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02-10-2013, 09:50 PM
An honorable member of the Coffee Shop Has Just Posted the Following:
Next up on my travelogue is Mongolia. This came right after the trip to North Korea. I came across a tour to Mongolia in China so I joined the tour. Flew to Ulanbaator, the Mongolian capital, from Beijing. 4 day 3 night trip. Unfortunately due to flight delays we had to skip the city tour at Ulanbaator. The whole country makes me feel like I'm in Australia
This tour is very different from most other countries I've been to.
1)the Mongolians are mostly nomads so they do not have many spectacular ancient structures/sites to visit. The temples are pretty pathetic.
2)the country is vast with a very small population so interaction with locals is mostly kept to the guide and driver.
3)the places of interest are spread pretty far apart, the entire tour was half day car ride, visit to the site in the afternoon
4)the tour focus more on understanding the nomad way of life and visiting/interacting with them. In fact you can choose to stay with the families if you want to instead of in a Ger camp
5)the temperature variation is ridiculous. Midday temperature was around the low 20s, at night it drops to sub-zero temperatures
6)My favorite part is probably the fact that once outside the city, your nearest neighbor is probably 2-3km away at the very least!!!!
7)Phone signal is pretty intermittent outside the city, needless to say don't expect broadband internet at the Ger camps.
And for all the Chikopeis in here unlike my North Korean one, this one no chio bu. I hardly met any bu to begin with
Ulanbaator City
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-eql7F3m9oyY/UkwMoXgfLBI/AAAAAAAAD9g/_4DVGRapnGs/w1298-h865-no/IMG_6788.JPG
Day 2: Elsen Tasarkhai Sand Dunes
Mongolian Shaman Idol
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-R-zAjVv1gxI/UkwMr5FnUAI/AAAAAAAAD9g/HKLsN66h0YU/w577-h865-no/IMG_6800.JPG
They called this an Awar. Some form of long distance communication method
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-LYYDQWvX_RM/UkwMtKYR8LI/AAAAAAAAD9g/6bCpckEVRBY/w577-h865-no/IMG_6803.JPG
Even the towns and villages reminds me of Aussie towns
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-xTnbSqUQCP4/UkwMutQekkI/AAAAAAAAD9g/z0mH3I1K-AI/w1298-h865-no/IMG_6807.JPG
Once out of the city, grass plains as far as U can see and your next door neighbor is at least 1-2km away
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-0exHgRO-fbk/UkwMyKr3FRI/AAAAAAAAD9g/9FwXSy98WfA/w1298-h865-no/IMG_6808.JPG
A tourist Ger camp
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-xc8OP0SJRm0/UkwM2mWtLfI/AAAAAAAAD9g/h15tG16Y0YU/w1298-h865-no/IMG_6813.JPG
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-x_bhdW9w84Q/UkwM6kb64EI/AAAAAAAAD9g/mfkdPMpjUuI/w1298-h865-no/IMG_6818.JPG
This is what the inside of the tent looks like
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-WKlZVRwApMU/UkwM7rPbGEI/AAAAAAAAD9g/s3wje4cI3HE/w1298-h865-no/IMG_6816.JPG
The Restaurant
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-Y0WIrnoUKro/UkwM89gL88I/AAAAAAAAD9g/7sPHdDshHos/w1298-h865-no/IMG_6822.JPG
This is what Mongolians eat. I asked if it's normal for them to eat at home like this and they told me yes.
