“Mongolia is an unspoiled wonder, a land where sand dunes sing, horses roam wild and nomadic herders greet strangers with open doors. Keep your itinerary flexible and expect the unexpected.”

“I waited half a lifetime for Mongolia only to arrive, fortuitously, at the moment I was best equipped to appreciate it. Any older, I might have found five months in the saddle too arduous. Any younger and I would not have taken such pleasure in those innocent landscapes, in the grasslands’ wonderful solitudes, or in the rich hospitality of nomads. Nor would I have understood Mongolia as a kind of homecoming.”

“Is it too cold for us? We turn the heater on. Is it too hot? We bump up the air conditioning. If we need food, we go to the supermarket. If we need help, we ring all sorts of customer services. Out here you belong to the landscape. You must know how to maneuver it, when and how to move with the seasons and what to do with them. Helping each other out, neighborly support and community, means being embedded in this merciless nature with the precious gift of belonging – something that has been long lost in western cultures.”

“As I wander across this land, there is no doubt in my mind that golf must have originated here. The horses, goats, and sheep keep the fairways mowed down to the perfect playable height. Every day is a sunny day (perfect for golf), and the marmot holes make perfect targets.”

“To realize that Mongolia is, in many respects, unchanged from its historical period is a fascinating draw. How many other periods of history can you find reflected in an existing society? Mongolia, to me, offers a picture of Living History.”

“Dawn in Mongolia was an amazing thing. In one instant, the horizon became a faint line suspended in the darkness, and then the line was drawn upward, higher and higher. It was as if a giant hand had stretched down from the sky and slowly lifted the curtain of night from the face of the earth. It was a magnificent sight, far greater in scale . . . than anything that I, with my limited human faculties, could fully comprehend.”

“In a tradition dating back thousands of years, the three-day event features wrestling, archery and horse racing and ranks as Mongolia’s biggest public festival. Enthusiasm, rather than compulsion, now draws the crowds and everyone is in a cheery holiday mood with tourists.”

“It isn’t a circus or a professional event. This is their tradition. They are proud of what they do, their culture and their heritage.”

“Nearly half of Mongolia’s three million residents are nomads, and most of the rest live in Ulaanbaatar – the country’s capital and largest city. Its ten museums, close proximity to national parks, and collection of imperial palaces and Buddhist monasteries qualify Ulaanbaatar as a destination rather than way station.”

“The walls are painted red and gold, and elaborate dragons wrap around each column. Some monks chant, while others play drums or blow into seashells. Devoted Mongolians bow their heads in reverence and clasp their hands in prayer. A high-ranking monk in the middle distributes the holy water by shaking a small amount into the air. The drum’s echo and the incense mingled with sweat create a trancelike atmosphere. I, too, bow my head in reverence to this amazing scene.”