Mongol Rally Tips: Accommodation On The Road With Caitlyn
I’m extremely happy to introduce a good friend of mine, Caitlyn, who will be doing a number of guest posts for Active Backpacker focusing on many of her varied experiences, from completing the Mongol Rally in an old Ambulance to the extensive backpacking of South America (which is still on my to do list – jealous!).
Road block ahead!
There are really only two options to consider when it comes to accommodation on the Mongol Rally; roughing it or being a ‘high roller’.
Being a high roller and frequenting hotels is the more expensive of the two but that doesn’t mean it has to be a dear option. With the low cost of living in countries like Kazakhstan and even in rural areas of Turkey and Romania, affordable and clean accommodation can be found.
Yes, I agree, staying in hotels does seem a bit unadventurous but don’t be too quick to judge! While camping under the stars and ‘living rough’ is a lovely and wholesome idea, it is not without its difficulties. Running water, that wonderful liquid that comes out of the shower and cleans the loo, is a modern day commodity that we all take for granted. After two weeks without it, we had started to feel the effects, particularly in regards to personal hygiene. Long hours spent in the back of a car, dusty roads and digging holes for poo was taking its toll on the team when we ‘gave in’ and checked into a hotel. I have no regrets, only a greater appreciation for clean underwear.
Asking for help is fun, but not always productive. In Russia we asked a handful of strangers on the street for directions to a hotel. After 10 minutes of the response ”no hotel”, we gave up and spent another night in a field. A bit of foresight can save you team the stress of coming into a new city and driving in circles looking for a place to stay. If a flushing toilet and shower is what you seek, I suggest looking up a hotel before you arrive and try to print off a map with its location. Knowing where you’re heading and how to get back to the main highway will save you a lot of trouble.
Personally, I would recommend ‘roughing it’ all the way to Mongolia. Yes, even in Europe where English speakers and decent accommodation are in abundance. Fields, garage stations, campsites and more fields became our home for the duration of the rally and many of our best experiences happened once we pulled up for the night on the side of a highway or near a small village. We used the (rather inappropriate) term ‘gypsy camp’ to describe the haphazard lodging that would spring up when we were travelling in a convoy with other ralliers.
Friendly locals were happy to point out the nearest water supply and even invite us into their homes to use their well. Clothes lines we strung up and any available water was used to clean underwear and clothes in equally soiled buckets. The rest of the team members would get started on dinner. Various non-perishable food items such as tinned tomatoes and rice would be collected for a communal meal. The results of this chaotic mess of tents, washing and cook ovens often looked like a semi-permanent squatter’s residence, though we would often only stay one night.
Doing the washing.
On a road trip like the Mongol Rally it can be easy to ‘miss’ a country, seeing only its petrol stations and customs offices. Camping is a great way to get closer to the population, meet the locals and really see how people live. Some highlights of our camping adventures include:
- Sharing mugs of vodka and watermelon near a village in Kazakhstan.
- Tasting goats cheese, plucked from a drying rack on the roof of a Ger (Mongolian nomad’s tent)
- Having a charades based conversation with a donkey riding nomad listening to an Ipod.
- Being invited into a Ger, pimped out with a TV hooked up to a car battery.
It is a good idea to check with the locals, if any are around, before setting up camp. If you are out in the wilderness it is unlikely that anyone is going to speak English but with a pad and pen and some skilled charades moves you should be able to get your message across, for example: frantic pointing at triangle ‘tent’ picture + thumbs up = is it ok to camp here?
A couple of the locals!
We had to pack up and leave early from one spot after we caught wind of a notorious ‘bandit town’ a few kilometres down the road, so it is always worth checking. If you’re lucky you might just get invited in for some sour goat’s milk tea!
The finish line...
If you’re interested in doing The Mongol Rally, check out Caitlyn’s other beast of a post:
Mongol Rally Advice: A Complete Guide To Preparing For The Rally
One Response to “Mongol Rally Tips: Accommodation On The Road With Caitlyn”
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alway great to read of your adventures …. enjoy