Ok, I think I say this at the beginning and end of nearly every trip: this is the best trip ever! I have a fantastic layover at the best ever airport-- Incheon Seoul – for free there is an actual small parade of characters dressed as the traditional royal court, including serfs, and arts and crafts. I painted! And, I made a small poster using a wood-block stamp. The only thing missing is a Korean snack, but I suppose there were airport restaurants for that. I spent a couple of hours painting and hangin' with an awesome 67-year-old Fukuokan (Japanese) lady who gave me her phone number, so I can visit someday and eat "good" sushi. She was on her way home from New York City, where she had a disappointing experience at a sushi restaurant, which served frozen fish, she told me. “Terrible!” she exclaimed. “And, they charged more for bad frozen fish than I would pay at home for fresh fish.”
“Alrighty, then,” as I realized that I’ve probably been eating all that frozen fish for years, and never knew enough to be appalled at the quality.
“Alrighty, then,” as I realized that I’ve probably been eating all that frozen fish for years, and never knew enough to be appalled at the quality.
Several hours later, at long last I arrive at Chinggis Khan airport in UB. I go through customs quickly. Then I search for Dolgormaa’s family. She’s in Japan for the week for a business trip, but she printed my name on a big piece of paper and laminated it for her family to hold up, so I could find them easily. I instantly spot the laminated paper with my name on it (spelled mostly correctly). How exciting!
Next, we have a quick, dark, and dusty drive home with Dolgormaa's brother, Dasha, and dad!!!! Leaving the airport, it’s nearly midnight. We drive down paved roads with dirt portions. My first Mongolian word is “dusty”. Dusty dusty dusty. The dust puffs and billows up in front of our headlights, as it’s stirred in massive proportions by the vehicles in front of us. Dasha speaks some English. Dolgormaa’s father, seated in the backseat with my luggage, speaks no English. This is gonna be fun!!!!!!
Travel Details:
26 hours of travel door to door from San Francisco, California to UB. Oh, and great news! Despite changing airlines in Seoul, my baggage was transferred automatically. I have no idea if this is the norm for the airport or those 2 airlines or what. I just had to check in at my gate in Seoul, so the lady could phone down to someone an a-ok to put my bag on the plane to UB. Thank god the lady knew English, because I hadn’t bothered to buy a Korean phrasebook. (Addition: toward the end of my trip I was told that if your original flight reservation includes an airline change, then your baggage will automatically be transferred.)
Next, we have a quick, dark, and dusty drive home with Dolgormaa's brother, Dasha, and dad!!!! Leaving the airport, it’s nearly midnight. We drive down paved roads with dirt portions. My first Mongolian word is “dusty”. Dusty dusty dusty. The dust puffs and billows up in front of our headlights, as it’s stirred in massive proportions by the vehicles in front of us. Dasha speaks some English. Dolgormaa’s father, seated in the backseat with my luggage, speaks no English. This is gonna be fun!!!!!!
Travel Details:
26 hours of travel door to door from San Francisco, California to UB. Oh, and great news! Despite changing airlines in Seoul, my baggage was transferred automatically. I have no idea if this is the norm for the airport or those 2 airlines or what. I just had to check in at my gate in Seoul, so the lady could phone down to someone an a-ok to put my bag on the plane to UB. Thank god the lady knew English, because I hadn’t bothered to buy a Korean phrasebook. (Addition: toward the end of my trip I was told that if your original flight reservation includes an airline change, then your baggage will automatically be transferred.)