Day 1
Transiting from Beijing to Ulaanbaator, I suddenly felt perplexing as the trip was arrange by myself through the net with the local tour operator and many issues were still pending. Upon clearing the immigration at the Chinggis Khaan International Airport, we were expecting someone holding our name in a card board or whatsoever but no one was there for us when all passengers were slowly cleared. I retained my composure and assured myself that its normal in Mongolia while praying hard that someone turn up. A man in his fifties make a eye contact with us and before I would lift my spirits, I realize that he was a taxi driver through his hand sign.
Almost 10-15 minutes later, a young man in his twenties approached us and it was the tour guy that I liaise with, Phew! OK we were on our way to the Hotel. En route to the hotel , my first impression of Mongolia was it had dusty air, dirty roads, not very efficient people and chaotic but stupendous landscape.We arrive at the hotel and it was a 3 Mongolian star hotel, nothing much to mention in fact a bit disappointed as we book the luxury package. Lunch was at a Mongolian restaurant, I would say that most of the meal was superb especially the salad, perhaps the best I had?? The thought of it made me drool....We visited the Museum witnessing those ancient martyrdom tools use for torturing, the Mongol sabre and their light weighted Composite Bow etc the Mongol warrior once used. We were suppose to have a Mongolian welcome feast which we trade for a good nap after a tiring 12 hours of flight n transit. Dinner was Mongolian barbecue in a pretty upscale restaurant for the local standard. The rest of the night was free and easy for us to prepare for an early flight to Gobi desert.
