
Traveling up to Mongolia was a rather "exciting" experience. On 3/7/05, we met up our Beijing agent Terelog while on the way to find a hospital to get my dressing. As we were walking on the street when he asked if we are from Singapore, immediately Shaz asked if he was the agent arranged by our guesthouse manager Byamba in Mongolia to meet up with us. He said yes, and as it was still very early also I need to get new dressings for my wound, he decided to follow me to the hospital (the policy at Beijing is really tedious - first you got to go to register your name and get a member card afterwhich, to find your way to a doctor - you got to roam around the hosiptal to find your way, then have him examine, afterwhich to go to cashier to queue up to pay for the prescription, then with the receipt to see a nurse to attend to your dressing - mind you the hospital is big and if one is limping - it's going to be difficult) and waited for us to buy our grocery for the trip.
Reason for Byamba to arrange him to guide us to take a long distance bus to Mongolia border - Erlain was becos most of the train tickets to Mongolia have long been wiped off, since 4-6 months ago. As the period we were traveling in was a peak season for the Mongolian - Naddam Festival (their 3 days of national holiday) So we had the only option, that is to take a 12 hrs long distance sleeper bus to Erlain and then to bound for the train to Ulan Batar.
We almost could not make it to Mongolia as stipulated time. After Terelog left us with the van driver (who appearently have the sleeper bus ticket to Erlain), and we also paid him for our sleeper bus ticket. He told us that there isn't enough space for us in the sleeper bus and that we will have to top up another Y70 to take the car to the Erlian. I refused to budge as I want to sleep for the 12 hrs ride flat down and not to compromise for a seating position and moverover, we have to top up money becos of his over booking. After much reasoning, he decided to drive us with his overpacked van meant for 12 person but is overpacked with 20 people to the bus station. And over at the bus station, we were like chicken and hen, following this man for quite a while, who happen to have our bus ticket but refused to distribute. Finally, when he gave us our ticket, it was meant for extra bedding (means we will have to sleep on the floor and not space for a bedding (what is this - I reasoned with him - that this is not fair - but he simply ignore me -sigh)
Coincidentally, we met with 3 french backpacker who were on their way to Mongolia and they had no idea where to get the bus tickets as they had already paid a commission fee of Y40 each to ask to come to the bus station to get their confirmed seat to Erlain. But when at the bus station - there isn't any counter that sells tickets nor any dressed officer to make enquiry. Me being the "helpful" type (while having my own problem to slove) decide to check and ask around the people for them (cos they could not speak Mandarin). We mangage to ask a group of guys seating down by a shade chatting, about way to get the bus ticket as they were told to come here to get it. One the guy told me to look out for a bald headed man dressed in black. We finally manage to find him and he issued his final 3 bus tickets to the French. They were lucky, as they almost could not get the ticket if we did not locate this man in time.
Well, back to our sleeper bed issue, we finally had to sucrumb to sleep at the far end in a narrow cramp space (to me is better than sleeping on the floor - dirty mattress). The bus was not only packed with people but also goods, boxes of goods and items were all lying on the asile of the walkway, we will have to climb and walk over the boxes to get thru. Well, later we realise that this is very common in Mongolia, the taxi van is often packed with people to the over max capacity.
We arrived arly in the morning 4/7/05 at 6am, we were supposed to meet up with another agent Tereji to arrange for us to get the train ticket to Ulan Batar. But he did not turn up until we called him. What is interesting to see is that when we arrived at Erlian Station, there were a group of about 20-30 men yelling and shouting behind a iron bar gate in Mongolian language, intially, I thought they were workers, but later realised that they were acutally taxi driver trying to get customer. When the gate opened they rushed to where the bus was and shouting for their customer. Most passenger did not come down (maybe they were afraid), we the ignorance one were the first to come down cos, we thought we do not want to be caught in the jam of the boxes and luggages in the bus.
Eventually, our "kangho" bus driver shouted at the taxi driver to move away and asked all the passenger up in the bus to get out as he needed to get moving (it was funny to see this sight). Maybe there is some deals problem, a small fight occurred between the taxi drivers
When our agent finally turned up, he brought us to the nearby guest house to get rest, while he arranged to get the train ticket for us. He asked for our passport as he cliamed he needed it to buy tickets. We gave it to him after some questioning (not my usual self to have someone hold my passport - but since he is recommemed by the Guest house manager in Mongolia - we trusted him). As we were extremly wore out by the long tiring journey, we soon fell asleep but were woke up when we hear voices ( the 3 french backpackers) their bus arrived late and they happen to meet Terehji when he flashed the Sinagporean passport to them (saying he can help them in the train ticket to UB).
Wow, this really annoyed me, I later question Terehji when he came by to give us the train ticket.(The 3 French did not give their passport - but they too got their train ticket) he simply smile and try to change to another topic. I simply told him off that, what he did is not right and should not be repeated (I was kinda stern - like a school teacher)
He drove us to the train station and finally we got on board the train to UB at 6pm and on the train we bunk with 2 Christian Mongolian woman, and had a good smiling, gesture, mandarin/english conversation.
Finally, we reached Ulan Batar on 5/7/05 (after the 2 days journey) Byamba came to meet us at the train station. We complaint to her about our journey, how it was being flopped up all the way from Beijing to Erlian, and that we will not want to pay any service fee cos, we did not get the proper service required. As she had engaged another transport agent to help her make all the arrangment and had already paid the fee to this agent. We went to meet with the agent and reason and complaint to him, but all he could say with sorry and that he will not engaged these people anymore, but he will not refund the fee. We felt bad about Byamba paying for us in advance it and so decided to pay her. But she is smart this time round, as she had other guests coming into Mongolia by the same route, she decided not to pay in advance until her guest arrived safely (true enough - we had an Israelis couple friend we met at Lijiang, who came in via the same route as us, faced almost or worst situation than us)
So much about the chaotic bus ride, next will share about our time in Mongolia.
my email: joydive@gmail.com
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