My day on Friday 31 August, starts well before my 6am alarm. Today I’m off to Mongolia - while I’m super excited the main feeling right now is apprehension.
On opening the curtains I notice we are continuing with the pants weather we have had all week. I decide to still head out for a
hike. My flight is at 12.05pm so I have time. I must say it’s an odd feeling not flying out at night.
On arrival at the airport express in town check-in I quickly locate the Mongolian Airways line. There is a person at the counter and two ladies in front of me. After a few minutes a check-in agent comes to ask us what flight we are on. The ladies in front of me are told to come back in 45 minutes - to the front of the line I go.
I’m informed the seat I’ve booked online (I don’t remember doing that.....) is still mine. He then proceeds to take his time so I ask if everything is ok. The reply I get stops me - he is required to calculate the stamps in my passport, this is a first. Thank goodness this is a relatively new passport.
As my bag is about to go I’m asked if I have packed any batteries, whoops yes I have. I don’t remember the last time I flew with batteries (that weren't in my carry on) which is why I completely forgot the head lamp battery and my external battery. Time to get them out. Thankfully no one is in the line now.
I have a 7 minute wait for the airport express so head off for a walk. On arrival the train is sitting there, I pick up the pace then realize we have 4 minutes to go. There are certainly a lot of people on here already!!
The long security line thankfully moves quicker than expected. It still surprises me how people arrive at the counter and look like stunned mullets not sure what they should do.
As I’m flying Mongolian Airways there’s no Qantas lounge for me. Instead I head to the Priority Pass lounge. I join a line and quickly realize I’m not the only person with this idea. The lady on the desk announces loudly she’s new so it takes much longer than normal before I’m let in. Now the fun begins of finding a seat.
I have about 20 minutes before leaving and making my way to the gate. As I have time I decide to walk the majority of the way (rather than get on a train). I’m starting to fade and am worried if I sit for long I might be goodnight nurse! Fingers crossed this means I sleep on the plane. So for now I’ll walk.
As I get close I start to pick up the pace only to realize as I pass the TV screens that my flight has no announcement. Time to waste time in a book shop.
They make an announcement at 11.53am; within seconds of the announcement (that boarding will start in 10 minutes) the majority of people jump up to join a line. Do not see why when all you are going to do is stand there. Plus we all have set seats so just relax!
Exactly 10 minutes after the first announcement we are informed boarding is now open.
When the bus I’m on finally leaves the terminal we seem to drive for miles - are we driving to Mongolia now??!
12.56pm we are informed the reason for the delay is we are waiting for clearance to take off. Ooh joy. At least we are told something!
Finally! We start moving from this make shift park at 1pm, 55 minutes late. The joy of flying......
I’m going to be mighty displeased if we are 55 minutes late departing Mongolia (given my flight leaves at sparrows fart, 6.25am).
I manage to nap for the first hour, the heat of the sun wakes me. Time to put the shutter down. Ooh wait its blue sky - amazing!! 
Lunch isn’t as bad as I had expected. Sorry no photo.
While I’d opened my lonely planet book I hadn’t read about Ulaanbaatar so decide to get cracking given I’ll be landing in a few hours. Under the eating / drinking section I’m informed there is no alcohol on the first day of the month....that’s tomorrow. Hey Ho.
I start to get very bored about half way through the trip. Due to the luggage allowance on my internal flights in Mongolia I have brought the bare minimal so no iPad to keep me occupied.
Man alive the sun is hot hot hot! I know I shouldn’t complain when we haven’t seen it in HK for what seems like forever.
At 5pm we are informed we will start the descent now and will be landing in 25 minutes. Fingers crossed, I’ve got cabin fever! The temperature is 18 degrees.....hmmm not sure I’m quite ready for this. 
We land into Ulaanbaatar at 5.25pm, 40 minutes later than scheduled. Looks like it’s been raining - please no!! Sun come back.
On arrival at customs I’m asking for my landing slip - nope don’t have one. I must have been asleep when they handed them out as everyone from my plane looks like they have one. I grab one then join the line again, still completing it as I’m called to the counter. Country 59 I’ve arrived!
