Irkutsk to Yekaterinburg

In a couple of hours I'll board a train for over two days to get from Irkutsk to Yekaterinburg. I've given myself 15 minutes to write this post from a posh English Pub in Irkutsk that reeled me in with a wifi sticker on the entry door.

It's kind of a funny pub. Of course everyone is Russian. A little broken English is spoken as it's attached to a hotel. The decor is pretty well done in English fashion but all of the cute young waitresses are wearing Socttish Tartan dresses. I don't think I've ever seen that in England and I been to a lot of pubs. However, it kind of works with the contemporary spanish music in the background.

I ordered a pint of the cheapest beer on the menu. I was going to order a small glass because all I really wanted was a wifi connection but the bar tender, in a cool way with comment, "large glass?", gave me the message, at the very least, I had to order a pint. Fair enough.

Olkhon Island was great and the mini van ride back, with a load of lake fish on top, went quickly. We made a brief stop for lunch and I was happy to be able to engage in the point and shoot method of odering from a cooler window. Russia is tough when you don't know the language and the Russian alphabet doesn't help.

Well, I better run by a shop and pick up some food for the train and double check to make sure I've got Moscow time right. All of the train tickets in Russia are done in Moscow time. From where I am now there's a five hour difference. Where I arrive there's only be a two hour difference. And that's the easy part of the ticket.

Lake Baikal - Olkhon Island - Siberia, Russia

Until embarking on the Trans Siberian I had never heard of Lake Baikal. It's the world’s deepest lake at 1,637 meters deep and 636 kilometers long. It’s said to contain almost one fifth of the worlds unfrozen water. With more water than the Great Lakes combined it’s like a sea within Siberia.

I had a nice day on the train ride from Ulan Ude to Irkutsk and arrived in the evening as a thunderstorm began to clear. I then walked a mile or so to a hostel and checked into a 7 bed dorm situated in an old Soviet flat. It’s a homey place with lots of room and a good sized kitchen. I shared it with five French travelers coming the other direction on the Trans Siberian railway.

The next morning I walked another mile or so to the bus station and caught a mini bus to another place I had never heard of, Olkhon Island. The island is situated on Lake Baikal and is known not only for its marvelous scenery but as a spiritual place steeped in old world Shamanic history. It’s a region still inhabited by Buryat people who are closely related to those of Mongolia. There’s a rustic village of 1500 people that’s geared towards accommodating summer visitors seeking a quiet place to relax. For me I figured three nights in village of Khuzhir would be perfect before my next leg on the Trans Siberian which will be over 2 days in length.

I left Irkutsk in a packed van of 14 people. It was a mix of 3 young Buryat males, a few older people amidst young and two women in their late twenties with a penchant for style that’s uniquely Russian and fashion oriented. After a couple of hours in the cramped van the driver and person sitting in front, who appeared to be his friend, made a quick stop for cigarettes and something to drink without giving us passengers a moment of thought to allow for a bathroom break. A few kilometers after the quick stop an old man on board began to angrily complain about what I assumed was the inconsiderate behavior of the driver. The driver quickly pulled over and everyone got out to relieve themselves wherever they seemed fit. An old lady hobbled into the woods for privacy.

The road deteriorates as you approach the ferry on Lake Baikal for Olkhon and once on the Island it’s a bumpy wash boarded road to the sandy road village of Khuzhir located roughly halfway up the western shore. There's not an ounce of pavement anywhere on the Island. The island itself is a mix of forest and broad wide open hills with plenty of lake views from most any open area.

Upon arrival the van made its rounds dropping people off at various places offering accommodation. I hadn’t booked ahead as I knew it wouldn’t be a problem finding a place. The problem though is everything is in Russian and hardly anyone speaks English. I decided to start where most every non Russian speaking backpacker goes and that’s Nakitas.

Nakitas is kind of a village within the village. It offers accommodation with full board, English speaking staff, and a number of facilities on premises including bar, restaurant, dining hall etc. The price is reasonable by western standards and an obvious choice for those seeking easy. I decided to try it for one night just to get situated but I wanted to see the rooms first. I was quoted a price and took a look around.

The first thing I noticed was how packed it was with foreign backpackers and it lacked an authentic feel. Something about the place didn’t hit me right. However, the rooms looked ok so I thought I’d give it a go anyway. When I went to check in there had been a mix up with the original quoted price and I was going to have to pay a little more for something extra that I didn’t see as extra at all. I nicely told the lady at check in that I’d prefer to look around town a little more but might come back. She came across quite rudely by saying, “Fine, Whatever”. I was instantly turned off and hit the sandy streets a walking.

The option to camp was a real option but I kind of wanted some interaction and a little Russian culture. I settled on a family run summer establishment with simple small cabins and very basic but adequate facilities. Along with a good feeling about the place I was enthusiastically greeted by Dmitri, a man in his twenties who has a talent for speaking English and a desire to do so. With a thick Russian accent he acted as interpreter between myself and the property manager. I settled on 3 nights with 3 dinners and got a little better price for the package than I would have at Nakitas.

