Our medical team gave much appreciated advice to the local people . Our dentists carried out fifty-two tooth extractions and gave fluoride treatment to twenty-seven patients as well as carrying out oral cancer screening to local nationals , many of whom were living nomadically in such remote areas that such medical facilities were not readily available to them . In addition , as part of this local community support , the Scientific Exploration Society funded the translation of children ’ s educational texts from English into Mongolian and delivered the books on organised school visits across the region .
Most of us returned fit and well but we sadly did have two casualties . One broke numerous ribs when falling from his horse and had to be extracted not only from the Mongolian steppe but also from Mongolia to receive specialist medical treatment unavailable in country . Another injured their wrist on a tumble when on a zoological quest , but both received excellent treatment by our doctors and have subsequently made a full recovery .
Unusually heavy rain for the time of year made the cross-country journeys challenging , and our vehicles had to be pulled out of mud and off collapsed roads on several occasions . At one flooded river , the drivers of our support trucks - old Soviet Army 4 tonners - decided to avoid a damaged bridge and fearlessly drove into the torrent . The first vehicle took water into the engine mid river and stalled . The driver of the second vehicle seized the initiative and in a wonderful display of how to reinforce failure , stalled alongside the first vehicle in the middle of the swollen river leaving drivers and their crews sitting on the cab and looking to the riverbank for assistance . A local horseman rode to our aid by swimming out into the river on his horse , carrying a rope to the vehicles and with this we pulled their winch cables to the bank , from which our four-wheel drive cars could haul them out . We spent the remainder of the afternoon separating river water from all the expedition rations , supplies , bedding and tents whilst the Mongolian mechanics worked miracles to drain the engines and restored them to full functioning capacity .
Whilst waiting for the trucks to be repaired we attended a local Naadam Festival where colourful horse racing , wrestling and archery were practiced in an annual ceremony and national holiday which is unique to Mongolia , dating back to the 13th century and a spectacle which needs to be seen to be believed . Later in the day , in between some spectacular thunderstorms that swept across the open steppes , we held the traditional Burns supper ( regardless of the date ) on the same day as the Naadam festival and downed tins of Stahly ’ s haggis ( official sponsor to the expedition leader ) and a few drams in the moonlight .
It proved to be a most successful expedition , thoroughly enjoyed by our international team and appreciated by our Mongolian hosts , led by Prof Terbish of Great Genghis Expeditions , Ulaanbaatar .
@ HQARRC Allied Rapid Reaction Corps the imjin WINTER 2023 13