Nan Elizabeth Tilghman
July 28, 2026

I celebrate myself and sing myself. And what I assume, you shall assume. For every atom belonging to me as good belongs to you—and those atoms need baby wipes. 

At some point along your NOMAD journey you will find yourself squatting behind some obliging pine tree, and you will need to wipe your bum. My friend—dry, two ply toilet paper will not cut it. Use wet wipes. Your bum and bits will thank you. Baby wipes (or wet wipes for those of us successfully wiping our own bums for thirty years) have many happy uses. By your second day in the Furgon (the boxy Russian UAZ vans everywhere in Mongolia), your body odor may resemble that of your 15 year old brother who has yet to find deodorant. Fret not, while you won't have access to a shower—wet wipes will be there for you. Mongolian public restrooms do not always provide soap (or TP) so having wet wipes on hand is key to fending off your potential future as Typhoid Mary. While jumping in the Khug River is a bracing, baptismal experience enjoyed by many, some mornings you can instead choose to stay cozy and dry in your tent with a wet wipe bath. 

Many brands of wet wipes are available in Mongolia, but I recommend you buy for quantity. Go for the biggest pack with a resealing snap lid—you don't need stray dirt and ants creeping in where they aren't wanted. And when you find yourself under your obliging tree, look up. It's not everyday that you get this kind of view during your morning poo.