Mongolia

I was initially thinking of renting a car and self-drive, but I’m glad I realised that Mongolia is not a self-drive destination, unless you’re a real off-road enthusiast and then only when you are with people who speak Mongolian and, perhaps even more important, who know how to fix cars.
So we ended up renting a Russian 4-wheel drive minibus, which used to be used by the Russian army in remote areas of the former Soviet Union. With the minibus came an extremely skilled driver and mechanic, Mr. Patah. He was not only one of the most skilled off-road drivers I’ve ever seen, but was also looking after his car with heart and soul.
As most Mongolian drivers do not speak any English we had also decided to take a guide along, who would also be able to cook. And how fortunate we were with Vampi, who was not only a fantastic guide with a deep knowledge as well as respect for the local culture, but was also a gifted cook who managed to impress us with almost every single meal, no matter how few ingredients were available to cook with… In the most remote corners of this earth where the nearest shop or fridge is at least half a day away we have truly had some memorable meals!