The village of Khuzhir is very rustic and basic. The streets are lined with old charming wood built structures surrounded by unattractive wooden fences. Cows and large stray dogs roam freely. It doesn’t make for a particularly good first impression but after a walking around a bit and strolling down to the lake shore the place has a nice appeal that quickly grows on you.

Khuzhir is very quiet and sometimes it seems like there’s hardly anyone around until a Russian built 4wd van zips buy whipping up a dust cloud. Main Street is very wide. Nondescript bars and shops line the way. It’s somewhat like Mongolia but it’s obviously European. I was reminded of this when I saw two attractive Russian women dressed to the hilt navigating soft sand in high heels as a vehicle passed turning the air into a dusty airbrush sort of hue. The contrast was heightened by the woman’s purple seductively cut dress. It was kind of surreal. After all, this isn’t Manhattan. It’s Olkhan Island in Siberia. Wish I’d had my camera on me.

My first evening was spent drinking beer and talking to Dmitri after stuffing myself with home cooked traditional Russian fare prepared by Olga. Around 11 o’clock I called it a night but found out that I missed out the next day as vodka and beer flowed freely until 5 am. Dmitri explained to me how Russians love to sit next to Lake Baikal and just drink. This is especially true on a Saturday night.

The following night, Sunday, I was feeling a little more chipper so I met up with an Australian couple who I have be bumping into since China. They raved about Saturday night. We went to the bar that they were at the night before but naturally, being Sunday, it was more quiet. In the corner sat a middle aged couple, Alexi and Helen, who were just finishing off a bottle of Vodka. They invited us to join them but didn’t speak but a couple of words of English. Obviously sauced but super friendly and full of smiles they enthusiastically engaged us in conversation. All in Russian off course except for the odd English word thrown in just enough to give us a clue as to what we were talking about.

In the course of 2 hours we talked about politics and life, drank vodka, shook hands numerous times, drank beer, took pictures of each other, and got invited to stay with them in Irkutsk. Alexi asked me my name about 50 times as his cute red headed wife or friend giggled like school girl. They were an especially warm and friendly couple but I must admit it was a bit of a workout. It’s frustrating when you can’t clearly communicate but I really appreciated their hospitality.

I had heard about how you can get drawn into these sort of things in Russia and how hard it can be to resist. In the end though I thought it was pretty cool. So far I get the impression that Russians generally come off kind of rough and hard on the outside but sit down and throw back a shot of vodka and you’re liable to experience some of the friendliest and most hospitable people anywhere.

Olkhon is a big island and there are plenty of things to do for the outdoor enthusiast. Most people take advantage of an excursion or fishing trip but I’ve decided to just hang around the village and lake shore. There’s plenty of hiking and mountain biking but it’s also especially good for running. Since Mongolia I’ve been working in a run whenever I can. Olkhon is especially good for running with numerous lightly worn 4wd paths and trails going all over the place. Today I ran for an hour on trails to the summit of a hilltop peak that afforded awesome views of Khuzhir village and the lake.

For now I’ll enjoy the rest of my time here. There are a couple of nearby beaches and today I might brave a quick breath taking dip. Apparently if you jump in the lake three consecutive times it has some kind of mystical healing power.

Self Absorbed On The Road

For me life is a constant learning process that never ends. I’ll often reflect, contemplate, and even over analyze various personal issues that I feel need attention. I try to look at myself as accurately as I can but we all see ourselves differently than others see us to some degree.

When I travel I meet and interact with a large variety of people amongst a myriad of personality types from all over the world. This causes me to reflect more about my place in society and how I relate to others. Most encounters are brief with quick introductions and friendly exchanges of stories and information. Sometimes times you find yourself randomly meeting up with the same people from time to time at various locations and faces become more familiar. On occasion you might even travel with one another for a few days or longer which provides more of an opportunity to actually get to know one another.

Occasionally I’ll find myself traveling with someone for a period of time but it’s very different from traveling with someone I know or am committed to traveling with. First of all, solo travelers tend to be really into doing their own thing. It’s pretty much a given rule that at most any point one or the other can say, “See you later, I want to do something else”, and that’s totally fine. It creates a different kind of dynamic. Often times people are likely to talk and treat each other differently than they would someone they’ve known for awhile. In this way people tend to be bit more real and to the point. If you’re a little clued in it can be a good opportunity to get a more accurate impression of how others see and/or react to you. This all goes without saying that the way we are is often a complex result of things that happen to us throughout our life but that’s beside the point.

While traveling in Mongolia I was fortunate to meet up with 3 others to combine resources for a 9 nine trip into the Mongolian wilds. Simon took the lead at planning while Gary and Sinead fueled the enthusiasm with ideas. For me it was all good so I was content with whatever and just considered myself along for the ride which was perfectly fine in my eyes.

On the second night we chose to camp along a river. I voiced my only concern, mosquitoes, but there were few if any so I was totally fine with the site we chose. I then got on with my own business of setting up camp and took little interest in joining Gary for collecting firewood. I had a headache and couldn’t be bothered but got an arm full anyway and went back to taking care of myself. After all, I’m generally not much of a campfire person. Such was my attitude.