Waiting waiting waiting for my bag - we are the only plane that’s in so hoping the wait won’t be too much longer. I’ve got a city to explore.
Finally I spy my bag. On exiting the passenger only section I immediately spot the driver. When we meet he gives me the signal of one minute - sure sure. He then hands me the phone; the women on the other end of the phone informs me we have to wait for another passenger. No problem at all. I ask for an ATM and am pointed in the direction - the driver takes my bag and off I go.
The first ATM only allows a maximum of MNT 350,000, as I want basically double that I decide to cancel the transaction. One of the information staff informs me there is another ATM which doesn’t have a maximum limit. Within minutes I’m feeling very rich - 750,000 (basically USD 300) - with a fat wallet!
Walking back to the driver I notice the other passenger has arrived - Kevin. Time to leave the airport.
The 14 km drive to the hotel takes close to one and a half hours; traffic is bumper to bumper the whole way. I’m itching to get out of the van! One thing I find very interesting is some of the cars are left hand wheel and others are right hand wheel. I’ve never seen such a difference before.
We have about 20 minutes in our rooms before meeting downstairs for dinner. Kevin needed an ATM, the shopping mall next door helped out with that. Just as we were about to walk out the door we notice a whole lot of restaurants being advertised. Yes thanks we’ll stay here.
We decide on a local Mongolian restaurant which has a lot of locals in, a good sign. The menu is large! Decisions are made and a short time later the dishes I ordered arrive. Kevin’s dishes take a bit longer. Regardless of who ordered everything came to me - a huge change on how things were done in India! My eggplant is delicious! Beef dish ok. A nice start to my Mongolian adventure. 
Saturday 1 September, how are we in September already??!, I wake just after 6am. No thanks too early to face the day. Finally waking again at 7am with the sun coming through the corners of the curtains.
This time tomorrow I’ll nearly be at my next destination, our pick up is at 5.15am. Eeks alive!
I have 2.5 hours before having to meet the guide downstairs - so nice not to rush!
Before heading to breakfast I decide to go out for a quick walk to clear the cobwebs. Going in the same direction as last night I walk to Sükhbaatar Square, previously known as Chinggis Square. There is next to no one around which is lovely. 
I’m finishing breakfast at 9.09am when a lady comes to my table to ask if I’m Sarah, yes I am. “The tour is waiting for you; we were supposed to leave at 9am”. Hmmm that’s interesting, I was told 9.30am. Time to rattle my dags. I manage to get to my room then downstairs in 6 minutes to then have to wait for the fifth and final person for the morning tour. Our guide then advises tomorrow’s pick up is 5am. Bloody hell!! I had been told 5.15am which I appreciate is only 15 minutes later but at that crazy time of the morning it makes a big difference.
Traffic is so much lighter this morning even though it’s the first day of the new school year. We are off to visit the Gandantegchinlen Monastery and the Centre of Mongolian Buddhists.
Gandantegchinlen Monastery, also known as Gandan Monastery, is a Mongolian Buddhist monastery area in the middle of Ulaanbaatar that was constructed back in 1809 (a year or two ago……). It used to have around 100 temples and monasteries that served a population of approximately 50,000. Unfortunately now the number is closer to 10.
As we walk into the complex we pass the tradition large prayer wheels.
Duuya gives us the history before leaving us to wander. Her first point of call was to buy a ticket for a blessing for the 16 of us (11 of us, 2 guides and 3 drivers) so that we can burn when we start out trip in the Gobi tomorrow.
As I walk into the The Great Assembly building (Tsogchen) the chanting hits me. Strangely it’s peaceful sitting here listening to the monks chant.
Walking around the perimeter of the complex following the prayer wheels takes me back to my time in Bhutan. 
As we leave this part of the complex the number of touts increase, clearly a tourist hot spot! Time to turn my camera bag to my front.
Walking inside the Migjid Janraisig temple the first thing I notice is the HUGE statue of Migjid Janraisig (or Avalokitesvara). The statue is apparently the tallest indoor statue standing at 26.5 meters high. Hard on the neck to be starting constantly but super impressive.
