To the Northern Capital
Trip Start
May 17, 2007
1
21
37
Trip End
Jun 30, 2007
Xining,
China
Friday, June 1, 2007
I am now inclined to believe that every city has a night food market of sorts.
Loved it at Suan Lum in Bangkok, missed it in Patong Phuket, and missed it again here in Xining.
That said, Rob & Shauna tell me that there's a fantastic street market in Beijing, right by Leo's Hostel, where we're gonna stay for the night before we get on the 7am train to Ulaan Bataar, Mongolia.
Thankfully I managed to be sufficiently resourceful and get in touch with a travel agent in Beijing and Rob sent over his credit card authorisation form quickly enough
01 Xining food market scene
.When Leo's replied, they said the next train leaves on 5 June, eeeks.
Stocked up on more moisturizer, sunblock and undies today, since my trip's gonna be longer than expected.
Tomorrow will be spent picking up train tickets, visit to Thai Airways' Beijing office, and stocking up on lots of chocolate & snacks for the 30hr train ride to UB (Ulaan Bataar).
Heard from Shauna that there's hardly a vacant computer terminal at Leo's, so i may have to traipse around looking for an internet cafe before I can update.
Of course, I'll be MIA until i get some place in UB with an internet connection.
Thereafter, as I head into the Mongolian wilderness / Gobi desert, for sure there will be no updates till I'm back in Beijing.
So there, miss me while I'm gone, and I sincerely hope for the best.
Running out of money is my greatest fear now, so... i hope i have the discipline NOT to get McDonald's / Starbucks / Peking duck / too much expensive imported chocolate while in Beijing.
**EDIT**
Just called my Dad about 45min ago, and he was damn funny lah.
02 Mounds of Mutton
1) He refers to Rob as "the handsome guy on your blog"2) He thinks Rob will take care of me in Mongolia
hmmmmmmmmmm
No. 1 is debatable, No. 2 is a definite no.
I'm pretty sure if he sees some hot chick, he's gonna just desert me and leave me with not even a Lonely Planet Mongolia.
Come to think of it, if he DOES abandon me, i am quite doomed.
Which is why... I'm kinda learning cyrillic now, in a desperate attempt to make sure even if i get abandoned, i can survive (sort of).
Well, if all else fails, Yenhao's Dad is based in Ulaan Bataar.
I guess I can kinda hope he helps me in event of emergency.
Eeeks.
Well then, i need to go pack and get ready for bed.
You all take care, and i'll try to post again tmrrw after I get stuff settled in Beijing.
Hope Thai Airways is nice to me.
- Feil "Hoping for the Best" Wong
