Most Inspirational Moment
To sit under the vast star light skies with no noise or light pollution and to realise how very small you are and what a big world we live in. It helps to put things into perspective!
Thoughts on Group Leader
Dorjo had a good heart and intentions but lacks both leadership and organisation skills.
It is clear that this is a side line job because she can speak some English. But even this was a little difficult to understand at times. She also does not take an active part in pointing out things of interest along the journey to break it up. She did not seem to know as much about things as we had hoped and this resulted in very short answers and despite further questions revealed nothing more about the subject matter. So we read our guide books and shared fact between ourselves. She does not do it often enough to lead a group of professional people who have traveled the world. The fact that she is a ex teacher showed in how she thought that she could lead and organise us. We are not kids and don't want to be treated like one! She often avoid difficult situations by agreeing to something (to pacify us) then later changing her mind later on ....to our absolute frustration and fury! Eg, There only beer as the ger camps, and some of us wanted soft drinks, so we asked that on return from our mornings outing we could go into town (which was close by) to buy some... "Yes we could". Then when the time came we could not, "there is not enough time and it's too far!". Yet we spent the afternoon twiddling our thumbs in the ger camp. "Would we like sand boards to slide down the sand dunes"..."Yes we said"..... " I will organise that for you". The next day she told Marion she had considers overnight and it was too dangerous.... then when I asked where they were she said " I forgot!" and so this is how it went on the whole trip. Conflicting stories, changing the decision without consultation. Further e.g. Will there be hot water for a shower at any of the ger camps..."Yes, at the next ger camp"... but there wasn't. They forgot to put the stove on for the hot water!. "Can we have breakfast early and go to the dune in the early morning so can climb in the cool"..... "Yes, I will organise it for 7 am with the ger camp"..... but we all sat around for 20 - 30 mins at 7 am waiting for Dorjo and the people running the ger camp to get up, cook & serve breakfast ! Breakfast was hurried and late! Further e.g. There were times that we went out on a morning excursion and could have spent the whole day at the canyon, or rock painting, or monastary, but she rushed us back to the ger camp to sit with nothing to do. So rather than asking us if we would like to take picnic lunch out there and spend most of the day exploring and walking. We were taken back to the Ger camp for lunch then to sit about. There was no activities planned so we amused ourselves by going off walking.
We all wanted to make the best use of our time in Mongolia ,so following long days of driving, we wanted to stretch our legs and take the opportunity to explore and walk when we could on the excursions, but this was curtailed.
We were viewed as naught children because we laughed and joked with each other and had great banter between each other and the driver. We were even told we were like children!
Her style of leadership and organisation is out dated,so although she was doing her best or what she knew, it was not up to the standards that I am use to or would expect from a guide.
I like all the others on the trip have worked hard to earn my money to afford to take this trip ....I not some sort of spoil rich kid!.
Yes, I have high standards expect of me at work and have feedback and coaching all the time to improve. I therefore expect high standards of those people leading the trip.
I therefore would suggest that Karakorum Expeditions need to take seriously the feedback that I know a number of us on the trip made to them on their blue feedback forms we handed in to Dorjo (that's if they did not get put in the bin!) and also take this feedback seriously too.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Be prepared for some long bumpy rides off road for most of the trip.
Be prepared to shower in cold water as they never seemed to have the hot water on when we were showering mornings or evenings!
Take some cards or games to play in the evening after dinner which finishes by 8 pm or days when you are just left in the ger camps as there is nothing else to do!
