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Near BALGAI, MONGOLIA - Mongolians are incredibly hospitable people, ready to give up their bed and welcome strangers into their homes without notice. But there are a few rules that should be followed once inside.

Enter the home clockwise. Don't point your feet towards the door or the altar. Don't touch anyone's head or take their hat. Always ask about the family and their livestock - "Are your sheep fattening up nicely?" - before moving on to general matters.

On Tsagaan Sar, the most important of Mongolian holidays, the number of customs and formalities increase. Thankfully on this trip to the countryside, I, along with another American, a Malay and a German, had Bobby in tow. Bobby runs the UB Guesthouse in Ulanbataar along with her Korean husband, Kim. They met in London, where Bobby, a Mongolian, was studying English. Now they're in business together, giving foreigners a taste of Mongolian life as they move along the Trans-Siberian route.

With winter business scarce and Bobby not able to attend her own family's celebrations (because of a death in the family during the year - another custom) she came along with us as a free translator, guide and all around nice person.

And so, when our hosts offered me a small pink perfume bottle, I knew to take this container with my right hand, unscrew the top, inhale deeply, and then hand it back with my right hand.

When the family patriarch offered the first of several rounds of vodka, I was able to dip my ring finger in the glass, flick it three times toward the sky, sun and the ground, and then down the shot.

Bobby also explained to our hosts why we wouldn't be interested in sheep's back, a block of solid fat that is a New Year's delicacy.

She told us how to eat dried milk candy, a Mongolian specialty that's hard as a rock shaped like a pile of dried white worms. First, suck the mound, then nibble away at the sides. This way, no teeth are broken while ingesting calcium.

Yes, Bobby's presence is most welcome here in the Mongolian countryside. With temperatures reaching -35 at night, we wouldn't want to offend our hosts.

Scarves

NEW YORK - It's the winter farewell of mothers in cold climates around the world: "Don't forget your scarf!"

On New York's coldest day in two years (Central Park bottomed out at 5F), I didn't forget mine. I clipped the tag off my grey cashmere Christmas present from J. Crew, threw it in my shoulder bag, and caught the 8:15 a.m. Harlem Line train to Grand Central Station.

Two hours later, I stepped out of the 23rd street subway stop into a brisk Arctic wind. I went for my scarf, pulling the two feet of material into my gloveless hands. Then I realized I had no idea how to put it on.

Scarves are the least initutive winter clothing accessory. Hats slip on top of the head, boots are shaped like feet and gloves have finger holes. But a scarf doesn't look anything like the part of the body it's designed to protect. Sure, there are neckbands, but I didn't catch anyone in one of the world's most fashionable cities with a noodle-shaped piece of fleece.

My first idea was to take the scarf, wrap it around my head and let the remainder hang off the back of my shoulder.

Bad idea. The dangling end was too long, drapping nearly to the ground.

Too timid to ask someone, I looked around the city for ideas on how to properly arrange a scarf. I saw a few people with the drapped method, which had just failed me, but most appeared to have it tucked inside their coat somehow.

I kept seeing people with the scarf as a loop, displaying a symmetrical curve in front of their coats. It looked neater than the dangle, and offered protection from dirt and snow outside.

I tied my scarf into a loop and walked from the Russian travel agency on 20th and 5th to the Chinese consulate at 42nd and Riverside (a distance Google Maps places at 2.3 miles).

The loop had several positives: it stayed in position, looked nice and kept the neck warm. Unfortunately, it also left my now warm neck feeling itchy and my chin closed. Taking all the fabric in the loop around my neck meant there's no extra room to cover up the bottom of the face. I wore a hat with ear extensions, but it left the area around my mouth exposed.

Leaving the Chinese consulate, I put on my coat, hat and re-laced my shoes. When it came time to decide how to arrange the scarf, I tried a new method. I left it in the bag.