Welcome to Mongolia

I have a few excuses for not blogging since entering Mongolia, all of them lame.
-I was sick (but nothing too serious).
-I've been busy (eating at restaurants and washing my laundry).
-I've been avoiding technology to become one with the people of Ulaan Battar(who all have cell phones, and know how to use Skype, and are constantly texting friends around the world).

Actually, I just hadn't made up my mind about what I think of the country, perhaps becuase we haven't had that many experiences outside the capital city.
Originally we had planned to head west across Mongolia. We'd heard about it's beauty, it's nomadic people and it's peaceful isolation.
Untouched! Pristine! An Amazing Adventure!
We looked forward to extreme remoteness and finally a flight to Kazakhstan.
Applications were made for a Kazakh Visa.
Then we realized something important.
The country has little to no infrastructure.
Main roads are actually jeep tracks.
Cities are actually population centers where more than 100 people live in close proximity.
Suddenly I understood why Western Mongolia is so remote and why it's people are nomadic.

So....
We debated our options.
Tried to assemble a group of travelers to bring down the cost of a private jeep, a driver, a guide, food.
We thought long and hard about riding local transport, minibuses that seat 12 but usually pack in about twice that and ride 3 days STRAIGHT across the country.
Then, we discovered something else.
The flights were iffy...once or twice a week.
The cost would be high and nothing was guaranteed.
Plans changed. More debate as to the the direction we should head.
Back to China? Take the risk and head West?
Russia?
Russia??!
Yes! Russia!

So....
All this has taken us time, and more time.
We've been stuck in UB for more than a week and have seen little of the gorgeous countryside that everyone has raved about to us.
We are fairly sick of the capital.
It is dusty.
People here simply cannot drive. It's almost as if they want to hit you.
Mutton is a serious part of our diet.
Mutton dumplings. Mutton Pancakes. Mutton Soup. Mutton Gulash.
Some people are wonderful. Gracious. Our guest house family is fantastic and we are thankful for that small oasis.
However, we are tired of being ripped off by various other people.
The train ticket lady.
The pizza parlor woman.
The internet officiant.

Today our plans are set.
We have tickets out of the country.
Visas are set or being settled.
Routes have been routed.
Advice has been sought and taken to heart.
And also today we heading for the countryside.
We think we will be pleased by the people and the view. We hope so.
Mongolia has to be more than what we have see...otherwise we might be disappointed.
We aren't dissapointed yet. We hope we don't have to be.
We'll let you know.

Martine

Beijing Underground