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-v6UZwyeBftA/UkwM_ObhTfI/AAAAAAAAD9g/OZZH33Gbwyo/w1298-h865-no/IMG_6827.JPG
A Buddhist Temple
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-fA8S-Gnfslk/UkwNHpxoKcI/AAAAAAAAD9g/DsY-76SV-CQ/w1298-h865-no/IMG_6836.JPG
The temple seems closer to the Tibetan style than ours
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-xYmQ45EqhvU/UkwNLypQPtI/AAAAAAAAD9g/MukyN0QMleo/w1298-h865-no/IMG_6840.JPG
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-ddjM9rUqLi8/UkwNOf90mCI/AAAAAAAAD9g/AHhsOzx7A7s/w1298-h865-no/IMG_6856.JPG
I have no clue who this guy is
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-LIERWO7aVZU/UkwNL3bxsiI/AAAAAAAAD9g/mBxvDMcqac0/w1298-h865-no/IMG_6845.JPG
Camel Ride into the Sand Dunes. 2 hump camels are unique to this part of the world
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-UEJmWDMNCY0/UkwNT1AXuKI/AAAAAAAAD9g/t7JotGYue5c/w1298-h865-no/IMG_6876.JPG
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-4UbtPbcHCK8/UkwNTsagYVI/AAAAAAAAD9g/ww6dfnvcR68/w1298-h865-no/IMG_6877.JPG
The Elsen Tasarkhai Sand Dunes
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Dea4gvURpmI/UkwNZ4hjaAI/AAAAAAAAD9g/QkPcGbQ-VxU/w1298-h865-no/IMG_6894.JPG
Inside the home of my Camel Guide
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-V6o81VDfifU/UkwNflUuGZI/AAAAAAAAD9g/9wXzFfwnqUo/w1298-h865-no/IMG_6904.JPG
Day 3: Visiting a family with Horses to see horse milking
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-1ytS5KWEoh4/UkwNucM_XvI/AAAAAAAAD9g/qnm05ovtr58/w1298-h865-no/IMG_6908.JPG
They first feed the fowl and pull him away shortly after than immediately start milking
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Qgw49jMLcd4/UkwNrrxmJqI/AAAAAAAAD9g/AzzrgJ4680g/w1298-h865-no/IMG_6910.JPG
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-aT_-UI6vWcs/UkwaRkcAE-I/AAAAAAAAD94/Wly8fZqOwok/w1298-h865-no/IMG_6912.JPG
Another home in the middle of freaking nowhere.
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-TYW8qS0VDSk/UkwNx5ufBEI/AAAAAAAAD9g/f-KLXW-wu5A/w1298-h865-no/IMG_6929.JPG
Visiting the Khustai National Park. These are wild horses. Apparently the only wild horses left in the world
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-c_lmqhaWTvo/UkwN66l8FwI/AAAAAAAAD9g/miwTX75eSso/w1298-h865-no/IMG_6954.JPG
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-tNUz-ebQ7uY/UkwN6fTSAwI/AAAAAAAAD9g/uAaBOAoFKJE/w1298-h865-no/IMG_6958.JPG
A Marmot(middle of pic)
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-rZPo5q0W12Y/UkwN7_cz_sI/AAAAAAAAD9g/Mbwb7pWYcsc/w1298-h865-no/IMG_6972.JPG
Day 4: Chinggis Khan Statue
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-h6luXRBu6wc/UkwOEVtlvcI/AAAAAAAAD9g/fbGgNeE6EPI/w1298-h865-no/IMG_6999.JPG
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-1RdPwU7IjiQ/UkwOJCvV0qI/AAAAAAAAD9g/AJVb7xwpziA/w1298-h865-no/IMG_7007.JPG
Biggest Shoe in the world
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-Fpkz8ql24cg/UkwOJwpFq_I/AAAAAAAAD9g/PdcUytytuDo/w577-h865-no/IMG_7003.JPG
The Terelj National Park
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-2HxAyZuPJlU/UkwOnhW3AGI/AAAAAAAAD9g/fV-R9GRq_fc/w1298-h865-no/IMG_7065.JPG
Yaks
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Lh_OXamdPlY/UkwOLzlH8hI/AAAAAAAAD9g/NMilg7YT2pQ/w1298-h865-no/IMG_7022.JPG
Turtle Rock at the Terelj National Park
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-JEY8P1jnrDQ/UkwOWRgvUEI/AAAAAAAAD9g/mD_NdOO61LY/w1298-h865-no/IMG_7035.JPG
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-FK1FhWYdFEM/UkwORrmAtUI/AAAAAAAAD9g/qRA9f5u214Y/w1298-h865-no/IMG_7036.JPG
A Buddhist temple at the Terelj National Park
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-FFvbtOcANkQ/UkwOjiUw_qI/AAAAAAAAD9g/eQzy5cJyEY4/w1298-h865-no/IMG_7041.JPG
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-F_e-QWdmRkg/UkwOSxptOtI/AAAAAAAAD9g/MwHHp3_FRI4/w1298-h865-no/IMG_7044.JPG
Click here to view the whole thread at www.sammyboy.com (http://sammyboy.com/showthread.php?164887-Char-brings-you-to-Mongolia&goto=newpost).
