For the train journey from Irkutsk to Ulan Bator we were sharing with two Mongolians, a business man and a student. We spend most of our time talking, listening to music and reading. They were very interested in our trip and what we had planned. They were also very helpful with advice on Ulan Bator and what we should and shouldn't do. They were very worried that we were arriving in UB and that we didn't know anyone there and didn't have any accommodation booked. The guy said he would take us to the guest house that we were planning on staying at and he also offered to meet us the following day to bring us to the black market to buy warm clothes. They were very worried that we were not well prepared for the cold!
It was -37 when we arrived in Ulan Bator and the coldest temperature I had experienced so far on the trip. Luckily the owner of the hostel we were planning on staying at was on the platform waiting to see if there were any tourists on the train so she took us directly to the hostel by car.
Soon after we arrived at the hostel we were joined by 4 swedish guys (Oskar, Dr. Albin, Robin, Jakob) and a dutch girl (Kim).
We decided to walk to a monastery that was nearby, but by the time we got there we were all freezing even though we were well dressed.
We went back to the hostel pretty quickly and put on all of our clothes and headed for the black market to buy some warm clothes. We were planning on camping for 2 nights in a ger tent in the national park so we would need warm clothes for that.
The hostel owner suggested we take a taxi to and from the black Market. He wrote two notes for us explained where we wanted to go and how much we were willing to pay to get there and said to get driver to agree before we got into the car. The price was 2,500 Tugrigs which is €1.25. We couldn't see any taxis on the street or in traffic but eventually a car stopped for us. Turns out they don't really have taxis as we know them instead random people will stop and you pay them as you would a real taxi. There were 5 of us but that didn't seem to bother him so he took us to the market.
At the black market we bought some fur hats and gloves. They sold everything you could think of at the market from camels to puma runners to socks.
We were looking for boots also and eventually we found some things that looked like outer socks. Lots of people are the market stalls were wearing them so we decided to buy them. The stall owner was very excited and happy when we were buying them and tried his best to speak to us with his limited English.
When we got back to the hostel the staff there thought our boots were very funny and confirmed that they are not meant for walking, instead you wear them if you are going to be standing in one place for a long period of time, such as if you were manning a stall at a market.....
It was -37 when we arrived in Ulan Bator and the coldest temperature I had experienced so far on the trip. Luckily the owner of the hostel we were planning on staying at was on the platform waiting to see if there were any tourists on the train so she took us directly to the hostel by car.
Soon after we arrived at the hostel we were joined by 4 swedish guys (Oskar, Dr. Albin, Robin, Jakob) and a dutch girl (Kim).
New friends in Ulan Bator
We decided to walk to a monastery that was nearby, but by the time we got there we were all freezing even though we were well dressed.
Early morning outside the monestary
We went back to the hostel pretty quickly and put on all of our clothes and headed for the black market to buy some warm clothes. We were planning on camping for 2 nights in a ger tent in the national park so we would need warm clothes for that.
The hostel owner suggested we take a taxi to and from the black Market. He wrote two notes for us explained where we wanted to go and how much we were willing to pay to get there and said to get driver to agree before we got into the car. The price was 2,500 Tugrigs which is €1.25. We couldn't see any taxis on the street or in traffic but eventually a car stopped for us. Turns out they don't really have taxis as we know them instead random people will stop and you pay them as you would a real taxi. There were 5 of us but that didn't seem to bother him so he took us to the market.
Entrance to the blackmarket
At the black market we bought some fur hats and gloves. They sold everything you could think of at the market from camels to puma runners to socks.
The BlackMarket in Ulan Bator
We were looking for boots also and eventually we found some things that looked like outer socks. Lots of people are the market stalls were wearing them so we decided to buy them. The stall owner was very excited and happy when we were buying them and tried his best to speak to us with his limited English.
Fur hats, gloves and boots.
We were the only tourists at the market but once we started wearing the boots we became very popular. As we walked around people were smiling at us and saying hello and telling their friends to look at us. Anyone who had English spoke to us and most asked about the boots. Eventually we realised that we were doing some funny by wearing these boots but we didn't understand what. We left the market after about 3 hours and walked for about 10 minutes before getting a "taxi". The hostel owner had advised us to do this as he said the taxis around the market would try to rip us off.
The smiling and staring continued as we walked down the street. At one point some guy stopped in traffic let his window down and said "they are not for walking boots", started laughing and drove away.
Stupid tourists and their not for walking boots
When we got back to the hostel the staff there thought our boots were very funny and confirmed that they are not meant for walking, instead you wear them if you are going to be standing in one place for a long period of time, such as if you were manning a stall at a market.....
you must have been mad, it was russia! bound to be cold, at least those nice guys on the train pointed ya right =)
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