As I went about my business Simon asked if I’d go get another load of wood. I dismissed the request as I was busy getting myself situated. This resulted in Simon angrily firing off on me in blunt British fashion about how I was not being a part of the team, etc. Although he didn’t have to be so frank he did have a point so I gathered another load of wood. That evening I must admit, I enjoyed the campfire. And forgot about the incident.
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A few days later I was once again tending to myself and going about getting ready to leave in the morning. I dug through the group food because I knew I wanted oatmeal and just wanted to boil up a single serving, real quick, in my own pot. After all, I wanted to make it fast and easy. No problem. I even asked everyone if that was ok. Gary and Sinead didn’t seem to care but once again Simon fired off in blunt British fashion but this time less harsh and with more explanation. I was a little taken aback but Simon did have a point. I wasn’t functioning in team mode. I took a pause. Instead, I boiled up a large pot for everyone and wondered why I hadn’t thought of that in the first place? Was I really that self absorbed?

Sometimes when we hear what we need to hear and actually listen, it doesn’t feel good. However, often times we make the most positive changes by listening to and assimilating constructive criticism with No excuses and No blame. Excuses and blame are often ways to deny and dismiss responsibility.

The fact is that over the past four years my life has been intensively self oriented. I work for myself, I travel for myself (but hopefully inspire others in some way), and skate along the fringe of interaction amidst infrequent social gatherings. I have many acquaintances but few close friends and I haven’t dated anyone in the time that’s passed. I’ve done a very good job of looking out for myself and do feel blessed that I enjoy my own company but obviously things are a little out of balance. Simon delivered a message and I began to wonder in what other ways I might not be a team player amidst the field of life.

Like I’ve said in a previous post everyone is wired differently and each one of us is meant to fulfill their role in life in their own unique fashion. However, I don’t really believe life is meant to be lived entirely for oneself. I’m very good at living for myself but at the same time it leaves me wondering what my real purpose is. This riddle remains. I don’t see myself volunteering for the Peace Corps, working in disaster torn areas, living in Third World mayhem, embracing human rights issues, joining a mission group, or simply teaching English. As a world traveler these are the obvious choices but I don’t feel drawn to any. It’s very common for many travelers to engage themselves at some point or another in these causes but for me it’s different and I don’t know why.

The one thing I do know is this. Although I may be self absorbed at times I’m not selfish and entirely mean well. I may give the impression of being lazy on occasion but anyone who knows me knows I’m not the least bit lazy. I’m driven in an easy going fashion and am always motivated to do something. Perhaps I just need to shift my thinking towards finding a role within a team upon the stage of life.

Onward To Russia - Trans Siberian

I departed by train from Ulaanbaatar for Russian Siberia early in the afternoon on Tuesday. In the middle of the night we reached the Mongolian border. Everyone cleared customs and immigration within an hour and we proceeded across to what my cabin mate called “Raa-see-a”.

I was booked on a 2nd class ticket with a comfortable cabin containing four berths with a table and large picture window. There were just two of us sharing the cabin. My company was an older rough around the edges stout Russian man with a large belly. His face and hands showed wear and strain that can only be attained through a life of hard labor, stress, and smoking. At first he came across a little intimidating and I feared he might be a one of the dreaded vodka drinkers I’ve heard about but with a couple of pleasant exchanges, through my Russian phrase book, he warmed right up. I quickly took a liking to him. I speak no Russian and he spoke no English but it was clear he had my best interest at heart.

When we stopped at the Russian border the first person to board was a stone faced 30 something military guy who went through the carriage banging around and looking for illegal immigrants and stowaways. After that we proceeded a little further and a mix of official looking people boarded for immigration and customs. I handed over my passport to a serious looking woman and hoped there wouldn’t be any problems. I wasn’t sure if I had filled out the entry card properly and had scribbled out a mistake or two. I tried to get another form to redo a new card before arrival but the Provodnista (woman who manages the carriage) couldn’t be bothered with my request and seemed quite perturbed I would even ask. Oh well, I knew my Visa was straight.

As I was waiting to get my passport back I heard the heavy breathing of what I was sure was some kind of large drug dog. Yes, it was a drug dog but I was surprised to see a small and friendly border collie type of canine. I continued to wait and dozed off.

I was awoken by my cabin mate and very happy to get my passport back with the proper entry stamp and all. No problems. In the end it took almost 4 hours to clear Russian immigration and customs due to old Soviet beauracracy that still hangs on.

I arrived in Ulan-Ude around 7:30 in the morning exhausted from overnight border crossing. I then found my way to the only hostel in Ulan Ude and checked myself into a comfortable dorm room with 8 beds. I don’t much care for dorms but Russia, for whatever reason, is very expensive so its time to get use to hostel dorms again.