Next up on my travelogue is Mongolia. This came right after the trip to North Korea. I came across a tour to Mongolia in China so I joined the tour. Flew to Ulanbaator, the Mongolian capital, from Beijing. 4 day 3 night trip. Unfortunately due to flight delays we had to skip the city tour at Ulanbaator. The whole country makes me feel like I'm in Australia
This tour is very different from most other countries I've been to.
1)the Mongolians are mostly nomads so they do not have many spectacular ancient structures/sites to visit. The temples are pretty pathetic.
2)the country is vast with a very small population so interaction with locals is mostly kept to the guide and driver.
3)the places of interest are spread pretty far apart, the entire tour was half day car ride, visit to the site in the afternoon
4)the tour focus more on understanding the nomad way of life and visiting/interacting with them. In fact you can choose to stay with the families if you want to instead of in a Ger camp
5)the temperature variation is ridiculous. Midday temperature was around the low 20s, at night it drops to sub-zero temperatures
6)My favorite part is probably the fact that once outside the city, your nearest neighbor is probably 2-3km away at the very least!!!!
7)Phone signal is pretty intermittent outside the city, needless to say don't expect broadband internet at the Ger camps.
And for all the Chikopeis in here unlike my North Korean one, this one no chio bu. I hardly met any bu to begin with
Ulanbaator City
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-eql7F3m9oyY/UkwMoXgfLBI/AAAAAAAAD9g/_4DVGRapnGs/w1298-h865-no/IMG_6788.JPG
Day 2: Elsen Tasarkhai Sand Dunes
Mongolian Shaman Idol
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-R-zAjVv1gxI/UkwMr5FnUAI/AAAAAAAAD9g/HKLsN66h0YU/w577-h865-no/IMG_6800.JPG
They called this an Awar. Some form of long distance communication method
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-LYYDQWvX_RM/UkwMtKYR8LI/AAAAAAAAD9g/6bCpckEVRBY/w577-h865-no/IMG_6803.JPG
Even the towns and villages reminds me of Aussie towns
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-xTnbSqUQCP4/UkwMutQekkI/AAAAAAAAD9g/z0mH3I1K-AI/w1298-h865-no/IMG_6807.JPG
Once out of the city, grass plains as far as U can see and your next door neighbor is at least 1-2km away
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-0exHgRO-fbk/UkwMyKr3FRI/AAAAAAAAD9g/9FwXSy98WfA/w1298-h865-no/IMG_6808.JPG
A tourist Ger camp
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-xc8OP0SJRm0/UkwM2mWtLfI/AAAAAAAAD9g/h15tG16Y0YU/w1298-h865-no/IMG_6813.JPG
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-x_bhdW9w84Q/UkwM6kb64EI/AAAAAAAAD9g/mfkdPMpjUuI/w1298-h865-no/IMG_6818.JPG
This is what the inside of the tent looks like
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-WKlZVRwApMU/UkwM7rPbGEI/AAAAAAAAD9g/s3wje4cI3HE/w1298-h865-no/IMG_6816.JPG
The Restaurant
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-Y0WIrnoUKro/UkwM89gL88I/AAAAAAAAD9g/7sPHdDshHos/w1298-h865-no/IMG_6822.JPG
This is what Mongolians eat. I asked if it's normal for them to eat at home like this and they told me yes.
