National Geographic Live! – Untamed River, Part 3: Crime, Mosquitoes, and Monsoons | Nat Geo Live

we originally had wanted to paddle from

we originally had wanted to paddle from you know Mongolia straight through the

you know Mongolia straight through the

you know Mongolia straight through the border into Russia and onward at the

border into Russia and onward at the

border into Russia and onward at the ocean that was our dream past the

ocean that was our dream past the

ocean that was our dream past the Chinese Russian border but we quickly

Chinese Russian border but we quickly

Chinese Russian border but we quickly learned after research and connecting

learned after research and connecting

learned after research and connecting with people that without $50,000 in

with people that without $50,000 in

with people that without $50,000 in bribe money or a private security detail

bribe money or a private security detail

bribe money or a private security detail that there was no way we were going to

that there was no way we were going to

that there was no way we were going to get into that area in particular in the

get into that area in particular in the

get into that area in particular in the last 10 years it’s become very very

last 10 years it’s become very very

last 10 years it’s become very very tight that border there and more and

tight that border there and more and

tight that border there and more and more dangerous to be there there were

more dangerous to be there there were

more dangerous to be there there were all sorts of military activities going

all sorts of military activities going

all sorts of military activities going on and so being you know the wise

on and so being you know the wise

on and so being you know the wise fingers said we are we thought well I

fingers said we are we thought well I

fingers said we are we thought well I don’t know if that’s worth it maybe we

don’t know if that’s worth it maybe we

don’t know if that’s worth it maybe we should just take out in the border at

should just take out in the border at

should just take out in the border at the border and take a train so with that

the border and take a train so with that

the border and take a train so with that said here we are we’re about to take off

said here we are we’re about to take off

said here we are we’re about to take off the Mongolian section of the paddle and

the Mongolian section of the paddle and

the Mongolian section of the paddle and then drive back to Ilan Badr and then

then drive back to Ilan Badr and then

then drive back to Ilan Badr and then take the train around so going back

take the train around so going back

take the train around so going back across the steppe we were pretty glad to

across the steppe we were pretty glad to

across the steppe we were pretty glad to spend the night here on the go and we’re

spend the night here on the go and we’re

spend the night here on the go and we’re welcomed in you know they shared their

welcomed in you know they shared their

welcomed in you know they shared their food and they also share their homebrew

food and they also share their homebrew

food and they also share their homebrew vodka basically it’s home brewed from

vodka basically it’s home brewed from

vodka basically it’s home brewed from fermented milk and a shots not a shot a

fermented milk and a shots not a shot a

fermented milk and a shots not a shot a shot is a teacup so it’s not just like

shot is a teacup so it’s not just like

shot is a teacup so it’s not just like knock a bag it’s like gulp gulp gulp

knock a bag it’s like gulp gulp gulp

knock a bag it’s like gulp gulp gulp gulp go and our driver very cheeky would

gulp go and our driver very cheeky would

gulp go and our driver very cheeky would have the saw spin kept his teacup and

have the saw spin kept his teacup and

have the saw spin kept his teacup and kept going around and around and after a

kept going around and around and after a

kept going around and around and after a few I was like you know what I’m

few I was like you know what I’m

few I was like you know what I’m actually not feeling too good about this

actually not feeling too good about this

actually not feeling too good about this I’m gonna go to bed and I remember

I’m gonna go to bed and I remember

I’m gonna go to bed and I remember leaving the garand and III were like

leaving the garand and III were like

leaving the garand and III were like crystal can’t handle it she’s gonna bad

crystal can’t handle it she’s gonna bad

crystal can’t handle it she’s gonna bad you know she’s weak and I’m like Oh

you know she’s weak and I’m like Oh

you know she’s weak and I’m like Oh we’ll see

we’ll see

we’ll see and so I wake up really early the next

and so I wake up really early the next

and so I wake up really early the next morning and next thing you know this

morning and next thing you know this

morning and next thing you know this little herd of baby goat and sheep loved

little herd of baby goat and sheep loved

little herd of baby goat and sheep loved our town they climbed it multiple times

our town they climbed it multiple times

our town they climbed it multiple times all the meanwhile there’s three ladies

all the meanwhile there’s three ladies

all the meanwhile there’s three ladies inside with a hell of a hangout I won

inside with a hell of a hangout I won

inside with a hell of a hangout I won that battle and then just as we got back

that battle and then just as we got back

that battle and then just as we got back to Lou Lambada Becca was bombarded with

to Lou Lambada Becca was bombarded with

to Lou Lambada Becca was bombarded with all of these phone calls from worried

all of these phone calls from worried

all of these phone calls from worried family and friends and all these images

family and friends and all these images

family and friends and all these images of Zak on social media and he it was it

of Zak on social media and he it was it

of Zak on social media and he it was it was intense she had spent this entire

was intense she had spent this entire

was intense she had spent this entire month in a really quiet place and I

month in a really quiet place and I

month in a really quiet place and I think had gone deeper and deeper into a

think had gone deeper and deeper into a

think had gone deeper and deeper into a journey of grief and when we got back to

journey of grief and when we got back to

journey of grief and when we got back to Mongolia she or excuse me Tallulah mater

