Hello Everyone!
Allow me to relate the typical emotional cycle involved in a jeep ride from my site to Ulaanbaatar:
Preliminary Stages: minor agitation/nervousness at likelihood of finding reliable ride to city when necessary, followed by great elation -- the driver you think is "best" is going the same day you want to go AND says he's not going late...He's leaving in the evening.
4 p.m. day of departure: packed and ready...calm and content. Should be leaving any time now.
8 p.m. day of departure: anxiety, anger, aggression...concern. Has he forgotten to come get me or is he just late?
9 p.m.: ah here he is...funny...didn't he say he wasn't leaving late?
10 p.m. joy and happiness...well on our way to the city...wait...why are we leaving the road and driving in circles flashing our lights?
10:30 p.m. Ah...we found the random ger we were looking for....must spend another half hour packing meat into the wagon...and then must pack four new people into the car (bringing total passengers up to 11).
11:00 p.m. No matter...again on our way. Should be arriving in the city by at least 2 a.m. Will get good bed at guesthouse. Feeling relaxed.
12:30 a.m. Nooooooooooo. Woe and Despair. The driver stopped to sleep. Feet hurt, crowded in back of car while driver comfortably snoozing in front.
1:15 a.m. Ah good....wife of driver has hassled driver into waking up. On the road again. Joking with driver about how he may soon lose 'best driver' status with foreigner if he keeps sleeping.
3:00 a.m. Sleeping again. Great. How is it a trip that should take 6 hours at most involves two sleeping stops?
4:15 a.m. Bit of a power trip...have convinced driver to wake up and get moving by self. I am properly assertive.
6:00 a.m. Can see city lights. Yes!! NOOOO!! sleeping AGAIN. Can't get on driver's back as he is dozing off at the wheel. Could this possibly be remedied in future by driver not leaving at 9 p.m. from home site?
7:00 a.m. Have arrived at meat trading place. How long will it take to sell stock from back and head to city again?
8:00 a.m. Tired, smell bad, annoyed. However all is well because I have at long last secured a cab to the guesthouse where I will soon take a shower.
9:15 a.m. - Life is so much better now than it was. Took shower, washed hair. Clean clothes.
Allow me to relate the typical emotional cycle involved in a jeep ride from my site to Ulaanbaatar:
Preliminary Stages: minor agitation/nervousness at likelihood of finding reliable ride to city when necessary, followed by great elation -- the driver you think is "best" is going the same day you want to go AND says he's not going late...He's leaving in the evening.
4 p.m. day of departure: packed and ready...calm and content. Should be leaving any time now.
8 p.m. day of departure: anxiety, anger, aggression...concern. Has he forgotten to come get me or is he just late?
9 p.m.: ah here he is...funny...didn't he say he wasn't leaving late?
10 p.m. joy and happiness...well on our way to the city...wait...why are we leaving the road and driving in circles flashing our lights?
10:30 p.m. Ah...we found the random ger we were looking for....must spend another half hour packing meat into the wagon...and then must pack four new people into the car (bringing total passengers up to 11).
11:00 p.m. No matter...again on our way. Should be arriving in the city by at least 2 a.m. Will get good bed at guesthouse. Feeling relaxed.
12:30 a.m. Nooooooooooo. Woe and Despair. The driver stopped to sleep. Feet hurt, crowded in back of car while driver comfortably snoozing in front.
1:15 a.m. Ah good....wife of driver has hassled driver into waking up. On the road again. Joking with driver about how he may soon lose 'best driver' status with foreigner if he keeps sleeping.
3:00 a.m. Sleeping again. Great. How is it a trip that should take 6 hours at most involves two sleeping stops?
4:15 a.m. Bit of a power trip...have convinced driver to wake up and get moving by self. I am properly assertive.
6:00 a.m. Can see city lights. Yes!! NOOOO!! sleeping AGAIN. Can't get on driver's back as he is dozing off at the wheel. Could this possibly be remedied in future by driver not leaving at 9 p.m. from home site?
7:00 a.m. Have arrived at meat trading place. How long will it take to sell stock from back and head to city again?
8:00 a.m. Tired, smell bad, annoyed. However all is well because I have at long last secured a cab to the guesthouse where I will soon take a shower.
9:15 a.m. - Life is so much better now than it was. Took shower, washed hair. Clean clothes.
2 Comments:
Carrie,
Sorry to hear about your ride into town. How aggravating. I'm so proud of you. You're the second person I know living in another part of the world making a difference. God bless you for showing the world that not all Americans are evil (just the short brunette ones who can never find jeans that fit them. >:( )
By
Jennifer Berghom, at 7:41 AM
sangambayard-c-m.com
By
samraat, at 7:02 PM
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