The start of my trip to Mongolia

Friday evening, I tried checking in online but I could only check in, not print boarding passes.  Even though my first flight was domestic, I needed to have my passport verified and so I ended up going to the airport earlier than planned.  I left the condo at 3:00 p.m.  The other passenger in the Super Shuttle van asked where I was going and I explained what I was doing with Habitat for Humanity – she was agog at the idea and hoped to be able to do the same some time in the future.

Everything went well at the airport, and then it was merely a matter of time waiting for my flight at 5:08.  A quick, on time flight got me to LAX at 6:30 and then it was a matter of waiting until 1:10 a.m. for my flight to Beijing.  I had a nice Skype session with Megan and Jon in Ketchikan, one with Patty in South Burlington, and read and did some stuff online. 

I managed to change seats from just a regular aisle seat to an exit row seat by the window.  Tons of legroom on this Boeing 777-200 in seat 47L.  Decent food and beverages at no charge.  I could have had free wine and beer but declined as I wanted to make sure I slept.  We got to Beijing as scheduled some twelve hours later.  Interestingly, even though my luggage was checked through, I still had to go through Chinese immigration and got a Chinese Immigration stamp in my passport.  And then I had to go through their version of TSA – not as comprehensive as in America, as I only had to empty my pockets and take the laptop out.  I could keep my shoes on and did not need to take out liquids and gels.  

I did drink some of the fountain water at the Beijing Airport

This is a snack I got at the Beijing Airport

Then it was another four hour wait for the flight to Ulaanbaatar.  The name used to be Anglicized as Ulan Bator, but just as Peking is now Beijing, this city is now named Ulaanbaatar.  I did notice that on both Air China flights as well as in Beijing, everything was in both Chinese and English.  The third flight was on a Boeing 737-800 and was not as spacious – it was sized (cramped) more like most American carriers.  Other than that, the flight was fine and on time.

Chinggis Khaan (Gengis Khan) International Airport handles many full size jets daily, but it is not at all like Beijing.  Beijing is huge and relatively new, Chinggis Khaan is small and old.  The good thing about the small size was how quickly I got through immigration, luggage retrieval and customs.  I was met by HFH volunteer Torgu and within 25 minutes of landing, we on the way into the city.  The airport is several miles outside the city on a two lane road that is in serious need of repair.  My guess is that it took us about 45 minutes to go less than ten miles into the city.  Here are some photos I took as we were driving.

Torgu, the HFH volunteer who met me at the airport - he is studying law

The city is an interesting mix of the old being either preserved or torn down, and much construction of new glass and steel skyscrapers.  The Epos Hotel is one of the few remaining, low rise (only five stories tall) in the old hotel section on Embassy Street – around the hotel there is much construction of new apartments and hotels.  So far, I have seen the Embassies of Japan, Switzerland, Czech Republic and Korea within two blocks of the hotel.

Amidst the modern city is the Choijin Lama Temple Museum

The tall building is the hotel where I found an ATM in the lobby

After checking in at the hotel, showering and shaving, I headed off to find the HFH office – it was about a ten minute walk.  I met Billy, who is our contact.  He works fulltime for HFH and is going to law school at night where he is in his second year.  He pointed out where to find reliable ATMs and restaurants to eat.  I thanked him and headed out.  After getting cash, I went to the Silver Road Café for lunch.

Mongolian noodles with beef, peppers, onions, sprouts and herbs

As I wandered around, I did see a few places where the electrical wiring reminded me of Kathmandu, Nepal - but most of the city was not like this photo:

I then wandered around and using Google maps went back to the hotel by a different route. I had a nap, and then dinner at the restaurant, then did some work online in my room.  I slept well from about 9:00 p.m. until 3:30.  There is construction 24 hours a day around our hotel, and the noise made it difficult to get back to sleep for the rest of the night.