Mongolia she or excuse me Tallulah mater

Mongolia she or excuse me Tallulah mater she suddenly realized that it was time

she suddenly realized that it was time

she suddenly realized that it was time for her to start a different journey and

for her to start a different journey and

for her to start a different journey and so she decided to go home as you can

so she decided to go home as you can

so she decided to go home as you can imagine this is a huge shake-up for all

imagine this is a huge shake-up for all

imagine this is a huge shake-up for all of us so there were a lot of emotions

of us so there were a lot of emotions

of us so there were a lot of emotions and I think it was a really melancholy

and I think it was a really melancholy

and I think it was a really melancholy transition for us really kind of the

transition for us really kind of the

transition for us really kind of the up-and-down nature of this trip and at

up-and-down nature of this trip and at

up-and-down nature of this trip and at that same time with all these nerves

that same time with all these nerves

that same time with all these nerves we’re hopping on a train to Russia and

we’re hopping on a train to Russia and

we’re hopping on a train to Russia and we’re about to ride the trans-siberian

we’re about to ride the trans-siberian

we’re about to ride the trans-siberian railway with an expeditions worth of

railway with an expeditions worth of

railway with an expeditions worth of year for 10 days and going to Russia it

year for 10 days and going to Russia it

year for 10 days and going to Russia it was definitely a culture shock and I’ve

was definitely a culture shock and I’ve

was definitely a culture shock and I’ve been to Moscow and the Far East Russia

been to Moscow and the Far East Russia

been to Moscow and the Far East Russia it’s totally different it’s like a whole

it’s totally different it’s like a whole

it’s totally different it’s like a whole new country and as we were traveling the

