SHows Over Folks!
The walk is now completed . . . where to next ! ?
Wait! Before we get started,
Who are you again?
My name is Chris Griffin (aka Criostóir Ó'Gríofa) and I am an Irishman living in New Zealand who has the occasional wild notion. In 2015 I decided to quit my job, get rid of all all my crap, buy a tent, build a cart and head off solo on a long walk from Mongolia to China via the Gobi desert.
( Warning: No apologies will be made for Irish slang and colloquialisms throughout this website! )
( Warning: No apologies will be made for Irish slang and colloquialisms throughout this website! )
the plan?
The adventure started from Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia and the destination was Beijing, China via the Gobi desert, all travelled on foot and unassisted. I carried my supplies and gear on a home made aluminium cart (christened "The Horse with No Name") which carried up to 100kg of food, water and equipment. (including the cart, the total weight came in at 125kg). The trip took 69 days from start to finish covering 1527 km. The temperatures varied from -5 degrees Celsius to a toasty +38 degrees during the trip. Hail, rain and extreme heat made up most of the Mongolian section, while terrifying lightning storms, high heat and humidity made up most of the Chinese route. And as I predicted, it was great craic!
And why are you doing this?
Boundary Pushing
I want test myself both physically and mentally, to push myself way past my comfort zone. This will be the furthest distance I have ever travelled on foot and the longest time I have ever spent alone.
I hoped to prove to myself that I could overcome any challenge that life threw at me while relying on my own initiative, and therefore inspire myself and others.
A Spiritual Journey
Reflecting on past experiences, I tend to avoid prolonged bouts of my own company. I have been very fortunate and blessed by always having friends and loved ones close to me. During the walk I intended to explore my relationship with my self by walking alone with just my mind and nature for company. The intention was to learn to accept and enjoy my own company and thus not fear being alone.
To Learn & Share
I am very keen to understand and experience the life of the nomadic people of Mongolia. I am intrigued that a country I know very little about was once one of the mightiest empires on the planet. There is also something unique about the nomadic way of life which really appeals to me. With a general feeling of tiredness with modern society and consumer culture, I am ready for a change. I believe there is much I can learn from a people who live without a fixed abode and with few material possessions whilst living and travelling through one of the least densely populated countries on earth. Travelling on foot will, I hope, slow down the pace of the journey and thus help me to connect and relate deeply with the earth and the people I meet.
I do not intend to just receive culturally however. I plan to bring part of my culture and heritage to share with those I meet - My Highland bagpipes will be accompanying me on my trek. They will possibly raise a few eyebrows with the local people but hopefully they will appreciate a few tunes, maybe even kick off an old dance, jig and a reel! (or the Mongolian / Chinese equivalent!). It is said that traditional Mongolian throat singing has been likened to bagpipes!
It is for these personal agendas that I have decided not to seek any sponsorship or financial support, and will personally fund the expedition. Saying that, I have received numerous acts of generosity and kindness from both friends, family and strangers who I am extremely grateful for their help. They are all acknowledged here.
An added bonus to this adventure would be if I inspired at least one person to go on their own adventure and push their own personal boundaries, whatever they maybe.
I want test myself both physically and mentally, to push myself way past my comfort zone. This will be the furthest distance I have ever travelled on foot and the longest time I have ever spent alone.
I hoped to prove to myself that I could overcome any challenge that life threw at me while relying on my own initiative, and therefore inspire myself and others.
A Spiritual Journey
Reflecting on past experiences, I tend to avoid prolonged bouts of my own company. I have been very fortunate and blessed by always having friends and loved ones close to me. During the walk I intended to explore my relationship with my self by walking alone with just my mind and nature for company. The intention was to learn to accept and enjoy my own company and thus not fear being alone.
To Learn & Share
I am very keen to understand and experience the life of the nomadic people of Mongolia. I am intrigued that a country I know very little about was once one of the mightiest empires on the planet. There is also something unique about the nomadic way of life which really appeals to me. With a general feeling of tiredness with modern society and consumer culture, I am ready for a change. I believe there is much I can learn from a people who live without a fixed abode and with few material possessions whilst living and travelling through one of the least densely populated countries on earth. Travelling on foot will, I hope, slow down the pace of the journey and thus help me to connect and relate deeply with the earth and the people I meet.