Upon arriving in Ulan Ude I completed the Trans Mongolian railway and am now on the Trans Siberian rail line. I had debated booking tickets in advance through an agent but in doing so I would have paid twice as much. I therefore decided to throw caution to the wind and just book along the way. It’s generally not a problem but it can be a big hassle.

When I checked into the hostel I was greeted by the very helpful owner, Denis, who is Siberian Buryat but speaks excellent English and English is very rare in this part of the world. I requested his help on buying my next ticket. He offered to help me get it sorted online. It’s very difficult for a non Russian to navigate the ticketing site so I hadn’t even considered giving it a try. Oh, and I didn’t even had an itinerary.

Denis browsed the site and with the advice of an enthusiastic Neapolitan Italian guest, who had taking the train the other direction, I worked out an itinerary. It took all morning but by 1 pm and a call to my credit card fraud department, to pull the block off my card after the first purchase, I had all of my tickets worked out. Wow! It all came together so easily. I couldn’t have made a better decision to stop in Ulan Ude. With remarkable ease the stage is set for a train ride all the way to Moscow and beyond to Latvia.

Between Ulan-Ude and Moscow I’ll make three stops. The stops will include Irkutsk to visit the world’s deepest lake, Yekaterinburg to see a fine Russian city, and Vladimir to visit a nearby village full of old world charm. I’ll then press on to Moscow for a brief stop to visit Red Square and Lenin’s mausoleum before rushing to Latvia before my Visa runs out.

So far my first stop in Russia has been great. Ulan-Ude is a pleasant small city and said to be the perfect transition stop between Russia and Mongolia. The difference between countries is dramatic but there’s still an element of Mongolian Buyrat culture in this part of Siberia. The hostel is very comfortable and it’s really quite nice exchanging info with other travelers. Also, I can cook my own food. Most people travel the Trans Siberian from Moscow to Beijing so making stops at hostels on the way to Moscow is a great way to get current info. The dorm is much more comfortable than expected and last night I slept great. Tomorrow I’ll move on to my next stop, Irkutsk.

Nine Days In The Mongolian Wilds

I’m now back in Ulaanbaatar after nine amazing days bouncing around the Mongolian countryside in a 4 wheel drive Russian made van. The group of 5 included myself, a Mongolian driver who spoke just enough English for Comfort, a straight shooting Brit, and an Irish couple who constantly expressed their love for one another through witty affectionate praises and insults.

Our driver, Agee, proved to be a fine man as he skillfully navigated highways more accurately categorized as four wheel drive roads. Pavement is rare, signs rarer, and a road map more or less useless unless you’re Mongolian or have a keen sixth sense.

Two weeks is far too little time for Mongolia. I could easily spend two to three months roaming about the country. Nonetheless, I think I made good use of my time as I happened on a Shamanic ritual, glimpsed a wolf, rode a horse, soaked in a hot spring, hiked a volcano, slept in a Ger, and ate Mutton, Cow and Yak while contemplating an environment that made me think of what the American West might have been like over a hundred years ago.

Thousands of sparsely populated square miles amidst a vast open land of mountains and hills with nomads and livestock sprinkled about provide the backdrop for a lost in time way of life. Gers (yurts), a round canvas tent with sheep’s wool insulation, stove pipe shooting up through the roof middle, and no windows are the preferred shelter of choice. A horse is still your most valued possession and traditional style clothing the norm.

Things have changed little for those living in the wilds of Mongolia. Wilds meaning pretty much the entire country outside of a few cities. The towns are rugged and rough. A hitching post is still a necessity for dirt road simple wood built communities as a horse is the only, if not preferred, transportation for many.

I met Simon, from England, while in Chengdu, China. I met Irish Gary and Sinead in Beijing on the way to catch the train to Mongolia. I hadn’t seen Simon since Chengdu but he just happened to get on the train in the middle of the night at the Mongolia China boarder. Upon arrival in Ulaanbaatar we converged with the same idea in mind. Hire a driver directly to avoid a tour company expense and come up with our own plan. Simon, Gary, and Sinead wanted to be dropped off at Hovsgal Lake after 7 days to trek for a couple of weeks and visit people who raise and ride Reindeer. Within a quick two days, as hoped, we set things up and bought camping supplies. We found our driver with vehicle through the owner of the guest house that I stayed at. It’s amazing how easily these things come together when traveling. We are all seasoned travelers which made quick planning all the more easier.

I considered abandoning my plans for the Trans Siberian railway at the opportunity to spend more time in Mongolia but chose to stick to my original plan and returned to Ulaanbaatar after nine days. Tomorrow I’ll board a train to Russia but for now here are some photos. More stories to follow. I would have posted sooner but believe it or not internet still doesn't exist in some parts of the world.

Into Mongolia

Just a quick post as I wrap things up to head into the wilds of Mongolia. Tomorrow morning I'll embark on a nine day journey in the company of 3 others. I met Gary and Sinead, an Irish couple, on the subway in Beijing to catch the train to Mongolia. They were headed to Mongolia as well. I met an Englishan by the name of Simon, also known as "Sketch", while in Chengdu, China. He just happened to hop the train to Mongolia in the middle of the night at the China Mongolia boarder the same time I was on the train. I met him again the following morning. These kind of things happen on the backpacker trail. After arriving in Ullanbataar we all reconnected with similar ideas on what we wanted to do so we hired a Mongolian driver and his cool Russian built 4wd van to take us on a journey into the heart of the country.

