Last night I picked my dad up from the airport. At 1:30am. Quite inconvenient, but totally worth it. My friend from work drove me to the airport and we timed it quite nicely – we arrived as he was getting off the plane. He was pooped, so we came home and went to bed.
Above: my dad in front of Chinggis at Sukhbaatar Square
Dad brought with him spoils from Australia. Granted I sent a list of desirables, but ALL my wishes came true. Above: a care package to trump all care packages. 1kg of Allens Retro Party mix; 2 packets of Cherry Ripes; thongs; cold and flu tablets; muesli bars; spices; a BIG jar of vegemite (omitted from the photo as it was already in the kitchen); vitamin E tablets; a BIG Cherry Ripe; a BIG Turkish Delight; sour worms and some amazing ‘Australia’ lollies.
My list was long and I thought it through a lot before I sent it, but I forgot the all-important potato peerler. My mum’s a pretty big potato eater and highly values a decent potato peeler. This peeler has been a part of our family for at leat 8 years I reckon and it’s still going strong. And strong it will stay – in Mongolia! Don’t worry mum, it’ll go to good use and I’ll bring it home safely. If Mongolians ate things OTHER than mutton and potatoes, I wouldn’t need a peeler.
I also got a pretty dress – which made me so happy. One of my favourites (okay, they’re all my favourites. But this one’s cute). And a jacket, a skirt, and my favourites – some new shirts. The right size, totally the right colour (only my mum would know what colour and style I want without asking)….. To be honest, it feels better than Christmas and it’s all a little overwhelming as we’re in SUCH a hurry to organise our camping trip and then the next camping trip after that and then the Russia trip after that………. I don’t get time to sit and play with my new stuff. I’ll put it in a pile and do that when I get back.
Above: A magazine fix, some delicious nut and LOT of home made beef jerky.
Dad had a sleep in this morning and I had great intentions. I was going to get to work, do a most-of-all-day day of work and then organise our trip to Russia and then grab the stuff we needed for camping and blah blah it didn’t happen. By the time I walked to the shops to get some bread and milk for dad, it was 10:30am (remembering bed time was around 2am the previous night). Then we had to have some coffee and went for a wander to the travel agent. In typical Mong style, the agent wasn’t particularly friendly but we were told to come back to talk to someone else later in the day. So dad and I went shopping for a little gas stove and other things. We ended up with a rich pile of spoils and helped an Israeli backpacker to boot. Dad got a new SUPER warm jacket from North Face or something like that. I got a spray jacket (in blue and pink – what more could you want), and two of those cool inflatable foam mattress things to take camping. We also ended up with a saucepan set that folds up all small, two little stools, a solar hot water shower and a torch/lamp.
Wandering around that much made us sleepy. I went back to the travel agent to see what could be done. I was super apprehensive – I mean, what’s a travel agent that you’ve already given one shot got to give you when you know the owner is Russian and the manager is Mongolian who speaks Russian. I don’t have anything against Russians, but usually the few that stayed behind post-Soviet era are a bit spiteful and resentful. This lady gave me the impression she was a little, maybe because I was in her waiting room sucking on an ice block (it was hot today!).
Qualms aside, after a bit of joking and sucking up, her true colours shone and she is great! She helped me SO much. Turns out you can get $45 bus ticket to Lake Baikal. No shit. You leave at 7:30am and arrive in the evening. The bus is comfortable apparently. It’s quicker and cheaper than the train. And you get to see the countryside. I’m sure my bum will get sore, but too bad. It’ll learn to get over it.
We’re getting accommodation for around $45/night. We’ll be going to Ulan Ude for a couple of nights and then catching the train to Irkutsk. From there we will take the CircumBaikal railway (Google it, you’ll be jealous) and also go across to Olkhon Island and stay a few nights. I get to go to the Limnological Museum (I’ll tell you what it means once I’ve been but it has rocks so I’m excited).
Lake Baikal is the oldest and deepest Lake in the world. 80% of the species in/around the Lake Baikal are endemic. I’m pretty excited. Hells yeah!!!!
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