I do not intend to just receive culturally however. I plan to bring part of my culture and heritage to share with those I meet - My Highland bagpipes will be accompanying me on my trek. They will possibly raise a few eyebrows with the local people but hopefully they will appreciate a few tunes, maybe even kick off an old dance, jig and a reel! (or the Mongolian / Chinese equivalent!). It is said that traditional Mongolian throat singing has been likened to bagpipes!
It is for these personal agendas that I have decided not to seek any sponsorship or financial support, and will personally fund the expedition. Saying that, I have received numerous acts of generosity and kindness from both friends, family and strangers who I am extremely grateful for their help. They are all acknowledged here.
An added bonus to this adventure would be if I inspired at least one person to go on their own adventure and push their own personal boundaries, whatever they maybe.
Why build a website?
- Number 1: To keep my family and friends informed on my preparations and the journey itself. (Read: So my parents don't become a nervous wreck!)
- I wanted a place to log my successes and failures leading up to and during my Mongolian/China expedition. I plan to do this using blog entries, photos and videos to document this with as much authenticity and honesty as I can muster.
- To provide useful information on what (and what not ) to do to regarding planning an expedition by a complete novice. I also hope that my efforts will inspire others to live their dreams regardless of their experience.
- I will attempt to log my physical location while on the walk via a SPOT GPS tracking device which will show my position on a map. (see my Tracking page)
So...Mongolia?!
. . . Are ya mad for the horses?
Well the short answer to this is I had a recurring dream that would just not go away. It involved the same scenario each time where I was walking through a barren landscape, backpack on my back. In the distance were round tents dotted around the open plains. I was on an adventure!
Now I just so happened to be yearning for an oportunity to redefine myself. I had decided I had reached a point in my life where I needed to take some time for myself before taking a new direction in life. I also needed some space to heal from some emotional scars, and this I wanted to do alone. Therefore I decided to heed the sign take the dream seriously.
At this stage, I didn't even know where Mongolia was and I had never seen any images of the Mongolian steppe, yurts or the Gobi. After suggestions from friends and a little research, I discovered it was Mongolia I had been dreaming of. The book and film "Walking Home from Mongolia" by Rob Lilwall & Leon McKerron inspired me and set the stage for a year of research and planning.
I wanted an adventure that would give me the solitude and physical challenge that I craved for
- and Mongolia fitted the bill - "The Wild West of Asia". . . shame I can't ride a horse!
Now I just so happened to be yearning for an oportunity to redefine myself. I had decided I had reached a point in my life where I needed to take some time for myself before taking a new direction in life. I also needed some space to heal from some emotional scars, and this I wanted to do alone. Therefore I decided to heed the sign take the dream seriously.
At this stage, I didn't even know where Mongolia was and I had never seen any images of the Mongolian steppe, yurts or the Gobi. After suggestions from friends and a little research, I discovered it was Mongolia I had been dreaming of. The book and film "Walking Home from Mongolia" by Rob Lilwall & Leon McKerron inspired me and set the stage for a year of research and planning.
I wanted an adventure that would give me the solitude and physical challenge that I craved for
- and Mongolia fitted the bill - "The Wild West of Asia". . . shame I can't ride a horse!
About the Author
Chris Griffin is an Irish man who likes to travel. He was born in the UK but spent most of his childhood in a wee little place called Faha, near the villages of Kilmacthomas and Stradbally in Co. Waterford, Ireland. He moved to New Zealand five years ago after travelling through south east Asia and Australia.
It was not until his move to New Zealand (and particularly Wellington) did Chris discover a love for the great outdoors. His trips into the back country of the North Island kindled a sense of adventure and wanderlust which was to be the precursor to his upcoming expedition in Mongolia. When he is not adventuring into the bush and mountains of NZ, Chris can be found playing the highland bagpipes and working as a designer / sign writer. Chris also enjoys drinking tea, writing in the third person and pulling funny faces for photos.
It was not until his move to New Zealand (and particularly Wellington) did Chris discover a love for the great outdoors. His trips into the back country of the North Island kindled a sense of adventure and wanderlust which was to be the precursor to his upcoming expedition in Mongolia. When he is not adventuring into the bush and mountains of NZ, Chris can be found playing the highland bagpipes and working as a designer / sign writer. Chris also enjoys drinking tea, writing in the third person and pulling funny faces for photos.
" There is a pleasure in the pathless woods, There is a rapture on the lonely shore, There is society, where none intrudes, By the deep sea, and music in its roar: I love not man the less, but Nature more "
- Lord Byron