Actually, the story of how we all came together is kind of funny. When your in the flow and traveling things have an interesting way of working out. After this nine day trip I'll return to Ullanbatar and start to make my way across Russia. I figure from now until Poland I'll be on adventure travel mode and don't expect things to be particularly easy but this is when travel can be the most rewarding. I'm not sure what internet access if any will be available but I'll keep posting as opportunity allows.

Images From Beijing

Along with my closing post on China I'd like to include some images I took while spending time in Beijing. This is a collection of photos I like for one reason or another.

China - What Do I Think? Closing Thoughts

So, how did I like China? What do I think of it? Needless to say China is a very interesting place full of history and culture but at times I had mixed feelings about the Chinese people and my experiences within the country.

I spent a lot of time in the countryside and western portions of Yunnan and Sichuan provinces. There is an enormous difference between rural life and city life in China. In the countryside people are very poor and struggle daily within unrelenting third world conditions. In most cities China is well on the way, if not already on par, with Europe and the west. It’s a huge contrast. The fact is that as much as China is changing there are still millions upon millions just working to survive.

The minority and Tibetan people of China were by far my favorite in China. The Tibetans in particular live a very poor life but Buddhism is a big component of their culture. I think this translates into a peace and happiness so many of them appear to display. For the most part I found the Han Chinese to be not particularly friendly and indifferent towards foreigners. Pushing, shoving, cutting in lines, smoking, hacking and spitting were the banes of China for me. Often times I felt ignored or even invisible but the upside is that usually hassle and touts were not much of an issue. Don’t get me wrong. I met plenty of nice Chinese people and not being able to speak the language is always going to create a distance but more than anything I don’t think Han Chinese are particularly happy people.

By time I reached Beijing I was really kind of tired of the Chinese but ten days in the city really improved my opinion. I met plenty of nice people as everyone appeared to be little more happy. I attribute it to the hope that comes with all of the exciting changes taking forth in what I refer to as the New China.

China certainly controls a lot of information and wants people to behave and think in a certain way. However, the China of today is much different than ten years ago and its changing rapidly as it sorts out its own kind of democracy under a socialistic blanket.

For a long time I think China has been a nation of one mind and you can really see it in a lot of the people. It’s almost as if they have blinders on by thinking one way and going one direction with a worker bee mentality. This may be true to the old China but the new China is starting to think for itself.

China gets a lot of flak for controlling information but at the same time it’s allowing huge changes to happen. In a way I can understand why China is so controlling. There are 1.3 billion people. If change happens too quickly and is not well thought out it could be disastrous for the nation and its people. It’s a country where concepts such as consumerism, tourism, and democratic ideas are being introduced for the first time to a people who have never had the option or even a say on the subject. I think it’s a very tricky riddle that China has to delicately navigate. As an American it’s easy to rally for overnight total freedom and democracy complete with free speech and all but America is a culture that’s had it for well over 200 years.

American and Chinese culture is very different. Some may say that China will surpass America and the west. This may be true to a point considering America owes China a ton money and everything in America is made in China but in my opinion the Chinese are not nearly as innovative as Americans. Chinese tend to think too much inside the box. It’s more or less a culture of people doing and thinking along a narrow line. Chinese are the masters of copying, following rules, and working hard but I don’t really see them coming up with a lot of cutting edge products, ideas, or concepts. Not yet at least.

All said, I was impressed on how much China is and has been putting into infrastructure. Even in the poor rural areas amazing new roads are being built as I write. Although I travel without a cell phone I was amazed at how available cellular communications are throughout all of the country. China definitely has a master plan and there are plenty of smart hard working Chinese to make it happen.

It has been said that China is greatly misunderstood by the west and I think that is a fair statement. I can’t say it’s my favorite country or my favorite culture but after two months it definitely began to grow on me as I started to see and understand a little better how the people think and how the country works.

The dark side of China is within the complexities of introducing free enterprise into the Chinese system. The doors are wide open for corruption and exploitation of workers. Dissidents are silenced and people still have to be careful about crossing the line. Other than the great divide between rural life and city life I can’t say I was exposed to much of the dark side of China. I’m sure it exists as it’s a topic of much discussion abroad. With China trading greater sums of product and money corruption is bound to be at an all time high. This is one area where I hope the New China can pull in the reigns otherwise it could ultimately create huge problems for the master plan. At some point justice and fairness have to prevail with a healthy amount of freedom.

It will be interesting to see how China progresses. As an American I see China as a good ally but one we need to be careful with. I say careful in the sense that we need to respect their culture and need to approach problems differently than we do in the west. We need to be very mindful and not too judgmental but at the same time we need to be strong and firm when it comes to political freedoms and fair trade. It’s a delicate balance but I see no reason why China and the West can’t have good positive relations here on out.

