Mongolia adventure! Hi Chris/ Anna,
We arranged our trip with Idre's Guesthouse in UB. I did a lot of research on LP Thorntree before we went to Mongolia and Idre was recommended lots of times, so we used him. It turned out to be an excellent choice and I'd absolutely recommend using him again.
Idre is a super friendly guy with excellent English. We basically told him what we wanted (i.e. to visit a few key places, hire local translators in each place, stay with locals where possible and not to stay in tourist camps) and he had arranged much of it for us prior to our arrival. He seems to have contact with local guides all over the country. This is much better than taking a guide from UB as a local guide will know the local people, places and be more accepted by the locals than guides from distant cities. Not to mention the fact they are normally cheaper! This also means you don't have the expense of a guide during the days spent on the road where you really don't need one (and it's impossible not to waste days on the road in Mongolia - the going is tough and the distance between places is huge).
Of these 'tourist theme parks' you talk of, I can imagine the kind of places you mean - almost all of them are located in the centre of the country a day or two west from UB, and mostly used by tourists from the trans-mongolian railway who have just a few days to spare. In my honest opinion they are not the best way to experience Mongolia. Seeing as you only have 12 days, my advice would be to just pick and area (I picked the far north for example) and go as deep into it as you can. Mongolia isn't about the towns and cities, it's about the journey and people you meet along the way so don't worry about not seeing 'all' of it. After a day and a half driving any direction from UB you'll be long away from the tourist hordes.
Anyway, if you have any questions please just email me back and I'll help you if I can.
Idre has a website: http://www.idretour.com/ (it looks like a huge operation, but i assure you it isn't! The guesthouse is lovely too)
Hope this helps
Lee
Mongolia adventure Hi there
I have been reading your blogs about Mongolia. Your photos are beautiful and great descriptions. I see that you were looking for others to share the trip with. We would have been keen if the timing was right!
If you don't mind, do you have any information that might help us? We have 12 days in Mongolia in September as part of the trans-mongolian railway journey. The guesthouses all offer tours but we have heard stories about drunk van drivers and 'tourist theme parks'. It sounds like you had an excellent guide who took you to some really untouched spots. How did you come across him? Pre-arranged or sorted out once you arrived in UB? We would like to avoid the unfriendly tourists camps that you mentioned too! Any information would be really appreciated if you have the time.
Many thanks,
Anna and Chris
http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/Chris---Anna/
savaloy been a while I know! still have blogs about Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Brunei and the Philippines to write........ if I ever get around to it! you back in Russia now?
hi hi, how are you two doing?
very glad to read the uploading news about you two. travelling is both enjoying and expericing !take care and keep being brave and enjoying your wonderful travelling life.
fully aware Hi there,
Yes, they are all fully aware as all photographed are subscribed to the blog.
The "Hummm..." title of your message suggests you have a problem with that for some reason. I'll take a guess and answer your concerns:
1. You think having their faces on a blog critical of the PRC is dangerous for them? No way - imagining China as a dangerous place to express your opinion is a fallacy in my experience - just something we are politically indoctrinated to believe in the west.
2. You think they wouldn't want their faces on a blog critical of the PRC? - Well I am their friends and if they had a problem with it then they only had to ask for them to be removed (and yes they are aware of this since I asked the prior to publishing) and I would have done it. No such request was received.
Concerns abated?
Alright Lee! It's been a real pleasure to read this, it's so beautifully written and the photos are just incredible. A real gem of a blog. Am in the very slow process of writing mine about Mongolia now but all that just seems like a different world now that I'm back in England and I'm finding it very hard to do. Hope you're trip's going well, would be interested to know where you are now. Let me know if you want any tips about travel in West Papua. All the best, Ed.
Best Blog Hi
This is one of the best written blogs I have ever read about Mongolia.
Keep it going, I will sure follow from now on.
Dan
(ToMongolia on LP)
cool wow, looking wonderful, nice shots, lee. thanks for sending me the link.
i read every blog you sent to me.but kinda lazy to leave a comment.
take care and enjoy!
let's just say you chose to live in the capital of China's poorest province...I give your credit for that. China is huge and always changing. Sci-fi style structures and poverty co-exist.(even we have some rundown communities in NYC, LA and Detroit, don't we?).... Do yourself a favor, travel to other parts of China and see more of the country. The key of living happily in China is to keep an open mind. Good luck.
thank you! Hi Mr Senthil,
Thanks so much for taking the time to read my blog, and for taking the time to write some constructive notes about my writing! It's appreciated!