new country and as we were traveling the

new country and as we were traveling the train you see these style of buildings

train you see these style of buildings

train you see these style of buildings that remind you like the Soviet era and

that remind you like the Soviet era and

that remind you like the Soviet era and also a lot of bones actually torn down a

also a lot of bones actually torn down a

also a lot of bones actually torn down a rubble so it makes you wonder you know

rubble so it makes you wonder you know

rubble so it makes you wonder you know it was the result of the war and we also

it was the result of the war and we also

it was the result of the war and we also decided to realize how gnarly the

decided to realize how gnarly the

decided to realize how gnarly the weather gets like these monsoonal storms

weather gets like these monsoonal storms

weather gets like these monsoonal storms are now in full rage and here like the

are now in full rage and here like the

are now in full rage and here like the rain is just pelting down and I remember

rain is just pelting down and I remember

rain is just pelting down and I remember the Lightning going off and I did

the Lightning going off and I did

the Lightning going off and I did actually hear the crack the lightening

actually hear the crack the lightening

actually hear the crack the lightening hit this live post and it’s like a big

hit this live post and it’s like a big

hit this live post and it’s like a big pop sound and all the lights went out

pop sound and all the lights went out

pop sound and all the lights went out car alarms are going off wow this is

car alarms are going off wow this is

car alarms are going off wow this is like we’re gonna be in a river and

like we’re gonna be in a river and

like we’re gonna be in a river and potentially the same sort of storms so

potentially the same sort of storms so

potentially the same sort of storms so it was a big wake-up call to what we’re

it was a big wake-up call to what we’re

it was a big wake-up call to what we’re getting ourselves into

getting ourselves into

getting ourselves into and

and

and this is the amor river like from

this is the amor river like from

this is the amor river like from Mongolia and when we go in the

Mongolia and when we go in the

Mongolia and when we go in the headwaters it was maybe seven meters

headwaters it was maybe seven meters

headwaters it was maybe seven meters wide imagine you know not even as wide

wide imagine you know not even as wide

wide imagine you know not even as wide as a stage and suddenly we’re looking at

as a stage and suddenly we’re looking at

as a stage and suddenly we’re looking at anywhere from two to five kilometers

anywhere from two to five kilometers

anywhere from two to five kilometers wide and by the time you get to the

wide and by the time you get to the

wide and by the time you get to the Delta is 12 kilometers wide so when you

Delta is 12 kilometers wide so when you

Delta is 12 kilometers wide so when you picture a big oil tanker or massive ship

picture a big oil tanker or massive ship

picture a big oil tanker or massive ship like that they look like a little

like that they look like a little

like that they look like a little matchbox toy car on this river it’s it’s

matchbox toy car on this river it’s it’s

matchbox toy car on this river it’s it’s huge

huge

huge so we’re on this concrete block in this

so we’re on this concrete block in this

so we’re on this concrete block in this industrial area just before sunrise

industrial area just before sunrise

industrial area just before sunrise packing up our kayaks

packing up our kayaks

packing up our kayaks and there’s like cigarette butts and

and there’s like cigarette butts and

and there’s like cigarette butts and glass and these big cranes and the water

glass and these big cranes and the water

glass and these big cranes and the water is just gnarly and we knew this water

is just gnarly and we knew this water

is just gnarly and we knew this water had DDT and benzene and raw sewage in it

had DDT and benzene and raw sewage in it

had DDT and benzene and raw sewage in it and that we were beginning a really

and that we were beginning a really

and that we were beginning a really really different part of the adventure

really different part of the adventure

really different part of the adventure the lower arm where there was so much

the lower arm where there was so much

the lower arm where there was so much unknown there were corrupt officials

unknown there were corrupt officials

unknown there were corrupt officials there there was organized crime around

there there was organized crime around

there there was organized crime around the extraction industry there there was

the extraction industry there there was

the extraction industry there there was a type of weather that we weren’t used

a type of weather that we weren’t used

a type of weather that we weren’t used to dealing with I mean these monsoon

to dealing with I mean these monsoon

to dealing with I mean these monsoon storms could kick up in a half hour to

storms could kick up in a half hour to

storms could kick up in a half hour to an hour and all of a sudden there would

an hour and all of a sudden there would

an hour and all of a sudden there would be 80 kilometer per hour winds and

be 80 kilometer per hour winds and

be 80 kilometer per hour winds and lightning everywhere and not to mention

lightning everywhere and not to mention

lightning everywhere and not to mention you couldn’t actually get out of the

you couldn’t actually get out of the

you couldn’t actually get out of the river just anywhere so oftentimes on one

river just anywhere so oftentimes on one

river just anywhere so oftentimes on one side of the river there’d be these

side of the river there’d be these

side of the river there’d be these willow fences so it was just Willow and

willow fences so it was just Willow and

willow fences so it was just Willow and marsh and on the other side of the river

marsh and on the other side of the river

marsh and on the other side of the river would be ten-foot loose dirt cut banks

would be ten-foot loose dirt cut banks

would be ten-foot loose dirt cut banks and then there’s the bugs this is my

and then there’s the bugs this is my

and then there’s the bugs this is my ankles by the way it was crazy because

ankles by the way it was crazy because

ankles by the way it was crazy because the mosquitoes come out dusk you go to

the mosquitoes come out dusk you go to

the mosquitoes come out dusk you go to sleep with the chorus of mosquitos

sleep with the chorus of mosquitos

sleep with the chorus of mosquitos singing to you and then you wake up

singing to you and then you wake up

singing to you and then you wake up they’re still there but you think I had

they’re still there but you think I had

they’re still there but you think I had the sun’s gonna come up I’m gonna be on

the sun’s gonna come up I’m gonna be on

the sun’s gonna come up I’m gonna be on the river we’ll get away for them it’s

the river we’ll get away for them it’s

the river we’ll get away for them it’s all good there’s nuts then that’s like

all good there’s nuts then that’s like

all good there’s nuts then that’s like to come out at sunrise and they’ll stick

to come out at sunrise and they’ll stick

to come out at sunrise and they’ll stick with you the whole day you’ll be wearing

with you the whole day you’ll be wearing

with you the whole day you’ll be wearing these nets and you can see them crawling

these nets and you can see them crawling

these nets and you can see them crawling in front of your eyes and then they’re

in front of your eyes and then they’re

in front of your eyes and then they’re actually wiggle through like that that

actually wiggle through like that that

actually wiggle through like that that tiny but they could do damage don’t mean

tiny but they could do damage don’t mean

tiny but they could do damage don’t mean – grace yeah but imagine you know make

– grace yeah but imagine you know make

– grace yeah but imagine you know make my hot chocolate cause like conjuring

my hot chocolate cause like conjuring

my hot chocolate cause like conjuring coffee and you know pick him out you got

coffee and you know pick him out you got

coffee and you know pick him out you got about 20 not exaggerating yeah and then

about 20 not exaggerating yeah and then

about 20 not exaggerating yeah and then I start sipping and I feel a bit of a

I start sipping and I feel a bit of a

I start sipping and I feel a bit of a clump I’m like oh hey there’s more

clump I’m like oh hey there’s more

clump I’m like oh hey there’s more mosquitos so I fished out another 20 so

mosquitos so I fished out another 20 so

mosquitos so I fished out another 20 so it’s like and that was a morning ritual

it’s like and that was a morning ritual

it’s like and that was a morning ritual I was losing my mind