Inner Mongolia
Trip Start
May 30, 2006
1
10
78
Trip End
May 31, 2007
Ulaan Baatar,
Mongolia
Thursday, June 22, 2006
If the Border town of Czeh Baatar was a good cross section of the people, then this country is the friendliest i've ever been to. People tripping up over themselves trying to shake your hand and practice their English. How different from those heady days in Moscow where people didn't even want to acknowledge your existence.
We arrived in Ulaan Baatar an hour late, a fact that annoyed me. Not because i'm punctual or anything, but because the conductor woke us up an before our scheduled arrival time, so i was up for an extra 2 hours than planned! The attendent and i didn't get on and we parted in magnanimous (sorry daniella) circumstances as i decried her for never saying excuse me as she bowled me out of the way on her waddle up the corridor.
Anyway, on the train we met several interesting folks who we are now staying with, a Norwegian Dr called Nom, Ian from manchester, Tatyana Mark and John from the states. We also shared our kupe with Danilo a little Italian guy who was hours of fun but he's staying further downtown than us.
Were off on a Tour tomorrow morning: a bit of horseback riding, hiking and 4x4 style stuff, with an overnight stay with a nomadic family. Not bad for 12 quid.
Mongolian money is useless, i changed $50 to tugrug (or turnips as we now refer to it) and received 60,000t in return. its about 2000 to the pound. why they bothered giving me 20s i have no idea.
Going to do a pub quiz tonight, eat korean food, and maybe go to the circus... at 1.50 a time its got to be to be done. Apparently the korean place also do british 'style' beer, but if thats nasty the local mongolian beverage is just 60p for half a litre!
I could live here
