Mongolia Arrival

After too late of a night, I overslept and barely caught my 6 AM flight to JFK. Refusing to take a cab, I arrived via subway 25 minutes before my departure. Interestingly, if an airline wants you to catch a flight, check in proceeds quickly, while security can also be expedited. Several hours later, while waiting at Dulles, I realized that I had a Leatherman in my laptop bag, which airport security had not detected. So much for securing the homeland...

At Dulles, I was ecstatic to meet some Mongolians, who would travel with me to Beijing and onwards to Ulaanbaatar. They were easy to spot with their overflowing duct taped boxes, which served as carry on luggage, similar to the boxes that are thrown on top of Russian Vans for grueling trips to the capital. After arrival in Beijing, my Mongol friends disappeared for several hours and returned with 15 pounds of Kentucky Fried Chicken, which they would disperse to friends and family back home. While Mongolia has not been infiltrated by fast food culture, perhaps there will a bright future for a new fast food nation.

While being comfortable in UB, I quickly noticed the omnipresence of dusty air. Between the jet lag, going to the Mercy Corps office, and attending a conference at an upscale hotel, it does not seem that I have arrived to Mongolia. It will be refreshing to leave for the Eastern Steppe on the 17th, especially as I have not seen this part of Mongolia.