Got into Ulaanbaatar this morning and fuck it's cold. Top temp is -9. Staying in a really nice German style hostel, had the best breakfast I've had in months of travel in China.
I know a few regulars have been here before, anyone got good advice for Mongolia and Ulaanbaatar?
>>1050793
Looks comfy as fuck
Hope the best for you OP
>>1050793
What the fuck kind of houses are those and how can I buy one in America?
>>1050798
They are called Yurts, they are a bit like tents but tend to be more permanent (they might only pack up and move twice a year).
You can probably make one yourself.
>>1050798
What the other anon said, plus you can buy and ship them. They're for sale in Ulaanbaatar, including shipping.
They basically like really comfy and sturdy tents.
>>1050799
>yurt
Maybe in Turkey. The Mongolian equivalent is a ger.
>>1050793
I've heard crime is crazy in Ulaanbaatar. Was that just wrong? Also, try to find some nomads. Bring gifts (t-shirts, razors, anything practical). Tradition demands that they invite wayfarers to speak and drink with them (and being a foreigner they will want to do so all the more so).
>>1050798
You can actually go to the mountains out west in the states and rent a yurt to camp in. I did so in Montana once before, it's pretty fun. Would recommend /10.
>>1050824
>You can actually go to the mountains out west in the states and rent a yurt to camp in
I took a trip in Inner Mongolia and stayed in a Yurt
>>1050823
>crime is crazy in Ulaanbaatar
I've heard some stories too but it seems fine so far. A few kids asked for cash, basically begging. Haven't been here long enough to really see and it's so fucking cold that I'm not likely to walk around where stuff is likely to go down.
I was planning on getting out on some trips but it's so cold now that I've abandoned that plan. It was about -13 in the morning and less when the sun went down. My toes were so painful when I got back to the hostel and started to feel them again.
It probably didn't help that I was cycling in all this, the snow only just started, the streets were clear this morning but now they're actually pretty dangerous to ride on.
>>1050793
>He think s -9°C is fucking cold
cute.
So what's your plan then? You didn't come to Mongolia just to stay in a ger hostel in UB, did you? Get out and some jeep tour, maybe you can find some steppe wolves or visit a Przewalksi's Horse (the only ancient wild horse still alive) reserve.
>>1050868
>Get out and some jeep tour
You know, that's good advice. I might make some calls tomorrow and see what I can arrange.
When I went to Chingis Square (pic related above), some guy came up to me and gave me his card that said he was a driver and tour guide. Maybe I'll call him and see what he can arrange.
>>1050875
Or call the other hostels that also do tours. There are heaps.
Mongolia has some damn good Vodka.
Chingis is the go to brand apparently, got this from a housewife on the train. I bought some Illy liqueur at duty free because I'd never seen it before and it makes a fantastic Black Russian. Got semi-smashed with these Mongolian women on the train to UB with lesser vodka and they told me to get some Chingis as soon as I could. I did and I have to agree, it's Vodka that you can easily drink straight, very smooth. Also good in a black russian though.
When I explained the name of the drink, they thought it was hilarious.
(edit: rotated pic)
>>1050888
>Illy
Wow, that's coffee from my home city. Never thought it'd make it to fucking Mongolia, of all places.
>>1050849
Watch out for those kids. You'll give them money on Monday and on Friday their posse of seven will ambush you. UB has a huge child gang problem.
Also, why the fuck did you go to Mongolia if you were frightened of the cold, especially this time of year. Place is synonymous with cold. Get some vodka in you and tough it out.
>>1050905
It's coffee liqueur, similar to Kahlua but stronger coffee flavour. A bit bitter even. Really good. I bought it because where I'm from, Illy is considered the best coffee by all the Italian cafe's.
>>1050918
Yeah, turned down a few kids already. I think 'tek' means give? They say that to me a bit.
I'm not frightened of the cold, just not as prepared as I thought I was. Still, I was in the neighborhood so I figured I should take the opportunity to see Mongolia. Would have been a waste otherwise. Might try and come back in Spring though.
>>1051113
With yesterday's and last night's snow.
Not going to try cycling today. Last night getting back to the hostel, I hit black ice twice. I'll just take buses and taxis today, hopefully not get mugged by a driver.
>>1050793
Ryan?
>>1051199
Also, if you care to spend some time with google translate, check this:
http://yurtbuy.com/
>>1050868
>>He think s -9°C is fucking cold
>cute.
When I went out for dinner a few hours ago, it was -20°C.
Am I allowed to think it's cold now, Mr hard-arse Canadian?
I couldn't feel my ears by the time I got back.
I went to Novosibirsk during winter once and the temperatures also hit about -20°C during the day and -30°C during the night, which I guess is similar to OP's situation. I was obviously prepared for this but as it turned out, it didn't feel much worse than the 0 to -10°C I experienced growing up in Germany. Guess it got something to do with humidity and stuff, with Germany having a maritime and Novosibirsk/Mongolia having a continental.
