Mr Luke smith was crafting his style on the slopes of the sky resort, i was already at a high professional level so thought i would head out for a National mens day. Zula, hear cousin, a driver called bagi and ogi picked me up early from the hostel and explained we would be heading to another province of Mongolia called Tov which is north west of UB, it took about four hours to get there and on route zula explained we would be staying with a friend of ogies he had been in the military with. We headed in to Tov and furtur into a small village to be met by a man on a horse in tradtional mongolian clothes. he directed us to his house and ger, we met his family ate buzz and of course the usual, drank vodka a lot. Ogi had not seen his freind for a while so lots of chatting insude and many family members were in the house, lots of people joined us for drinks all in traditional clothes. After a while bagi, ogies friend tiold us we needed to head out for a horse race taking place today for national mens day, we all jumped in the car and headed for a hill with lots of people on horses noise and cars.

Mongolian races are alot longer than British races, the race had stated a while ago and they were waiting for them to get back, the race consisted of 15 horses all with young riders on about eleven years old. As we were waiting a very very drunk Mongolian joined us pulled out a 2 litre bottle of strong beer from his clothes and gave me a drink and then gave me his horse and told me to go off riding!! Thinking rude not to i rode round the waiting Mongolians all looking at me slightly strangely, after while and a few photos i came back to the guys i was with dismounted drank more strong beer played a traditional Mongolian hand game (i didnt know what was going on in the game but every one seemed happy)

We then heard shouts the horses were coming so all lined up on the finish line in anticipation. The drunk chap had been sayin his horse would come first and we took little notice, but over the hill came a horse far in front of the others in the colors that had been describe by Mr drunk he took the flag far ahead of the others, then cam packs of horses with riders whipping them for dear life charging to the finish. In a matter of moments the race was over and everyone dissapeard like they hadn't even been there. We headed back to the house and before we could get out Bagi told us he would get a goat for us from his herd for dinner.

His herd were kept at his fathers land down the valley. We got in the car and headed off on a wild ride over a few valleys to a small Ger and building and a few farm yard buildings. I met Bagis family mother father, grandparents aunts and uncles, his father kissed me on both cheeks as i entered the house, he then produced a very very old snuff bottle for me to use, which is very very traditional thing in mongolia. We ate food and chatted bagies dad showed me a picture of a western the only other he had met and also photos of his family. The family were playing a wild card game betting with notes tucked under the table in a very hush hush fashion. Even though i had met them all for a short period i felt so welcome and when i left bagies father cried which was quite amazing, very lovely people with no money but so happy. Bagi returned with a goat from his herd tied it up by the legs and put it in the boot of the car. We returned back to bagis house me and ogi jumped on horse and rode to the off license a first for me, lots of Mongolians came out to say hello! After returning we had a small drink but as it was late so we could not have goat for dinner so he told ogi he could take it back with him to UB!!! So with goat in boot and loaded up we said our good byes and headed back to UB, just before we left bagi and ogi wrestled, with ogi losing and having his trousers ripped. On the way back as was very tradional of doing strange things in Mongolia we stopped next to a massive hill they explained the men would race to the top, i can tell you after drinking a lot of vodka it anit good running anywhere but as an englishmen i could not let that satnd in the way so beat everyone up the hill. Shattered we headed back to UB.

As we got close to UB we passed through a toll both the driver another bagi was in the police so sped passed everyone round the other side of the barrier just to be stopped by the police, he was taken away and we waited for a while, trying to save time it took an hour longer he had to cakll some friends in the police and they let him go. Back to Zulas house which is in a flat in central UB, me and Ogi carried the goat up four flights of stairs and in to there apartment, zula produced a hammer ogi hit the goat on the head slit a small hole in the goats chest put his hand in and pulled an artery and the goat died!! Very strange indeed. After that it was skinned and gutted with nothing going to waste the blood was scooped out and put in a bowl. Time was getting on it was late evening luke called and said he was ina local pub with Dermot, mark, egi and od knowing it was the last time i would see them on this visit i left the slaughter flat and headed out to say my good byes to a great bunch of people we had met whilst in Mongolia.