We are taking the public bus back to the hotel. While this will be an experience I would have preferred to walk so I can see more of the city. We are told we’ll have about 3.5 hours to ourselves before meeting again at 3pm, I’ll definitely be heading out for a walk!!
We have a few minutes wait for the bus, when it pulls up I can see it’s packed already. This is going to be fun! Duuya, our guide (she told me to pronounce like “do” “ya”, nice and easy!) advises us to grab hold of something as soon as we enter as the drivers are mad! Ooh so true!!
Getting off the bus we come across a few fruit and vege stalls, some look more appetizing than others, a few flower stalls and a couple of locals selling the use of their scales. I joke that I might bring down my suitcase later. 
One of the ladies on the tour wanted to go to the Fine Arts Museum - I’m a bit Ho hum on museums but decided at the last minute to walk with her and Duuya. I’d work out where I wanted to go along the way.
In the end I went in with them and was pleased I did.
The Fine Arts Museum, also known as the Zanabazar Musuam of Fine Art, houses a collection of paintings and sculptures (many from the artist Zanabazar). Great to see paintings that showcase local life.
Across from the museum was an organic vege market which we wandered around. We managed to try some watermelon as well as two types of honey. All of the stall owners were so nice and friendly (with no Mongolian we spoke to them through Duuya). 
The trusty lonely planet recommended a local vegan restaurant across the road so we headed over there. Unfortunately it’s closed on Saturdays but never fear there is another vegan restaurant (also recommend in the LP) less than 100 meters up the road.
Lunch was tasty. 
As we were walking back to the hotel we went via the clock tower, which I’d seen on my wanderings earlier. 
The 35 minutes relaxing in the room was great! Since I received a bit more information on the next few days I decided to pull out some things from my suitcase to remain in Ulaanbaatar. The driver will collect it on Wednesday - this should mean I’ll make the 10kg’s allowed.
Everyone is in the lobby for the 3pm departure. We walk to Sükhbaatar Square where there are so many more people around than there was this morning. 
Just around the corner is the National Museum of Mongolia - two museums in one day is a lot for me!
Duuya gives us a tour through the 9 sections which showcases the neolithic era to the present day. Not something I usually say
with museums but I could have done with some more time to wander around.
As we exit at 4.45pm we are told we are heading for dinner, ummm a bit early don’t you think? Clearly not. Given 4 others have arrived today (with 2 more due later today) we are given a tour briefing. I’ll definitely be taking more clothes out when I return to the room!
Dinner is interesting - family style meal of Mongolian dumplings (all meat), horse (yes that’s right horse) served with noodles (I went for the noodles only), Mongolian salad (lettuce with apples, kiwi fruit and a few other local fruits, very tasty!), a meat dish with potatoes noodles carrots and beans and a cold platter with two types of tongue, local cheese, pickles and some lettuce. I try the cheese only. I’m slightly nervous about the next 8 days......might be the best diet ever! 
Kevin, Diana and I head to the supermarket to pick up some water. I try to find some peanuts but no luck. There was a ridiculous amount of sweets! At least three aisles. Crazy.
They both educate me on the tips required for the guide and driver - much less than I had planned which I’m pleased about.
Diana and I decide it’s too early to go to the room so instead wander the streets. As it gets closer to the 7pm the number of “crazies” seem to increase, definitely time to head back to the hotel.
I repack and manage to take out quite a lot. Fingers crossed its 4kg’s worth. Time will tell. Now to relax before having an early night.
Day one in Mongolia has been great - I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect but it’s been better than expected. A lot more colourful and modern.
Sunday 2 September the alarm goes at 4.20am. I’m in a complete daze. We have to meet downstairs at 5am so I don’t exactly have time to be mucking about. It’s been a very restless night to say the least!! The air conditioning machine kept switching itself on and off all night long. At 3.30am I decide I’m done with it and switch it off. Should have done that hours ago.
When I arrive in the lobby at 4.53am at least half of the group are already here. Love it! We are given a breakfast bag - let’s hope this isn’t counted as part of my allowed 5kgs carry on - then get into the van.
It’s been a great 36 hours in Ulaanbaatar- Gobi desert here I come!
No comments:
Post a Comment