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

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“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.