Anyone else experience something like that?
>>1050793
I've always maintained that there's nothing in Mongolia besides rocks, sand and water. Am I wrong?
>>1052505
There are hunting birds, also camels but I don't have a pic that I'm not in.
>>1052607
That was on the way to a big statue that you go up inside.
>>1050793
Find the first Khan you can, then ask him if he is great
>>1050793
r there any mongolian qts with really big calves
>1052612
>Find the first Khan you can, then ask him if he is great
The Grand Khan is a fancy Irish pub. Good food, both western and Mongolian
>>1052614
Mongolian girls tend to be a little chunky,so yes.
Surely you know this by now, but you need a local guise/driver to go anywhere outside of Ulaanbaatar. There is no independent travel. The infrastructure simply does not exist.
>>1052690
>There is no independent travel. The infrastructure simply does not exist
You can totally drive your own vehicle, people to motorcycle and car tours in Mongolia all the time.
That said, doing it in winter would potentially be suicidal. My hostel hooked me up with a driver for my trip out to the statue here: >>1052608
On the way there we were talking about the desert, he said that no one did tours there in the winter. If your car broke down in the desert then it's just over. You're fucked.
>>1052696
Cool story bro, most interesting thread on /trv/ right now. Is there snow in the desert?
What are your best and worst Mongolian experiences so far?
>>1051113
>I bought it because where I'm from, Illy is considered the best coffee by all the Italian cafe's.
Really? There's an illy in chicago but I never went because I only know them for hotel coffee pods.
>>1052473
I'm from Canada, and yes. The colder it is, the drier the air tends to be since really cold temps just 'freeze' the moisture out of the air.
-30°C at night or with windchill during the day was not uncommon where I grew up... You get used to it. Of course, 'feels like' can be very dangerous, as your senses can (surprise!) get numbed a bit and that's how frost-bite happens. You don't notice it until you're warming up again and then shit suddenly stings like a motherfucker.
>>1052505
Not a whole lot of water, really, but enough I guess. There are forests and quite extensive grasslands, and some pretty high mountains too. The Gobi is roughly half of Mongolia, but by no means all of it.
>>1052696
>own vehicle
You mean like bringing one by driving all the way from Europe?
Seriously, unless you have full survival and camping gear in a well-equipped vehicle, forget about trying to drive on your own. How would you even know where to go for starters? There are hardly any roads, and you can't just drive to the next town over and get a hostel to bunk in. No, there is simply no independent travel in Mongolia unless you have this rare exception mentioned, which 99% of people won't.
>>1050888
What makes for good vodka in your opinion?
I've only had 5 different kinds and they all tasted about like what I'd imagine Windex does.
Is it good because it's gets you drunk fastest?
Is there an expected taste they are striving for? Maybe whichever burns the most? Both in the back of your mouth and as a fuel for fire?
>>1052817
Not that guy, but good vodka honestly does not burn. It goes down smooth, like water, warming and alcoholic yes, but not at all (or only very slightly) astringent. Similar to good whisky.
>>1052817
>>1052849
>good vodka
Yeah, like the other anon said, good vodka is very easy to drink. Not much burn and almost sweet. I really like some of the Chinggis vodka, there are some really nice ones.
Though some good whiskeys still burn, that's about iodine which is about where they get their water. I think Speyside whiskeys burn no matter how good they are?
>>1052853
>whiskeys
Whiskies. I always get the two confused.
>>1052799
>You mean like bringing one by driving all the way from Europe?
Well, the hostel I'm in has a garage and stuff for fixing people's cars that they drive here.
Also a shipping service to box, send and receive motorbikes. I assume someone must use it.
>>1052732
>There's an illy in chicago
It's a brand of coffee, not chain of cafe. Cafes often have an Illy sign up though which makes some people think the cafe is called Illy.
>>1052728
>Is there snow in the desert?
I wondered about that too but since deserts are defined by lack of precipitation, I wouldn't think there could be much. Snow is still rain basically.
>>1052645
>Irish pub in mongolia
Fuck, they're everywhere!
>>1053646
>Irish pub in mongolia
There are about 40 irish pubs in Ulaanbaatar, I'm not even kidding.
Some people think it's because when the Irish economy was very strong a decade ago, heaps of Mongolians went there for work because visas were really easy to get, then when Ireland tanked, most of them came home with a few years savings in their pocket. Maybe about 3000 of them.
And because Mongolians love bars more than anything, lots of them opened pubs.
>>1053686
Perhaps. The thing is that in much of the world "Irish pub" = shameless drinking to excess. In many societies, this is not really a very civilized thing to do, but the Irish pub represents a hallowed space for alcoholics. They're all quite similar the world over, as well, so it's sort of like going to a church. You're familiar with the routine and basic decor, despite whatever little local flair exists.