In the end I am very happy to have taken the time to get to know a country and culture that plays such a big role in the world we live in today. I’m not sure when I’ll return to China but I’m sure I will someday. I wish China and its people all the best as it roars into the 21st century.

Images From The Trans Mongolian Railway

Here are some images of my trip on the Trans Mogolian Railway between Beijing and Ullanbataar. The photos include a stop where the wheels were changed and wild camles roaming the Gobi Desert.

Trans Mongolian Railway

June 7…… Notes from the train as I rolled towards Mongolia

My time Beijing really flew. I spent 10 days in the city and kept plenty busy walking all over and seeing the sights. The last two days I spent with Jenny roaming around the followed by dinner and beers. Other than when I first arrived we only had a chance to meet for one evening before my last two days. Fortunately my last day in Beijing included a Monday with the Dragon Boat National Holiday so Jenny did not have to work. Jenny proved to be great company, an excellent host, and a good friend. I sure we will keep in touch. She’s a traveler as well so I’m certain our paths will cross again.

This morning I boarded Trans Mongolian Train Number 23 a little after 7am at the main Beijing Train Station. I’m now about 9 hours into a 30 hour journey to Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. The train is an express with only 8 stops along the way. The lengthiest stop is right at the Chinese border where everyone gets off to go through immigration and customs while the wheels are changed. The rail gauge changes at the Mongolian border.

I’m hoping the border crossing goes smoothly. I’m a little bit of an oddity. For China I’m traveling on a 60 day multiple entry visa while most everyone else travels on a 30 day single entry. I stayed nearly 60 days but have not exceeded 60 days. For Mongolia everyone needs a visa except Americans and Israelis. I double checked with the U.S. State Department yesterday just to make sure because I don’t have a visa. Technically I’m not doing anything wrong but whenever you cross a boarder and the rules are a little different for you, in any kind of way, you just hope the guards are cool, honest, and don’t try any monkey business. The upside is that I’m on a train full of westerners so that should insure a little less chance for problems. It’s when you cross remote borders that don’t see many western tourists that you run the most risk of encountering problems.

The train is really nice. So far I have a 4 bed berth to myself but there’s no guarantee it will remain that way. I believe there is a very good chance quite a few people will get on when we arrive at the first station in Mongolia at 1:15 am. Right now practically everyone on board is a westerner. If you ride the train from Beijing to Ulaanbaatar the ticket is quite expensive at a little less than $200 USD. If you pick up the train up at or just across the border it’s dramatically cheaper. Some backpackers bus to the boarder then catch the train at the first Mongolian stop. I don’t know what the exact savings is but I think it’s quite a bit and well worth the hassle for a budget conscious traveler. With a much lower ticket price just inside Mongolia I suspect there will be quite a few Mongolians and Chinese getting on but I really don’t know. Maybe my luck will continue and I’ll have the berth all to myself all the way.

So far the ride has been great. The scenery is wide open and the skies are mostly clear and blue. I've spent quite a bit of time visiting with and older Australian couple in the berth next to me. They’ve been doing the backpacker travel thing together since the mid 1970’s and have been all over the world. We had a good time most of the day swapping stories. Aussies are usually always good company. Well, I think I’ll get back to scanning view as we roll down the rails to Mongolia.

June 9… Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia…..

I arrived in Ulaanbaatar right on time at 1:20 pm yesterday. The border crossings were a breeze on both sides. Everything was efficiently handled aboard the train as immigration, customs, police and military boarded, looked around, and collected passports. It was handled in a straight forward fashion. No problems whatsoever. The actual train ride was beautiful. Lots of wide open country, wild camels, nomads on horses and traditional camps sprinkled around the middle of nowhere. We picked up very few passnegers along the way and I retained the 4 person berth all to myself for the entire journey.

I was happy to see a friendly stout Mongolian man with a printed paper displaying my name upon arrival at the Ulaanbaatar train station. I had booked accommodation in advance via the internet before leaving Beijing through hostel bookers dot com because I figured after 30 hours on a train in a new country I’d be a little out of it. I wanted an easy arrival void of touts etc… The man picked me up along with a couple of young woman from the Faroe Islands who have been traveling India and Asia since January.

We were taken to an old cold war soviet built cement apartment complex right in the middle of the city. It looks pretty rough on the outside. One of the women commented that she hoped it was a lot better on the inside. I just figured we would take a look and if it were not to our liking then we would go somewhere else. The Mongolian man took us around a corner to a darkened entry and punched a few numbers on an antiquated security lock securing a beat up metal door with broken handle. We entered and climbed worn cement stairs a few floors to a printed piece of paper taped to another metal door marking the Mongolian Steppe Guest House. He knocked and it was opened by a very friendly 30 something Mongolian woman who speaks good English. She warmly greeted us as we entered the small yet cozy clean 2 bedroom flat. I immediately got a good feeling upon entering. The woman, whose name is Iggy made us feel right at home.

