Today we went to the "black" market. It is this massive outdoor shopping area with some buildings. Anything you can imagine there, you can buy. Anything. I did not bring my camera as it is very well known for it's thieves but the one image I can't get out of my head is one from the fabric area. There, curled up on rolls of fabric, was a little girl sleeping. She looked so peaceful amongst the chaos. There were so many people there! All pushing and pulling their way through. At some instances I became quite claustraphobic.

I purchased a humidifier for my room, some incense, a jacket, a traditional style dress that I intend to use as a housecoat as my favourite one now has another huge rip in it. It is more like a mumu on me, but comfortable and a great colour purple. Colin got a microwave for 50,000 t's, basically $50 dollars.

It was very cute today because my teaching partner, Doogie (doggy), thought I was upset with her, when I was not. She was worried and I told her not to. I buddied up some returning students with some new to the school and one parent seemed concerned as I had a boy and a girl together. "Oh, but he's a boy!" I said, no problem, I'll change it. She thought I was upset about that. Silly, silly girl. She's a great help to me and of course I will take any advice she has to offer.

One thing I have noticed here is how few accidents there are considering the way people drive. You can most certainly see many dents and dings in the cars driving and this is the one place I would say a jeep or SUV are necessary as the potholes are massive and the roads in very poor shape. We got picked up by a 20 year old man who has a 2 year old son. He was by far the most cautious driver I'd been in the car with in Mongolia!

It has been a fun last few days before school finally starts. We had a roof party on Saturday night to welcome all the rest of the teachers. Plus, it was Sue's birthday! Happy birthday Sue!

The next day we did a walking tour, hosted by the illustrious Dan. He just seems to know everything! We visited some amazing temples! The usual trend in Mongolia seems you pay to visit the temple and if you would like to take photos, it costs more than double the entry fee.

This is outside of the Gandantegchengling Monastery where the Dalai Llama lived in 1904 and it hosts a 20 meter gold and bronze statue of Janraisig, but we just called it the Buddah. It was stolen by the Russians in 1937 and its fate is still unknown. In 1996 a new one was placed in the exact spot and consecrated by the Dalai Lama. It is 26.5 meters tall and wights 20 tons. It was very humbling to stand near. It took up the entire building and was surrounded by prayer wheels that ran the entire perimeter of the building. I walked and spun and then knelt at the altar and clensed myself in the incense.

We then walked to another temple that was supposed to host a giant head of Stalin, or maybe Lenin. However, after much walking in the heat, the temple was giant-headless, but the most beautiful we'd seen thus far. It was filled with such amazing art. It had something everywhere you looked, including the ceiling! It was full of bronze statues, masks, and very intricate wood carvings.

As all the teachers are finally here, and classes start in a week, we had our first real staff meeting. Everyone is so very nice and helpful, it is going to be a great year! My classroom is finally starting to come together and my teaching partner is very knowledgeable.

After meeting with Doogie (pronounced doggie), Colin, Andrew and I went into town and bought a few groceries. It was very hot today and dusty. My teeth were covered by the time we got back. After walking around town for too long with a full back we decided to take a taxi home.

Tomorrow, Jack will take us back into town and I can get some fresh veggies. I also plan to make my largest purchase yet, a coffee maker! The resident repairman, Ganbold, is coming to look at my refridgerator, as it freezes any item I put in it.

Today I went into school and it appears my classroom is becoming more disorderly everyday! I am slowly trying to plow through all the papers and things left behind but feel the more I organize, the more chaotic it becomes. My TA and I have a lot of work to do!

Maureen and I decided to go into town early for the Quiz night. We tried to tell the taxi driver where we wanted to go but I believe he misunderstood and dropped us off in the wrong place. It was a very rainy, cold night and we were not really dressed weather appropriate. We managed to nestle ourselves at a little table inside Dave's Pub and talked for a bit. Once quiz night began we were all herded upstairs, outside. There we joined Terry and Laurie. The quiz consisted of 3 rounds of 15 questions and a world map we were required to name the country and capital of 20 countries. We came in last place with a grand total of 15.5 out of a possible 65! Yikes! Each player pays 1000 tugris to participate and the winning team gets the kitty at the end. Each week a different person hosts the game and comes up with the questions. I was the only person who knew what the O.J stood for in O.J. Simpson's name. I also happened to know what fugu was thanks to the last play I was in with the Penninsula Players group.

