Vodka Actual, Do You Copy?.

Dear Readers, welcome back to the Yellow River Chronicles and the final part of our cryptic series on Mongolia.  As you know, we live the James Bond lifestyle here at the YRC.  Martinis, exotic locales, expensive tailored clothing, and of course, the sheer adventure of Life on the Other Side of the World.

It can lead to some serious adrenaline addiction, let us tell you.  Sometimes, when life gets a little predictable and domestic here in the Mighty 'Hai, we will do something INSANE to get that rush of adventure.  We may cross the street after only looking twice, or stop for a tasty snack of street food, or indulge in the infallible adventure here in the 'Hai, hold a door open for someone.

So, really, the YRC is a chronicle of what is called "adventure travel".  This, from a YRC solid resource, Wikipedia:

The YRC Staff kayaking in the Sea of Cortez

Adventure travel is a type of tourism, involving exploration or travel to remote, exotic and possibly hostile areas. Adventure tourism is rapidly growing in popularity, as tourists seek different kinds of vacations. According to the U.S. based Adventure Travel Trade Association, adventure travel may be any tourist activity, including two of the following three components: a physical activity, a cultural exchange or interaction and engagement with nature.
Adventure tourism gains much of its excitement by allowing its participants to step outside of their comfort zone. This may be from experiencing culture shock or through the performance of acts, that require significant effort and involve some degree of risk (real or perceived) and/or physical danger (See extreme sports). This may include activities such as mountaineering,trekking, bungee jumping, mountain biking, rafting, zip-lining, paragliding, and rock climbing. Some obscure forms of adventure travel include disaster and ghetto tourism.^[1] Other rising forms of adventure travel include social and jungle tourism.

The Rascal of the Stars heads for the grocery store

COMFORT ZONE, people.  That is what we are talking about.  And in Mongolia, we had a chance to go SO far from our comfort zone, that we felt we were on a journey with the Rascal of the Stars, "Curiousity", looking back at our comfort zone on earth.

To digress further, we are going to provide a photo, sent from Curiosity on Mars and then we will provide a photo taken by the YRC staff in the Gobi as a way to begin our discussion of, let us be frank here, adventure travel gone...slightly wrong.

Going for It in the Gobi:  Adventure Travel on the Edge

This is a photo from Mars, people, courtesy of Curiosity

Alpha One and Bravo Three compare compass coordinates in the Gobi

Our trip included, along with some excellent camel and horse trekking, the chance to do some hiking in the steppes and in the Gobi desert.   And hike we did.

To keep the story short and to the point (not a YRC strong suit by the way) we shall simply chronologue our first experience with RIDM (more later).  

Our fellow travelers included two extremely fit and motivated hikers, Alpha One and Two. Next were the reasonable and middle path hikers who we will call Bravo Three and Four (a YRC staff member).  Finally, there was the solo YRC staff member who will will call Roadkill Five.  

We shall designate our trip leader and his driver Vodka One and Two, and their elite Russian SUV Vodka Actual.

For a number of reasons, Alpha One and Two decided to introduce our elite Team to some Rage Induced Death Marching (RIDM) on the day of our 12-hour Gobi hike.  They thought it appropriate to lead our somewhat hung over Trip Leader (loonnnnng story....go with it, please) on an extended chase across the vast wasteland that is the Gobi desert.  Our group had no radio contract, but if we had, it would have gone like this:

Roadkill Five:   Bravo Three and Four, do you copy? <crackle>

B3&B4:  Affirmative, Roadkill Five, we have you four by four.

Roadkill Five:   Bravo Three and Four, I have you on visual approximately two to three miles to my west.  Do you have visual contact with Alpha One and Two?

B3&B4:   Affirmative, Roadkill Five, they are another two or three miles to the west of us.  They are working their way along the ridge.

Roadkill Five:   <crackle>.  The ridge?  WTF??  Do you have a visual on Vodka Actual?

B3&B4:   Negative, Roadkill Five.

Roadkill Five:   Bravo Three and Four, we are in the center of a vast barren alluvial plain that terminates in deep desert sand about 12 miles south from here.  The current temperature is around 102 degrees Fahrenheit.  Do you have any idea why Alpha One and Two are mountain goating about four miles off course to the west of here?  We should be heading south.

B3&B4:   Affirmative, Roadkill Five.  They seem to think it is funny.

Roadkill Five:  <crackle>  I've got my binocs out and now have a visual on Vodka Actual.  They seem to be attempting to assault the ridge to corral Alpha One and Two.

B3&B4:   Copy that Roadkill Five.  We wish Vodka Actual lots of luck with that.  We are consuming GORP and are Oscar Mike.  See you at the VodkaEvac site around sunset.  Stay hydrated!

So, you get the idea, well-hydrated YRC readers.  To wrap things up, everyone arrived safe and sound to our camp at the base of some spectacular sand dunes and a fine time was had by all.  And a fine time you shall have as the YRC heads to .....America! for next week's Yellow River Chronicles.  See you on down the trail, partners!

Sunset in the Gobi