UB and national park

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July 24-25

Well after another day of relaxing in UB and playing minesweeper at a local internet cafe, we once again attempt to take a trip on the 25th. The innitial attempt to go to the observatory is dashed when the creepy lighthouse keeper has decided to herd goats for several weeks. Taking the local bus we then end up at Terej National Park for 1500 T a piece, skipping the park entrance fee due to it being a local bus. After hiking a local ridge and finding a camping spot it is eventually agreed to spend the night in a local Ger as the weather has turned for worse and the ramstein music coming from the Giant disco ger is simply irresistable. The day ends with wandering around a local village and escaping some very territorial guard dogs. The drunk mongolian on the yak wandering down mainstreet was definately worth it though.

July 26

The techno music from next door was a great wake up call and ultimately made us decide that it was time to leave the "national park" and look for nature elsewhere. Some hiking followed though after a river crossing that left us separated I spent the rest of the day exploring the sourounding areas and avoid the incoming rain clouds. After meeting everyone again we got on the next disco bus for the two hour ride back to UB. After hanging at the old apartment for a bit it was off to buy the train tickets to zamin ud and moved to the golden gobi.

July 27

The day was spent hanging at the Golden Gobi watching movies and chilling. The day ended with going to Dave's pub again and later medusa, fun night with break dancing mongolians falling through the glass dancefloor. Also met lots of russians and other interesting characters though as always the night ended in a bit of a brawl and decide to head home afterwards.

July 28

As all the other days this day was filled with packing and paying for my gobi trip. The 5$ hard seat from UB to the border was worth it as met many interesting mongolians and also a Swiss who had been hitchhiking for the last three years including iraq, iran etc...After rearanging the luggage rack I turned my hard seat ticket into an interesting hard sleeper ticket.

July 29

Waking up in the luggage rack of a mongolian train can be disorientating to say the least. After meeting some chinese in line for the washroom they agree to help me get across the border, 50yuan and a cramped van ride later I'm in China once again. After many attempts to secure me a sleeper bus to beijing I finally caved in and payed an extra 20 yuan to a scalper. The trip was uneventfull besides meeting a portuguesse DJ, who now lives in Macau. After getting to beijing hung out and visited Tianamen once again before settling into the slow pace of the Leo Hostel once again.

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