When one thinks of Mongolia the first thing that comes to mind is Ghengis Khan (in fact to all Mongolians he’s known as Chengis khan). Today the story of Mongolia is far from the conquering days of old Chengis. 

The capital Ulaanbaatar is like any other city but if you go a little further out into the countryside you will find a whole other world. Something you’ve never seen before. Imagine a place that seems infinite. There are mountains and rocks and valleys as far as the eye can see. The very few manmade constructions are lost in the absolute vastness of the country. There are 2,5 million people for a country three times the size of France. It is a nomadic culture. Those who do not live in the city live in ‘geres’ (Mongolian tents) that can be dismantled and tied to the camels ready to go within one hour. The people here are free to roam the lands and can go weeks without meeting anyone else. Freedom is something vital to these people. There are no territories. The land belongs to everyone. You can pitch your tent on it, walk on it but never claim it is yours. It is so sacred that in the ancient rules one was never to dig the ground. 

It is hard to describe the feeling you get when you look around you and see infinity stretching before you. It is so peaceful and quiet. In our modern world we are bombarded by sounds and noises from everywhere and we end up tuning them out. In the countryside of Mongolia the word ‘silence’ takes on a whole new meaning. It is simply liberating. I can understand why the happiness for these people is simply being free, in every sense of the term.