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  Ulaan Bataar, Mongolia
Sunday, June 3, 2007

*Sain bai nauu = 'hello' in Mongolian

FINALLY, after 32 freakin' hours on the train, i've arrived in Mongolia's capital, Ulaan Bataar.

We spent over five hours clearing immigration at the border, can you believe it?!
Our train pullled into Er Lian at 9pm, but only crossed into Dzamye-Ude past 2am!

Here, they lifted the train with bogeys and left it suspended in mid air while they changed wheels for the Mongolian tracks (i think).
It was very unfortunate that we didn't know about the long wait, so Rob and I just bought cup noodles and stayed on board --- while they lifted the train off the tracks!!

01 Trans-Mongolian Railway

!

As mentioned, my stupid body decides to screw up and have my period now, so it was horrible that the toilets were all locked during the time the train was at the station too
:(((

So anyway, we shared the bunk with a Mongolian lady and her daughter.
Evidently they're pretty well off, as they both spoke very good English.

Train ride was uneventful, mostly spent sleeping / listening to Rob's ipod or my own mp3s, reading Lonely Planet Mongolia cover to cover.

Arrived here today and were promptly met by the staff of UB guesthouse.
It's really hard to accept, the style of guesthouses here.
As Jamin told us, they're just apartments (think 5-room HDB flats) with bedrooms used as rooms for rent / dorms.

02 Top bunker

The apartment we got has dorms all out in what should have been the living room.
Weirdass.

Sat thru a briefing with Bobby, the Mongolian owner of UB Guesthouse.
She (yes, it's a she) described the 9-day Northern Mongolia route, which basically passes into what is Siberia (brrrrrr!!!).

Lakes, forests etc... So i thought it sounded pretty similar to the alpine stuff we've seen in Kham, no?
Rob thinks it would be drastically different, i think otherwise.

At the briefing were a bunch of other kids (4 x israeli / 2 x american / 2 x unknowns) and a Polish couple.
We weren't exactly keen on doing it the super duper low-cost way -- i.e.: squeezing 6 people into 1 jeep and piling luggage on the roof, so we tried to strike a deal with Lena and Tomasz, the Poles.

So! Final verdict is that we do the southern route -- i.e.: GOBI DESERT!
Rob's cool with it, since he gets a more varied landscape to photograph, and I'm kinda looking forward to it cos I've seen mountains / lakes, but never been to a desert.

We depart 2 days later cos Rob's eye isn't full recovered yet and yes, i'm still aaarghhing over being a woman

03 Feli is bored

.
I wouldn't wanna compensate anyone for a bloody camel.

We spent so much time settling the tour, booking return train tickets etc., that I just had my first meal of the day: dinner (no more greasy Chinese food, yaaaay!!!) at Chez Bernard, a Parisien style cafe-bakery.

Spent US$12 on chicken sandwich (Rob's) and lasagne (mine) and drinks.
Pricey, but OMG.... cheese and fries!!!!
I was so happy I even ate all the coleslaw it was served with.

Tmrrw will probably be spent stockin up on supplies, cos we'll be camping out at certain spots.
Rob's got his super cool North Face (authentic. the man doesn't do fakes) sleeping bag, the Poles have got tents, sleeping bags and even mattresses (!).
I'm borrowing a sleeping bag and tent from the guesthouse for free.

We'll also need butane gas for cooking, while i need a broadbrimmed hat, light clothing (all i have are black tees / long sleeved) and a scarf to block out the desert sand.

Exciting days ahead, though it's a pity that we hadn't enough time to do both the Northern and the Southern route.
I guess I should also set and limit and be heading home soon.
Lots to be done before I join the diplomatic corps.....

Alrite then, enjoy the pictures, and wish me luck in sourcing for all the stuff I need in Ulaan Bataar.

Cheers,
Feli "Mongolians are carnivores" Wong

Post your own travel photos for friends and family More Pictures

04 Rob is sleeping	05 I need help with the toilet	06 Dining car	07 Hours and hours of this
08 Suksomething Square	09 Ulaan Bataar Theatre

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