First Day in the Gobi

We stopped and had lunch in Zorgol Khairkhan Mountain. Stopped to see a camle herd and saw what was left of a monastery that was destroyed during the Stalin purge.

We are staying with a nomad family for the night in Baga Gazaryn Chuluu. I'm standing here in the last of the days light writing. Waiting for the sunset.

More From the Gobi

Today we arrived at the Khongoryn Els sand dunes. The largest dunes in the Gobi and the largest I've ever seen. After we arrived we rode camels for a couple of hours. It was sort of meditative. Then I climbed the highest dune nearby. It was about 900 meters tall. The view was spectacular. It's the most fun I've had on the trip so far. The Gobi is freaking ginormous. We spend most of the day driving and a couple of hours at a destination. Yesterday we were at Yoln Am where there is usually a glacier, but not this time of year. We went on a 6 kilometre hike.

The day before we were at Ulaan Suvraga, the painted desert. It was quite pretty but we arrived at sunset. Time enough for some quick photos before speeding off to a small town to spend the night.

We've slept in a family ger, two tourist ger and a "hotel."

We have a driver and a guide/cook with us. The food has been good. Lots of mutton, but it's pretty tasty.

There's nothing much to do at night, mostly I read or watch video on my iPod. We've slept on the floor of a ger the first night. It was cold cramped and hard. We've had different variations of beds since then. Tonight's being the most comfortable.

I've eaten differt kinds of dried curds, milk tea, fermented mares milk and other weird milk stuff. It's not as bad as I thought it would be. But not very tasty. 

Gobi Trip Booked

I'm heading out to the Gobi and surrounding area for eight days starting on 9/26. Had to buy some warmer close so I don't freeze my ass off.


Synopsis:
Gobi desert, Orkhon waterfall,and Khar-Khorin monastery
7/8 dyas trip by jeep or minivan
You can see Gobi Desert, Bayanzag (unique shaped trees), Temeen shavar (place where dinosours lived million of years ago), and Moltsog sand dunes then leave Gobi to Kharhorin Monastery and visit Mongolian nomad herders family. Horse riding included
Day 1.Start from UB at 9 o'clock. Have lunch in Morin tsohio ger restaurant then drive to Bagagazariin chuluu.
Day 2. Drive to the Bayanzag and Temeenshavar. It's a place with trees and Dino fossils. Ride camel in short time. .
Day 3. Drive to the Khongor sand dune.
Day 4. Drive to the Arvaikheer and overnight near Arvaikheer.
Day 5. Orkhon water fall.
Day 6. Drive to Kharhorin Monastery.
Day 7. Drive to the area of Lun and visit in a Mongolian nomad herder's family. Ride horse, make horhog and fishing.
Day 8. After lunch back to UB.

In Mongolia

No luck finding a Gobi trip yet.  Today, I'm headed to the Black Market.  It's not really a "Black" market, but that's what they call it.  Then maybe some museums and a Monastery. 

Trans-Mongolian Railway

The train pulled out a 7:45 am. It's my home until sometime on Tuesday afternoon. I'm sharing a compartment with a German girl, Steph, who is doing 4 day stopover in Mongolia and continuing on to Moscow.

The train is fairly empty, if Steph had not bought a ticket a few days ago, I'd have the compartment to myself. Though I'm quite happy to have the company.

UB had heavy snow, which I'm not ready for. I bought some long
underwear yesterday and will buy more warm clothes and maybe some boots in UB. It depends on what kind of trip I can put together. I really want to go to the Gobi or at least I did until it got so cold. The cold came early this year I think.

I've not done a train trip like this since I backpacked through
Europe, eastern Europe and Turkey in the late '90s.

Bye Bye Beijing

I left Beijing this morning, bright and early. It's a great city. I
hadn't planned on being ther so long or liking it so much. I'm not
sure what I expected, but certainly my expectations were exceeded.

It's a very clean city, the people seem happy and I found some
pleasant suprises. I may be back after Mongolia.

New China Museum of Science And Technology

Today was the opening day. I went, the line was hell, a good hour
long. It was worth it! It rivals most any other science museum I've
been to. Lots of interactive stuff, lots of cool stuff. Picts to be
posted.

The Other Great Wall

I can't get to facebook, blogger, youtube and other stuff. China is
serious about sensorship. It's annoying. Finding proxys is a bitch as.

The Traveler's Blues

It happens sooner or later on every long trip. You have crap day and don't really want to be traveling. It happened to me two daya ago.

Everything went wrong for most of the day and after a while it got me down. Then... I went to see the Chinese Acrobats and was restored to harmony. Wow, was that a great show. It was there experimental show for up and coming stars and we had third row seats.

Smog!

My first two days were smog free. Today it's so smoggy, I can't see things farther than 100 feet here at the Olympic green. I'm trying to find the new science and tech museum.

Today's adventure

I picked up my train tickets for Ulanbaator this morning. The hostel recomended a taxi, but I wanted an adventure. It was only a 3 kl walk, well more like 4 with the getting lost.

I also had 4 different propositions from "art students" to see caligraphy. I accepted one, it was nice work with a hard sell, but no scam. Sort of the Chinese Turkish carpet.

Walked through Tianamen sq. and by the forbiden city, but didn't go in. I'm going to see it on a tour in a couple of days.

By the way, dinner was deep fried not grilled. Was not super tasty.

Dinner?!

Yikes! So I'm completely clueless. It's not like ordering food in Europe. Where I can squeek by and order shit without knowing much of the language. I think I just ordered spicy squid. At least I managed to get a beer. Did I mention that I'm sleepy? Staying up to reset my
clock.

From Beijing

I'm in China! Sleep deprived. Hungry and checked in. Staying at the downtown backpackers hostel. They had someone meet me at the airport. Everything has been super easy so far.

Arrived in Vancouver

Just waiting for my flight to Beijing to board. It's a 767. The
flight is 11hours. I've gotten about 6 hours sleep in the last two days.

One more night in the US

After that it's Beijing for a week, then Ulaanbaatar for a couple of weeks.

Packing and Stuff

My Ipod 3g just arrived this morning.  I'm gonna put skype on it.  That in addition to email, Facebook and Google Voice should keep in in contact with the world.  Back to packing....

Facebook Intergration?

Well?  I think I figured it out.  If this post makes it to facebook, then all is good.