The 2 bedrooms are small but kind of appealing. The living room contains 4 bunks and is set up as a mixed dorm/community area. The bathroom is small but modernized and shared by everyone. The kitchen is tiny but offers the ability to cook your own food. I booked a single for $14 USD a night. The room is quite comfortable, reasonably quiet and has a view across a courtyard with a small park and parking area. All the buildings in the area were built by the Soviets during the 1950’s and 60’s. Since I‘m old enough to remember the cold war era I’m kind of getting a kick out it. Even though the building is ugly I find it to be kind of charming and am very comfortable there. The location is hard to beat.

What’s interesting about the guest house is that it just happens to be a favorite for U.S. Peace Corps volunteers when they come in from the field to take time off in Ulaanbaatar. Right now 6 of them are staying there. They’re all in their twenties and some of them are based in some really remote areas. For them the Guest House is like heaven and I've been enjoying their stories.

So far I haven’t seen much of Ulaanbaatar but I’m kind of surprised at how much western influence is here. There are many restaurants and coffee houses opened by expats or Mongolians who have spent time in the west and returned to their homeland to open up western influenced businesses. Last night I had an excellent pasta meal at a smart looking restaurant called “The Brooklyn”. Obviously it had a New York theme and the décor. It was decorated in a way you might find in New York. I washed dinner down with a locally brewed dark beer produced by a small local brewery run by Germans.

Ulaanbaatar seems quite cosmopolitan with basic English commonly spoken. However, the post soviet architecture along with the fact that you are in the middle of Mongolia surrounded by nomads causes Ulaanbaatar to retain a rough character. Despite progressive looking restaurants and sharp looking businesses there is plenty of 3rd world poverty to go around. Outlying sections of the city are full of Ger (yurts – traditional tent like housing). Although Ger camps provide an attractive and interesting place to visit in the countryside they serve as slums near the city.

Traveling outside the cities of Mongolia can be difficult and time consuming but it’s really what visiting Mongolia is all about. Today I need to figure out how to join some other backpackers and come up with something. There are not many roads in Mongolia and few are paved. Mostly people get around via 4wd drive or horse if they really want to get out to experience some real nomadic culture and beauty of the backcountry. If a travler has the time there are local busses but they are slow, packed, and schedules are not set in stone. Anyway, I need to sort out something and at this point I’ll just see what’s happening now. I only plan to spend a couple of weeks in Mongolia otherwise I’d be tempted to hop busses for what would certainly be an authentic adventure but I don’t want to waste too much time.

Those Odd Foreigners At Helens

The past week in Beijing has flown by. My routine has gone something like this. Wake up 7:30. Exit hotel at 8:30 and pay for another night on the way out. Walk 3 minutes to western backpacker bar/restaurant. Order western style breakfast with the music of Jack Johnson in one ear and traditional music from the Tibetan shop across the street in the other ear. Finish breakfast with a cup of coffee, write and/or surf the web until 11 am. Return to hotel for a short pit stop then roam, mostly walk, around the city all afternoon.

Back at the hotel around 5 or so for another pit stop then return to western backpacker bar/restaurant where I sit out front sipping a Tsingtao beer and debate ordering Chinese or western food for dinner. People watch for the rest of the evening.

The establishment I’ve been frequenting is called Helen’s. It’s a typical atmospheric kind of bar restaurant commonly found in the west but an oddity in China unless you’re in an area that caters to foreigners. It’s the only place like it in a sea of Chinese businesses geared for Chinese tourists. What’s funny is that Chinese can’t help but stop and curiously look inside. It’s not uncommon for them to stop and take photos of the odd looking foreigners sipping their beer and eating their pizza. Of course Chinese are more than welcome to come in for food and drink but they appear intimidated by a seemingly exclusive crowd of westerners speaking English, French, Spanish, German, Hebrew, with just a little bit of broken Mandarin.

The other night I saw a Chinese man with his girlfriend. He stopped and seemed to be fixated on Helen's back bar lined with numerous liquor bottles. He wanted so bad to go in. His girlfriend was literally pulling him away. This back and forth thing went on for awhile. He was obviously a go for it guy but she was far too uncomfortable with the prospect. It was quite entertaining seeing who was going to win but in the end the girlfriend got her way as they drifted off down the street.

Often times I avoid the places specifically geared for westerners but at other times it’s nice to order familiar food and easily strike up a conversation in English if I feel like it. The prices are only slightly more than the local places. However, sometimes Helen's can be a little over the top. Last night I left when they started playing the movie soundtrack to Grease. I think it was the couple who started singing along that ran me off.

Strange Noodle Goop Sauce - Righting a Wrong

The first night I was in Beijing I decided to have dinner at an authentic local restaurant. I browsed the menu and passed on the deep fried Duck Heads and ordered a local noodle dish. When my food arrived it was not what I had in mind. It was a large bowl of warm noodles with cold thin sliced radish and misc. vegetables which was fine but what caught me off guard was the sauce. The sauce resembled thick oily burnt axle grease. At least that’s the first thought that came to mind when I saw it. I immediately lost my appetite and rejected it firmly and decisively. Without giving it a chance I got up, paid, and left.

