We arrive in Mongolia this morning with me not knowing what to expect as we are now using another local operator, this has actually been due to my feedback from last year. Our transfer and guide Otgon is waiting for us and takes us to the hotel to store our luggage, then to the bank to get some money and then to café Amsterdam for an amazing breakfast. She is already in my good books.

After breakfast she takes us out on the city tour, visiting all the same sights as last year except including the Summer Palace which I had never seen before. The Summer Palace home of the old Mongolia Emperors is a bit run down, and clearly not looked after at all. Despite this they want to charge you to take photos. After the city tour we are taken back to the hotel to check in, where the guide has allocated everyone in the wrong rooms, that I now have to fix before the passengers realise. This takes me five minutes so I'm not too worried.

I ask the guide to tell the passengers about the plan for tomorrow. After she is finished I need to ask questions in front of the group to gain more information. What time are we leaving? How much is the horse riding? When will they have the visit with the local family?

I set a time for dinner and let the passengers go for some free time, I of course have to answer all my new emails from the office before meeting some of the group in reception to take them to the Mongolian BBQ place. I'm glad of this as my room smells so strongly of smoke I feel as if I'm going to get lung cancer just by sitting in it. Ben and Vicki are down stairs and on time, I give the group a few more minutes and resolve that the rest of them will find us at the restaurant which I have marked on their maps.

On the way out I run into the old guys who ask me to wait for them to drop off their shopping, one is the cantankerous old twit, who has caused trouble on the train. I agree and they take ages and consequentially we are late to the restaurant where we actually meet the rest of the group.

I have ordered a cake for Vicki and Bob who have both had birthdays on the tour and the wait staff turn all the lights out and bring the cake singling happy birthday. I think everyone has enjoyed the restaurant and I walk everyone back to the hotel to get some sleep for the Ger camp experience tomorrow.