2005 Newsletter
Thanks for stopping by to peruse our news and pictures.
Our Uruguay
Beach Ride got lots of press this year. Outside Magazine included
it in "Best Trips 2005", National Geographic Adventure called it one
of the "World's 25 Wildest New Trips" and Trail
Blazer magazine featured Juliet Crump's Uruguay article about her first
foreign horsetrek. Chris Welsch of the Minneapolis Star Tribune describes
his experience in Uruguay here. Sue Piozet and Hilary
Stewart went on the Uruguay Beach Ride in November 2004 and posted two
albums of their trip photos. Click
here to see Uruguay album ONE and here
for Uruguay album TWO.
Tibet 2005 is full!:
Our Tibet ride this summer to the high grasslands of Aba prefecture
in Eastern Tibet filled early. Linda Svendsen will
be leading the trip for the 12th time. Last year Linda was able
to complete her promise to head wrangler Solang (pictured here to Linda's
left on the 2003 ride) to bring him to Montana and return the hospitality
she has enjoyed for so many years from Solang and his family.
If you are interested in traveling to Tibet this summer, contact us
about a second departure.
Clients' Photo albums:
Sophie and Mark Boroditsky (Khovsgol Horseback Trek) along with Carol
Carey made a special effort to provide school clothes and supplies for
needy students in remote Renchinlhumbe. They posted their trip
photos on the web. Click here for their
Mongolia album.
Madin and Mishig get Mongolian Government Awards:
To their pleasant surprise, Kent Madin, Director of Boojum Expeditions and J. Mishig
(KLM partner) were given awards by the Mongolian government for contributing
to tourism development in Mongolia. Kent is only the second foreigner
in history to receive the "Outstanding Leadership in Tourism Development"
award, given by the Ministry of Infrastructure (pictured at right).
The award recognized not just business performance but innovation and
support for a wide range of local initiatives in tourism. Among
the projects cited were the Darhat News, the School Ger Camp project
in Renchinlhumbe, Khovsgol and distribution of ski parkas as work uniforms
for National Park employees. (The parkas are donated through a
program called SWAG based in Vail, Colorado which provides clothing
from various Colorado ski areas). J. Mishig (pictured) receives
a certificate of appreciation from D. Ariunaa for his role in Boojum's
work in Mongolia.
Mongolian Language Newspaper Published!
Another first for Boojum and Mongolia was the publication of the Darhad
News, a 16 page, four color newspaper which informed, challenged and
inspired residents of the Darhad Valley this Fall. The newspaper
featured articles about Darhad history, famous people, poetry, environmental
issues, shamanism, Buddhism and development issues. It also informed
people about the potentials and pitfalls of tourism development and
encouraged dialogue and discussion in the local community. Adjra (chief
translator), Kent Madin and Bobo (editor) show off the first issues
hot off the press. We hope to make this an annual or bi-annual
publication and eventually turn over editing responsibilities to the
Renchinlhumbe and Tsagaan Nuur Schools. Send in your trip comments and
photographs to be included in the 2005 edition.
Ed Sawyer volunteers to teach English in 'Lhumbe
Two time Mongolia traveler Ed Sawyer spent his Fall vacation in a very
distant and mighty cold place, Renchinlhumbe. Ed is a very unretiring
retiree and when he heard that the Renchinlhumbe school was eager to
have a volunteer to assist with English teaching, he jumped right in.
Ed got himself to UB and Boojum took him the rest of the way, housing
him at the Saridag Inn so that he could comfortably devote his days
to the classroom and his evenings to classes for local adults.
Everyone at Boojum and KLM want to say a huge thanks to Ed, whose contribution
shows how private individuals, private business and local communities
can cooperate to everyone's benefit. For information on volunteering
to teach English in Renchinlhumbe go here: www.hovsgol.org. Look here to see a recent
article from the New York Times on the Mongolian committment to English
education. NYTimes Article.
Saridag Inn's Caretaker Steps Out:
Uganji who, with his family, looks after the Saridag Inn
in Renchinlhumbe, is a remarkable guy, having lost his legs to frostbite
when just a boy. For decades he has managed to ride horses, build
houses and do the daily chores of life on homemade prosthetics.
He demonstrates a kind of personal grit and good nature to which we should
all aspire. In summer of 2004, with the help of friends at Bioregions
International, Boojum Expeditions brought Uganji to Ulan Bator to
be fitted with brand new, state of the art prosthetic legs. The
only problem is that he's now several centimeters taller and keeps hitting his head on the ger door!
MC is leaving Boojum!
MC
Jenni, our pal and office manager of the last seven years in Bozeman is
moving on to devote more time to her two young girls and her husband's
growing flyfishing guide service. Those of you who have met MC in
person or on the phone know what an asset she has been to us and we will
deeply miss her. (At least we will miss her at the office, since
we'll still see her, Tom and the girls around town.)
Onyuka Chinbat to represent Mongolia
at Asian Skating Championships:
The daughter of our Mongolian managers, Chinbat and Bobo, has been
asked by the Mongolian Skating Association to be the first EVER representative
of Mongolia in figure skating at the Asian Novice Skating Championships
in Hong Kong, March 27-29 2005. 11 year old Onyuka's interest in
skating was sparked watching the 2002 Olympics on television. Since
then she has won over 31 medals in regional competitions throughout the
Western US. She credits some of her success to training in contortionism,
long practiced in Mongolia. To read her full story in the Bozeman
Chronicle go here: Onyuka
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click here:
In Mongolia we provide a range of travel
services.
In the capitol, Ulaan Baatar ( Ulan Bator) we have our own local
tourism
company, Khovsgol Lodge Management Company with full time
English-speaking
staff. We can arrange all forms of travel in Mongolia including
jeep
and overland travel, support services for film and video production,
and
specialized private itineraries. We cover the Altai, Gobi and all
regions of Mongolia. Activities include fly fishing, mountain
biking,
rafting, horseback riding, equestrian interests, culture, history,
dinosaurs.
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