When traveling Asia it’s a given that at times you will order one thing only to receive something completely different than what you expect. The proper traveler way to react is to accept it and give it a chance. What really bothered me about the meal I rejected was that I was so closed to it and didn’t at least give it a try. I’ve been pretty good about navigating odd foods in Asia so in a way I felt like I kind of failed a test.

Over the next day or two I noticed other places serving up the strange burnt axle grease looking paste and realized it was popular with the locals. It bugged me even more that I didn’t try it previously so the other night I returned to the restaurant of rejected noodles and ordered the same exact thing I passed on before.

Upon close examination the noodles with veggies atop looked very healthy. As before, I was served a generous side dish of axle grease goop and mixed about half of it into the noodle veggie mix. I then thoughtlessly dug in not really thinking about what could be in the mystery paste. I would have asked but no one could speak English. Actually, probably best not to ask.

The taste? Palatable but not particularly appetizing. The swigs of cheap beer in between bites helped me get through most all of the contents contained within the large bowl. With most of the food consumed I declared it a personal victory and felt much better about being open to the oddities of foreign food and culture. I righted a wrong and felt much less like a tourist and more like a traveler.

Take a Chance on a Blank Sheet of Paper

There was once a famous writer who commented that his greatest fear was staring at a blank sheet of paper. Since starting this blog I’d say my style of writing and interest thereof has fluctuated. While at home, working through a day to day average routine, I have little desire to write. I’ll sometimes ponder a more philosophical think piece but then I’ll wrestle with the issues of continuity and how it will be received once posted on the web for all of the world to see. I’ll criticize the holes in my own philosophy and fear a misrepresentation of self if I take the chance of being misunderstood. It’s funny how a person can accidently and inaccurately present oneself by comments or explanations inadvertently delivered out of context and character. Abstract ideas and concepts, no matter how clearly delivered, are always subject to be interpreted in many different ways. The artist will always be criticized no matter what.

To be a master sculptor or painter of one’s own life the greatest triumphs are realized when one takes a chance. Playing it safe can be stifling. I guess that’s why I’ve chosen an unorthodox lifestyle. I’m driven to see the view from the top of the mountain, feel the wind on my face, and see what’s around the corner beyond the next corner.

Taking a chance may entail quitting a job you really don’t like in exchange for the wide open possibility of anything can happen, or, it could be buying that ticket and taking a trip to a place you’ve always wanted to see. It could also be talking to that person you have been meaning to talk to for the last year or taking an acting class you’ve been curious about forever. Taking a chance doesn’t have to be extreme but it should be something that challenges ones own level of comfort. As I always say, “You should never let yourself get too comfortable”.

A blank sheet of paper can be an adventure in of itself. Often times the artist has no idea where the first letter, stroke of ink, or splatter of paint will take them. The sketchbook of life can sit empty upon the shelf of procrastination or it can be a catalyst for unimaginable possibility.

Perhaps I am good at taking a chance on life in the arena of adventure and travel but maybe I need to take more of a chance in the realm of writing and philosophy. After all, I have declared myself a “World Traveler and Thinker”. The crux is battling the inner critic that blocks the gateway of potential.

Take a chance on a blank sheet of paper……

The Great Wall... Jinshanling Section

No trip to China is complete without a visit to the Great Wall. At one time the wall extended god knows how many miles. It was somewhere around 2,000 miles long if I'm not mistaken.

Today it's understandably a major tourist attraction. Some sections have simply vanished while other sections have been totally re-done and rebuilt for tourism. I was looking for an authentic section that hasn't really been tampered with but is still in good enough condition for a nice walk.

The Jinshanling/Samatai sections are favored by those seeking a more authentic yet accessible segment of wall. It takes about 3 hours by bus to reach the area and is well worth the trip. There's a backpacker style tour that runs daily out of Beijing. It's a pretty good deal. They pick you up at your hotel at 6 am and drive you right up to a park where the wall can be accessed. Your then given 4 hours to walk on your own. Afterwards your bussed back to the city.

Upon accessing the wall if you walk to the west the its been repaired and restored but if you walk to the east it remains authentic and in reasonably good condition. Void of much if any reapir.

The wall snakes along the top of a ridgeline so the views are excellent the entire way.. There are plenty of other people walking the Jinshanling section but its not overrun by too many. I saw very few Chinese tourists. The Chinese tend to prefer restored, refurbished, or even faux as opposed to Westerners who prefer authentic and rough around the edges. Jinshanling is authentic and rough around the edges.

Upon returning to Beijing the tour operator was successful at convincing most everyone to get off the bus in exchange for the subway during rush hour. I, as well as a few others, were smart enough not to fall for that one. The tour guide was a bit perturbed because they had to burn a little more gas and time dropping a few off like they were supposed to anyway. The subway in Beijing gets so packed during rush hour that city employs people to push passengers in so the doors can close. The air conditioned mini van seemed more appealing and was.

Here are few photos from my day on the wall.