UlanBator and Elstei Ger Camp
Trip Start
Apr 14, 2008
1
25
85
Trip End
Nov 11, 2008
Ulan Bator,
Mongolia
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
19/7/08
Photos 1+
The girls woke with a hangover but mine was well suppressed after a few early morning cups of jasmine tea. We left the train at 8.30am in need of breakfast. The guide did not seem to have a clue were to take us and eventually settled on a Mongolian fast food joint. I was not happy. In fact most of the group were not. Service, food and price was terrible. Instead of sitting around for the food to come I went round the corner on a coffee shop scouting mission. After 3 days of fantastic food in the desert we wanted coffee and a western breakfast. Unfortunately it was to late to get the latter. I found the coffee
shop I saw from the bus, checked the menu and returned to the team. When I got back a few of them had received the coffee they ordered, it was a 3in1 sachet, 50% sugar! One taste and they were all keen to get good coffee. So I approached the tour guide and after some
explanation she said 'no time'. Well I was not going to accept that considering we were 2 hours late the day previous due to their buses breaking down. After lengthy negotiation and with help from the girls we agreed on takeaway coffee after breakfast.
Walking there I explained what Western tourists want on their one meal in between Ger camps, and Mongolian National Fast Food was not it. We got to the cafe, we ordered coffee and I continued educating her. Showing her the breakfast menu, bakery options and various coffee n teas I said it would go down a hit with her future tour groups. I gave her a business card for the place and asked the owner to give her a free drink with every tour group she bought in. This was of course fine and she got a lovely Chinese Tea Slushy this time. I did my good deed, her next group will not have to eat that terrible take away food again!
Double shot latte on the bus and we were heading for some sightseeing. I was buzzing! Cashmere Factory first on request for one of the monkey's. Then the Zaisan hill memorial which had fantastic views of the city. Then the main square (Sukhbaatar) and the Gandan Monastery with an enormously housed Buddha statue. (my iFriend was feeling a little flat this morning so we don't have any pictures)
We gave the girls a monkey farewell who were heading to Russia. They gave me a rattle using pistachio shells in an empty water bottle with a note, 'Dear Alexander Brown aka Timmy [her brother], use this instrument when u are blue. If your condition persists, please consult your doctor. Love Danae & Kirsty x
The Monkey's bused to camp 1 hour away. When we arrived late the tour guide was in trouble (we told her to say the bus broke down, but she told the truth about our rebellion!). Then they messed two of the couples around for an hour until the manager gave them what they paid for. Lunch was great, cooked by an Indian Chef they have on site. More of that please.
On a full stomach I decided to walk to the base of a mountain ~8kms away. Checked it out for climbing. It was a wonderful walk among rolling green hills, cattle and genuine farm ger's. The sky was blue and the land is about 1000 kms above sea level. These contributed to further sun burn on my neck, major pain now! I was also feeling sick and close the squirts from our Mong breakfast. It was thus a sphincter-clenching journey back for an evening shower and dinner.
Day 97. More Chenggis Khan
21/7/08
Photos 20+
Chinhan and I walked to the new shiny metallic monument of Chenggis Khan on a stallion, a 3 hr round trip. The new statue has been placed on a pavilion as yet finished in side. On completion it will be possible to walk up the arse of the horse and work your way to the
head for breathtaking views of the landscape. It was probably 30 meters high perched on a hill side facing east. The other Monkey's were meant to join by horse back. But on our return to camp they could not catch enough semi wild horses to join us. They ended off going in the afternoon instead without helmets as the Japanese tourist had taken them.
May be I'm getting old (I'm youngest monkey here), but taking a semi-wild horse that does not speak English and without a proper saddle is kind of silly in my mind. Let alone that I've never sat on a horse before and have no protective gear. Give me my legs any day! Sure enough they came back with many stories, thankfully all in tact (accept maybe sore bums).
While the other Monkey's were gone in the afternoon I enjoyed a sleep and massage. The masseuse stood on me, yanked me in different direction, spread her thighs over my back, dug with her knees and pushed with her shins. Oh and she was great with her hands too! Was
all worth the excessive fee the Ger-resort demanded for the massage.
After a bit of Archery practice I hit a beer with a Canadian girl. She was to go horse riding but her horse went crazy on her!
Day 98. No 1 Chef
21/7/08
Photos 30+
A chilled out day. Afyer another great feed for lunch we left Elstei Ger Camp. But not before presenting the Indian Chef his trophy and prize of Chinese tea.
Once we returned to Ulan Bator I enjoyed the comfort of a hotel room!
Day 99.
22/7/08
Photos 40+
Did a little bit of sightseeing and shopping. Spent most of the day in an internet cafe because I could not find any sun block to protect me if I walked around outside. After the sun cooled off I stocked up on food for 2 days on the train.
The train departed 9pm for a big night of Russian Border Control! We said goodbye to our Tour guide, a lovely mother who struggled to communicate effectively to us. The other guides from the same company we met appeared to speak a lot better English, luck of the draw!