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-v6UZwyeBftA/UkwM_ObhTfI/AAAAAAAAD9g/OZZH33Gbwyo/w1298-h865-no/IMG_6827.JPG
A Buddhist Temple
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-fA8S-Gnfslk/UkwNHpxoKcI/AAAAAAAAD9g/DsY-76SV-CQ/w1298-h865-no/IMG_6836.JPG
The temple seems closer to the Tibetan style than ours
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-xYmQ45EqhvU/UkwNLypQPtI/AAAAAAAAD9g/MukyN0QMleo/w1298-h865-no/IMG_6840.JPG
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-ddjM9rUqLi8/UkwNOf90mCI/AAAAAAAAD9g/AHhsOzx7A7s/w1298-h865-no/IMG_6856.JPG
I have no clue who this guy is
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-LIERWO7aVZU/UkwNL3bxsiI/AAAAAAAAD9g/mBxvDMcqac0/w1298-h865-no/IMG_6845.JPG
Camel Ride into the Sand Dunes. 2 hump camels are unique to this part of the world
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-UEJmWDMNCY0/UkwNT1AXuKI/AAAAAAAAD9g/t7JotGYue5c/w1298-h865-no/IMG_6876.JPG
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-4UbtPbcHCK8/UkwNTsagYVI/AAAAAAAAD9g/ww6dfnvcR68/w1298-h865-no/IMG_6877.JPG
The Elsen Tasarkhai Sand Dunes
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Dea4gvURpmI/UkwNZ4hjaAI/AAAAAAAAD9g/QkPcGbQ-VxU/w1298-h865-no/IMG_6894.JPG
Inside the home of my Camel Guide
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-V6o81VDfifU/UkwNflUuGZI/AAAAAAAAD9g/9wXzFfwnqUo/w1298-h865-no/IMG_6904.JPG
Day 3: Visiting a family with Horses to see horse milking
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-1ytS5KWEoh4/UkwNucM_XvI/AAAAAAAAD9g/qnm05ovtr58/w1298-h865-no/IMG_6908.JPG
They first feed the fowl and pull him away shortly after than immediately start milking
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Qgw49jMLcd4/UkwNrrxmJqI/AAAAAAAAD9g/AzzrgJ4680g/w1298-h865-no/IMG_6910.JPG
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-aT_-UI6vWcs/UkwaRkcAE-I/AAAAAAAAD94/Wly8fZqOwok/w1298-h865-no/IMG_6912.JPG
Another home in the middle of freaking nowhere.
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-TYW8qS0VDSk/UkwNx5ufBEI/AAAAAAAAD9g/f-KLXW-wu5A/w1298-h865-no/IMG_6929.JPG
Visiting the Khustai National Park. These are wild horses. Apparently the only wild horses left in the world
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-c_lmqhaWTvo/UkwN66l8FwI/AAAAAAAAD9g/miwTX75eSso/w1298-h865-no/IMG_6954.JPG
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-tNUz-ebQ7uY/UkwN6fTSAwI/AAAAAAAAD9g/uAaBOAoFKJE/w1298-h865-no/IMG_6958.JPG
A Marmot(middle of pic)
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-rZPo5q0W12Y/UkwN7_cz_sI/AAAAAAAAD9g/Mbwb7pWYcsc/w1298-h865-no/IMG_6972.JPG
Day 4: Chinggis Khan Statue
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-h6luXRBu6wc/UkwOEVtlvcI/AAAAAAAAD9g/fbGgNeE6EPI/w1298-h865-no/IMG_6999.JPG
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-1RdPwU7IjiQ/UkwOJCvV0qI/AAAAAAAAD9g/AJVb7xwpziA/w1298-h865-no/IMG_7007.JPG
Biggest Shoe in the world
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-Fpkz8ql24cg/UkwOJwpFq_I/AAAAAAAAD9g/PdcUytytuDo/w577-h865-no/IMG_7003.JPG
The Terelj National Park
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-2HxAyZuPJlU/UkwOnhW3AGI/AAAAAAAAD9g/fV-R9GRq_fc/w1298-h865-no/IMG_7065.JPG
Yaks
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Lh_OXamdPlY/UkwOLzlH8hI/AAAAAAAAD9g/NMilg7YT2pQ/w1298-h865-no/IMG_7022.JPG
Turtle Rock at the Terelj National Park
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-JEY8P1jnrDQ/UkwOWRgvUEI/AAAAAAAAD9g/mD_NdOO61LY/w1298-h865-no/IMG_7035.JPG
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-FK1FhWYdFEM/UkwORrmAtUI/AAAAAAAAD9g/qRA9f5u214Y/w1298-h865-no/IMG_7036.JPG
A Buddhist temple at the Terelj National Park
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-FFvbtOcANkQ/UkwOjiUw_qI/AAAAAAAAD9g/eQzy5cJyEY4/w1298-h865-no/IMG_7041.JPG
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-F_e-QWdmRkg/UkwOSxptOtI/AAAAAAAAD9g/MwHHp3_FRI4/w1298-h865-no/IMG_7044.JPG
Click here to view the whole thread at www.sammyboy.com (http://sammyboy.com/showthread.php?164887-Char-brings-you-to-Mongolia&goto=newpost).