We’re up early to pack up our camp to head back to the reindeer herders. It’s a clear, crisp morning but clouds are coming over the mountains. The temperature drops when the sun disappears so I stay bundled up for the ride. My horse is full of piss and vinegar this morning, prancing about and tossing his head, he leads the group over the plains and back to the forested trail. As soon as we hit the bog, he slows down, carefully picking his way through the mud and shrubs.
We arrive back at the reindeer camp and have a quick, wet lunch due to a brief spell of rain before assisting the families. The families have already begun dismantling their tepees and preparing their belongings to be loaded onto the reindeer. The poles for the tepees are stacked for use when they return next year. The stoves are taken apart and packed on the reindeer along with a solar panel, a small satellite dish, kitchen utensils and water containers. The small children and babies are strapped to the reindeer to keep out of the way while the packing is done and will ride to the new camp. John, Padraig and I jump in to help in any way we can without causing a hindrance.
It’s time to leave for the new spot so the adults mount the saddled reindeer while leading the pack reindeer. Off they go, disappearing into the woods quickly. We’ll follow along shortly but let them get a bit ahead so the horses don’t disturb the herd. After an hour’s ride we reach the new camp and the families have already unloaded the reindeer and begun organizing their belongings. Tepee poles from the previous year are in piles and we grab enough to start building our tepee with the assistance from the families. It’s erected quite quickly and the canvas tarps spread over the poles eliminating any gaps other than the hole in the roof for the stove chimney. We help build two others with the remaining poles and put together the stoves and chimneys. There aren’t enough poles for the head herder’s home, so he takes the chainsaw to cut trees while we haul them out of the forest. His tepee will be the largest in the camp and his wife is constructing the raised “beds” in a circular shape with the stove in the middle. For us, this is an experience that we would never have at home so we’re thrilled to help but I can’t imagine doing this every few weeks. Unuruu tells us that the families are impressed with how hard we’ve all worked and are grateful for the assistance. Normally the tourists that stay with them don’t get to join the families in a camp move so we’re lucky to have this experience.
A new swing is set up for the kids and Erdenee hops on with Unuruu pushing him. He’s a kid at heart but has to give it up for the kids waiting their turn. A mini tepee is made for one of the little girls, the Princess, as I like to call her. It’s draped in blue tarp and John is lucky enough to be invited inside.
After getting our tepee organized I come to the conclusion that with the way it’s set up, there isn’t room for the four of us to sleep. Ours doesn’t have the raised “beds” and it’s been erected on a slope, so when sleeping on the ground, the sleeping bags start to slide towards the door flap. I opt for sleeping solo in a tent and along with Unuruu, erect them behind the tepee. They’re on a slope as well but at least I have a zipped door to keep me from sliding outside.
The reindeer are herded back from grazing and we’re offered a ride on one of the saddled ones. I gamely hop on and Erdenee holds onto the lead rope while we walk down the hill. Because of their loping gate, it’s important to stay loose and move with them. They’re smaller than horses and can’t carry the loads that they do, so I have a short ride.
It’s been a long day so I turn in early and have some alone time in my tent. John has gone off to fix a chainsaw before someone loses an arm trying to cut with such a loose chain. He’s become integral to the camp with his repairing skills. I’m just nodding off when suddenly a chainsaw starts up outside beside my head. I abruptly sit up with a shocked look, wondering what the hell is going on and why they’re cutting wood in the dark. Wood chips are hitting the roof of my tent. Now the axe is thumping behind me, breaking up the cut logs. WTF?? I’m so exhausted I replace my earplugs and manage to fall asleep through the racket.
In the middle of the night I wake to my tent slightly shaking. At first I think it’s the wind and then determine a loose reindeer is sniffing about rooting for grass. Nature toilet is calling, so I extricate myself from my tent without rolling downhill and shoo him along.
