Last Stop: Mongolia

Mongolia was a mixed bag. My time there (5 days) was both enjoyable and, owing to some typically half-assed planning on my part and a bit of bad luck, a waste. I spent three days in the capital city, Ulaan Baatar (or UB as the locals call it) which was about two and a half days too many. It's a poor city with poor people, thus making the astounding abundance of banks and currency exchange businesses, which stay open till very late seven days a week, a very curious thing indeed. I find it highly unlikely that the locals have any use for them, other than, perhaps, for job opportunities. Aside from these international money laundering facilities, I mean, um, banks, etc, the run down city centre features a number of big, old, and ugly Soviet style buildings, remnants of the cold war years, I believe, when Mongolia was under Soviet control. In the outer neighbourhoods most people live in gers (traditional Mongol tents) in fenced yards which creates a kind of refugee camp feel and gives one the impression that the Ulaan Baatarians, nomads not so long ago, could, if they wanted to, pack up at any moment and move the capital to the other side of the country.

Anyway, let's have a look at some pics, shall we?

On the train from Beijing to Ulaan Baatar I was lucky enough to meet and share a compartment with three Dutch fellas: Ric (wearing the hat) Fred (with the glasses) and sitting next to Fred is Gerton. This photo was taken in the dining carriage (call me Captain Obvious).

Fred and Gerton were travelling together while Ric, like myself, was travelling alone. We were thirty hours on the train from Beijing to UB, which included a five hour stop at the border so that they could check our passports etc and so that they could change the wheels of the train as the tracks in China and Mongolia differ in width.

Sukhbaatar Square, UB. Mr Sukhbaatar was the 'hero of the revolution' and it was here in 1921 that he declared Mongolia's independence from China . . . and it's complete and utter dependence on Russia.

Me in front of Parliament House

It might be Genghis



On the third day the Dutch boys, myself, a couple of Chinese, and another couple who I think were German took a van out to a national park, the name of which I have forgotten.
The tour van in front of our hostel


And this is what I came for. To see the steppes where Mongol warriors once battled each other and from where they later set out to conquer the world.


This was home for the next day and a half. It was miles better than the hostel. The only downside was there was no running water.




It was great to get out of UB. But, as I alluded to above, this is where Lady Luck frowned upon me . . .

Despite the smile I was actually in quite a lot of pain and discomfort. You see, the night before, in a moment of drunken carelessness, I had used tap water when brushing my teeth. And so when I woke the next morning my guts felt a bit rough. At first I put this down to Mongolian vodka, but when, after lunch, my stomach began rejecting, promptly and ferociously, everything I had consumed (and even things I had not) I realised it was much worse than a hangover. I spent most of the next day and a half alternately lying on the bed in the picture and making trips to the outhouse. Still, I was glad to be there in the peaceful surrounds of the Mongolian wilderness, rather than the noisy hostel with its unreliable bathroom availability. Most of the time I had the ger to myself as the others were out and about riding horses (which I'd really wanted to do) exploring, and waging mock raids on neighbouring camps, things like that.

They were coming right for us!!

To watch these two gallop past me at full speed made my day.

Yawning camel

Turtle Rock

Despite it all I have fond memories of Mongolia. After all, what's travelling without a little (mis)adventure? I believe one of the best things about travelling is meeting, if you're lucky, nice and interesting people, whether they be locals or other travellers. So, to my Dutch mates, Ric, Fred, and Gerton, if you're reading this, I just want you to know how grateful I am to have met you guys along the way, and I want to say thank you for your help and concern whilst the Mongolian bacteria waged war across the steppes of my stomach.

eyechan