I decided to give this stupid blog thing a try again.

I finally arrived in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia after 24hrs of transit. Bangkok to hong kong, wait 5 hours, fly to Beijing, wait a few more hours then fly to Mongolia.

I arrived very early in a small airport with only a few airports and a rickety old luggage carrousel. Luckily the guesthouse had arranged to have a driver pick me up at 4am in the morning. As we are walking to his vehicle, I take one step outside the airport doors, and then it hits me. A beautiful, cool breeze, as crisp and clean as the mountains back home in Canada. It was the first, truly clean air I have let through my nose since I left home. Compared to the dirty, muggy, polluted sewage smell I grew accustomed to in south east Asia for the last few months.

Blocks and blocks of apartment buildings still being erected lined the road towards the guesthouse. We arrive in the centre of the city just off the main street at the guesthouse called "khogor" all the apartment buildings in Ulaanbaatar, are very old and remind you of a Russian style ghetto. Inside isn't much better, basic and comfortable, it is apparently a nicer place to stay right in the centre for under 10$usd a night. I ended up crashing for a few hours before going off and exploring the town considering I haven't slept in over 24hrs.

I wondered into town, there really isn't much in Ulaanbaatar. Lots of traffic and old Russian style architecture buildings.
Everything is in "modern Mongol" which looks exactly like Russian writing. A few places have some English menus and signs. But generally not many people speak English. I learned that traffic, doesn't stop for you as they did in south east Asia. They will run you over If your in a cross walk and in their way even if the wall sign is on.

The city square seems to be the local gathering point for locals and tourists to hang out and enjoy the sun.