I concede you are actually completely right in everything you've said in your note, and hence I've taken some time to adjust some of it's content to not come across so harsh, and deleted the particular phrase of offence you highlighted, though I guess the thrust of it is still the same. It wasn't my intention to come across as a China hater if that's what I've done, that's just the way the words came out of my mind when writing!
In terms of not wanting to 'sugarcoat or be politically correct' about my experiences, I guess you are right. The politically correct thing to do would have been to sugarcoat it, but firstly that's not my style, and secondly I feel like I've only ever read 'sugarcoated' experiences of China so far - perhaps this will be a different read for people (for better or worse).
As for judging through the eyes of a westerner, again, you are absolutely right, but then I am a westerner - so am I wrong to do that?
I didn’t always view China that way - I tried my best to immerse myself in their culture, learn their language and understand their customs - that's just the way my thoughts have evolved over time. The first email I sent home about China 6 months ago (not on travelblog) was very much presenting the rose coloured view of China which seemed like the right thing to do given the unfair press China often receives, but as explained, my patience for that has just run out recently. Living here has been a test of my soul and my patience, and I'm a better man for it - but sadly on balance, thus far China has won!
Thanks again for your comments - they really are appreciated and helpful
best regards
Lee
bit harsh!! Hi,
I came across this blog entry when I was sifting thru Travelblog site randomly. Title for this entry and the pictures made me give this more attention and subsequently I read thru this blog entry with great interest.
From the pictures you have enclosed, China looks beautiful and reasonably clean and not all that deserving of being called "dirty" so many times in your post. I am afraid that you are looking at China and still comparing it against Western countries and not against other developing nations that are/were in the same league. Considering the size of its population and complexity of its land mass (Not to mention the cockamamie programs it endured during Mao era), I feel that the spectacular rise of China to where it is today in a span of 3 decades is nothing short of miracle. So, I feel you come across a bit harsh at times. May be you are just being truthful and really don't feel the need to sugarcoat or be politically correct. However, statements like "its students are not the most intelligent" are offensive and hateful no matter what. Leaving that, I have to admit that I thoroughly enjoyed your writing.
BTW, I am an Indian national and going by the way you have criticised China, I can only imagine that your blog about your travels thru India will be nothing short of brutal. Can’t wait to read it!! :)
Regards
boristhegreat
Lee Marshall
Mongolia adventure!
Hi Chris/ Anna, We arranged our trip with Idre's Guesthouse in UB. I did a lot of research on LP Thorntree before we went to Mongolia and Idre was recommended lots of times, so we used him. It turned out to be an excellent choice and I'd absolutely recommend using him again. Idre is a super friendly guy with excellent English. We basically told him what we wanted (i.e. to visit a few key places, hire local translators in each place, stay with locals where possible and not to stay in tourist camps) and he had arranged much of it for us prior to our arrival. He seems to have contact with local guides all over the country. This is much better than taking a guide from UB as a local guide will know the local people, places and be more accepted by the locals than guides from distant cities. Not to mention the fact they are normally cheaper! This also means you don't have the expense of a guide during the days spent on the road where you really don't need one (and it's impossible not to waste days on the road in Mongolia - the going is tough and the distance between places is huge). Of these 'tourist theme parks' you talk of, I can imagine the kind of places you mean - almost all of them are located in the centre of the country a day or two west from UB, and mostly used by tourists from the trans-mongolian railway who have just a few days to spare. In my honest opinion they are not the best way to experience Mongolia. Seeing as you only have 12 days, my advice would be to just pick and area (I picked the far north for example) and go as deep into it as you can. Mongolia isn't about the towns and cities, it's about the journey and people you meet along the way so don't worry about not seeing 'all' of it. After a day and a half driving any direction from UB you'll be long away from the tourist hordes. Anyway, if you have any questions please just email me back and I'll help you if I can. Idre has a website: http://www.idretour.com/ (it looks like a huge operation, but i assure you it isn't! The guesthouse is lovely too) Hope this helps Lee