Part of my trans-siberian trip involved staying deep in the Gobi with a real Nomadic family. It was probably the highlight of the trip for me since integrating is always the most rewarding experience for me when it comes to traveling. We got to help build a ger, help cook and just hang out.

The baby in the family definitely wasn't quite sure what to think of us and pretty much ignored us or shied away from us until Amanda was able to engage him in playing with some toy cars.

Watching the baby outside quickly answered my questions about how Mongolian children entertain themselves when there's no work to be done. Apparently living breathing toys are a lot more fun than plastic ones.