Playing catch with the Eagle Hunter

In a country so big, you can't help feeling so small. Each day you drive through vast expanses on dirt tracks hardly passing any other traffic. Just being engulfed by the vastness of the land and sky. It's an extraordinary feeling to be so in the open, one that I've experienced in Uganda, Australia and Kenya and of course on road trips in the States but here in a country of 21 towns you have so much land, belonging to one of the last nomadic people on this planet. You move your ger (tent) in winter, in school time and your country belongs to you.
We stop for many direction/loo/car overheating stops but eventually we head into Tavan Belchir and down into a valley with a village of 6 gers. We head into one and are met by a lovely family, two daughters, a son and one of the daughters is the recently famed 13 year old eagle hunter daughter. I was just looking at pictures of her and her dad last week in the office and now  I'm having tea with them in her house!! Eat about seven varieties of curd, washed down with curd tea with added curd!
Then head out to the tethered Golden Eagle and take photos with the multiple award winning father and then IChopin the eagle hunter girl puts on her outfit of wolf skin hat,  black top with gold embroidery and take some amazing pictures. Then I hold the eagle and it's so heavy. Move from a squat position to standing - this should be a new yoga move - eagle arm!
Head for loo stop over the hill out of sight from the camp and them see them shear the sheep and pile the wool high on the truck. All of this is a real team effort with all of the village out to help and amazing to see, as life here is hard and nonstop with so many children and animals to look after.
After lunch get out the small rugby ball I packed in my rucksack and pretty soon all the kids are out playing catch, which in the first hour is pretty tame, but then becomes rough and it's amazing that no one twists an ankle on the stony terrain, but what a hilarious evening workout. Then joined on the last hill climb loo stop by one of the women and then together we sit on the hill side taking in the view, a wonderful way to end the day spent with these welcoming and hospitable villagers.