved in fights, locking horns and head-bashing. I guess that’s how sheep fight and release some heat.

I could see a red truck with the trademark of Coca-Cola. Even in a far-flung place like this, there was Coca-Cola. It was amazing to see the large red truck pass through the desert road, with dust and sand flying high up in the air as it cut through the flat, dusty desert land. The sun shines bright and sets late in this place. The area is full of stones and rocks and gets cold at night.

Wells, river water, and waterfalls are the sources of water in this nomadic, far-flung land. But I will never forget the sheep and the herders of Mongolia.

The outback of Mongolia and the Gobi Desert carry many mysteries, and this is a place where shamanistic practices are very prevalent. Shamans are people similar to priests, possessing spiritual healing powers, great insight, knowledge, intuition, and even telepathy. They can communicate through the mind and are viewed as witch doctors. They pray to nature; everything in nature is sacred and godly, like fire, earth, sky, trees, and even animals. Nature is their god, and they pray to it.

Shaman Temple

They are a primitive nomadic tribe, untouched by time and modernization. The shamans still practice in this area. I managed to get a look at a shaman temple, which was inside a perimeter fence. It was a hut made from brick, and inside were idols of ancient gods. Most of the idols were made of stone, and their heads were made of deer or sheep skulls with huge horns. I managed to jump over the fence to get a closer look inside the temple. I made a video of the area and was fascinated by the idols and the way they had been decorated with paint.

Mongolian Shamanism, also known as Tengerism, is the native religion of the country. It is a religion that practices animism and shamanism. It later mingled with traditional Buddhism and was heavily persecuted during the Stalinist Communist purge and repression.

They worship the father and the sky. Shamanism has been practiced in Mongolia for centuries. Some shamans also perform spiritual ceremonies and are seen as faith healers.

It was great to explore a temple like this, and I would cherish the experience. At first, I felt a little jittery, but once I was inside the temple, it was all about exploration.

The Gobi Desert is vast and has a green hue of grass, but it is also very bumpy. This temple was a real gem that I managed to find and discover.

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