Ulan Bator, Mongolia
November 02, 2013
It’s my last full day here in Mongolia before catching my train to China in the morning.
There isn’t too much to report back on from my last couple of days since I got back from the Ger camps. Fairly lazy days, a few beers and food and generally getting myself sorted ready for China. Catching up with friends and family and doing some shopping, sorting photos etc.
I did a lot of thinking when I was away with the Nomads and decided to change my plans for China. Originally I was aiming to work my way down to Tibet and then into Nepal to do Everest base camp starting around the 15th of November, however that would only give me around 10 days to get from Beijing, all the way down and across into Nepal. I wouldn’t really get to experience a lot of China at all and most of those 10 days would be spent traveling. So I’ve decided to make the most of my 30 day Visa for China and will work my way from Beijing down to Shanghai over the course of the month. I’m still going to do base camp but will leave it until Spring next year when the next decent window of weather is. Nepal is Visa on arrival and it makes much more sense to do it that way, both in terms of enjoying China and what it has to offer and also from a cost perspective as I can now use cheaper transport through China without the need for using the more expensive high speed rail network. So it’s a winner all round really and will keep my trip going much longer.
I wasn’t sure where to head after China but it’s now looking like Malaysia. I can get a fairly cheap flight out of Shanghai to Penang in Northern Malaysia for £125 and Malaysia is a 90 day Visa on arrival so I can really slow things down then and get my costs to a bare minimum. Hopefully Mathew, the other English lad in the hostel is going to put me in touch with someone about doing a few weeks work in an animal sanctuary close to Penang which should be good and very cheap and then I will still get myself down to Kuala Lumpa for Christmas and New Year.
Yesterday was interesting as the 1st of each month in UB is a ‘dry’ day. I couldn’t buy alcohol anywhere apart from the Japanese restaurant who decided I could have a beer with my food. I went back an hour later with Mathew only for the same guy to turn round and say ‘No’ we can’t serve alcohol today?! Bonkers. I’m not quite sure what this achieves as although there is a clear drink problem here, stopping the sale for one day a month is hardly going to deter the hardcore drinkers. All it seems to do is impact the revenue that day for the bars, clubs and shops who rely on it for their income.
The rest of today will be spent packing up and relaxing with a few beers, a bit more research for China online and an early night ready for my train at 7:15am tomorrow. I’m quite sad to be leaving here. Mongolia and the people have been very good to me, and I’m grateful for the time I’ve spent here. I highly recommend coming here for those who have thought about it but not been yet and for those looking for something different compared to their usual trip away. I’ve met some great people along the way and had some great laughs and good times, hopefully some people that I will stay in touch with in the future.
I’m meeting up with George and Vasso again in Beijing for a few beers which will be nice. I arrive on the 4th and they get there on the 6th so it will be good to catch up with familiar faces again along the way.
Stay safe everyone and I’ll catch you all up again once I get settled in Beijing.