Then again... Mongols have no shame about being drunk anywhere, anytime, so maybe they really just do like bars regardless.
>>1052799
Someone hasn't heard of the Mongol Rally.
http://www.theadventurists.com/mongol-rally/
![20151122_010932[1].jpg](https://i.imgur.com/Ftf7Hmx.jpg "20151122_010932[1].jpg")
>>1053837
>the Irish pub represents a hallowed space for alcoholics
>it's sort of like going to a church. You're familiar with the routine and basic decor, despite whatever little local flair exists
You're saying that it's basically McDonalds for alcoholics?
I tend to agree. The other thing is that they often are a good place to get pizza and burgers (don't tell the actual Irish) so expats go there and that makes gives them cred so locals go there too.
>Mongols have no shame about being drunk anywhere, anytime, so maybe they really just do like bars regardless
That too. They're fucking drunks. I came out one night because someone was bashing on the door of my hostel while I was in the lounge at 2am playing vidya and met the night watchman going to investigate so I went with him as backup. It was some drunk Mongolian who had the wrong house or something and was trying to bash the door in because he thought his key wasn't working or his wife wouldn't open for him or something. The guy fell over once while he was telling the watchman that this was his own house. Eventually he staggered off, hopefully he made it home and didn't freeze overnight, the watchman didn't seem to care. It was -20C or so.
The Russian/Mongolian chick I picked up (pic related) said that she never sleeps with Mongolian guys because she thinks they're all lazy drunks. She drank about 1l of sangria with me so she's kind of a drunk too but she was deliberate about not drinking until she'd covered her car and then took a taxi home.
>>1053840
>Someone hasn't heard of the Mongol Rally.
Or even read this thread: >>1053050
>>1053840
Most people are familiar with it. You are apparently the same smug arrogant faggot that always shits up threads about Mongolia:
>hurr it's easy to travel independent in Mongolia you just need to drive from Europe in your own all-terrain vehicle and survival gear/satellite phone/food and water for 2 weeks
Since pretty much everyone who arrives to Mongolia doesn't have such equipment at hand, they will have to do with what is available. There is no public transport or hostels to speak of. And you can't just rent a car or a bike unless you want to get lost and die in the wilderness.
>>1052165
Where you at? If I guessed I'd say Scandinavia.
>>1054181
>Where you at?
That was me, OP.
I was at Ulaanbaatar. Currently in Erenhot on the Chinese side of the border. It's even colder now.
Protip: If it is a Western syle bar or pub, it is called an Irish pub in Mongolia.
Thus why they have dozens of Irish pubs in UB. I never found a single bar that was actually anything like a pub, at best they at least decorated with British stuff (the one across from National Stadium).
Never had a problem with crime, walked around by myself all over UB for a few weeks.
Real agressive drunks though. Late night you have to be on your toes or else you can easily end up in a pushing contest with some hick. Taxis are easy enough to figure out and haggle with, which can help get you back.
>>1054164
>There is no public transport or hostels
Private jeeps are the public transit, and OP just showed the hostel he stayed in.
>>1054274
>OP just showed the hostel he stayed in
In Ulaanbaatar. Good luck trying to book or find one outside of it.
>>1054220
>Late night you have to be on your toes or else you can easily end up in a pushing contest with some hick
I met some Spaniards that had to avoid a fight at the black market with drunk Mongolians at 10am. Literally they just shoved into them as they walked through the gate and then started a shoving match which was obviously picking a fight. They said they managed to kind of show a mean face and avoid a fight by looking like they wanted one.
>>1054387
Just buy a tent m8. You can literally just camp anywhere.
>>1054491
Ha that's just a classic UB story.
I don't know of any pushing contest ever coming to blows, I'm sure it happens and probably more often between Mongolians.
A lot of it is just the same bravado sort of chest bumping stuff you run into at any college or military bar. I'm sure it freaks out the more "posh" travelers who are used to polite gin bars, but it's not really that different from any dive bar shit anywhere.
Most bars in central UB and Zaizan should be chill except for the Grand Khaan Irish, which Mongolian hicks and nationalists will go to looking for tourists to pick fights with.
>>1054507
>should be chill except for the Grand Khaan Irish
I saw kind of a rowdy crowd there during a Mongolian/German MMA match recently but otherwise it seemed pretty calm and upmarket.
Dublins is more chill too, more of a traditional quiet pub. Paddy's is probably pretty quiet most of the time as well.
>>1054515
Seems like they try to keep it nice. I never saw anything bad when I went in, but was warned about it by expats and Mongolians.
Just whenever some punk wants to go find a tourist, they head to the Grand Khaan.
Like I had said, probably just best to keep your wits and not stand out as an asshole.