After freezing our cabooses off we decided to head home. My teeth were chattering and was grateful to come home to my camel hair blanket provided by the school. My fleece pants were also a welcoming sight! It has been difficult for me to stay warm today as I braved the communal shower today as well and it was less than warm water. At least my hair is clean!

Maureen trying to stay warm!

I finally have a screen up in my apartment and the fly population has definately dwindled. I can't help but wonder if with the coming cold they would have died off anyway. Tonight I am having another fitful sleep as there are many dogs out barking up a storm. From what I can tell the dogs are all outside dogs but still have families and are protective of their land. You never see anyone playing with or petting them, but if someone is walking there is usually a dog following closely behind.

I braved to go for a walk by myself this afternoon. Nearby there is a hotel and convience store. Outside the store was a man passed out on the lawn and two others standing near him. They shouted "Hey!" to me and I looked and smiled but went inside. The cashier was very helpful but I was a little nervous as the two men followed me inside asking me to be their "special friend" and laughing. I ignored them and went on my way. I have heard around us is not a particularly safe neighbourhood but as long as you are only out in the afternoon you are fine.

There is a 'black market' here where you can go buy items for a very good price. It is apparently huge and many of the teachers have gone with their TA's. Tomorrow is the day Jack takes us into town to buy supplies and I think some people have hopes of going there. I am unsure if I plan to go in. We'll see!

We all decided to go into town last night. The taxi driver knew the name of where we were going. "Irish Pub?" Yes! While we were there I noticed a young man sitting all by his lonesome and went to invite him to our table. He did speak English and was named Lesser. He was a young 20 year old who was on a 5 month long journey with a friend through Asia. He was a very nice young man and we exchanged email addresses. He was going through China and would end up in Thailand so I made him promise to keep in touch and let me know how things were going.

Earlier in the day I asked Laurie and Terry if their cat Aggie could come by for a visit. She did but did not want to stay in my apartment. Our visit was ending but my allergies were just beginning! I wound up all red faced and rather miserable. I still do hope that Aggie will come by again and maybe stay longer. It was nice just having her around.

I heard that Terry and Laurie were going into town for Quiz night at one of the pubs and I asked if I could tag along. I told them we would win!

We did manage to finally all get together and go into town yesterday. Poor Jack, he was visibly tired as everyone was. They are all working so hard to get the place ship shape and in working order. Dan gave him a beer and he seemed to perk up knowing that at the end of the trip he had something to look forward to. The traffic in town was crazy! I think we went during rush hour and were glad it was he and not us driving. Tina and I saw a man that we initally thought was hurt or sick, but as it turns out he was just too drunk to stand. The security guards had to collect him up off the mat of the market. On the plus side, I got some dehydrated tofu and sesame seeds. Also, after I had made dinner, people from the school came by and finally my phone is working! It took an electrician and some rewiring, but it's up and running! I do not recommend anyone call me as I have heard it costs something outrageous like 20 some odd cents a minute! It had better be an emergency!

For some reason there were some fireworks last night. Dan, Tina and I heard them and went running for the porch! I initially thought for some reason we were being bombed but was glad to see it was a much happier reason for the sound. We then went up to the roof. I was upset that I was only just learning that the roof was there and was as accesible as it was. We stayed up there for a bit and then went back to their place to have a beer. I needed one as I had not slept much and my allergies were bothering me so. Here are some candid pics of my new friends!

Classic! I'm sure they won't be pleased about these pictures, but I'll bet they'll get me back!

The wind was so fierce last night it worried me. I went outside and was herded back in by the security guards. I went back to my room and then returned to the area where the security guards were and stayed with them for a bit. I couldn't help but think the roof was going to come down around my ears! They laughed at me and my concerns so I, the docile little lamb I am, returned to my room and proceeded to sleep on the floor. Winds and thoughts of hurricanes ran through my head but I did sleep soundly for the first time in a week. Perhaps the sounds of the winds lulled me into the deep sleep I so desperately needed. I felt safe there on the floor between my closet and bed and to be honest, the floor is just the same as the bed here. Hard mattress!

Mom sent me an email about another woman from Hamilton who was here last year. I have a funny feeling I am taking over her classroom and the photo from the Spectator is remarkedly similar to a place I stood as well on my hike. This is only the second year of the school and to know I am trodding in such well defined footsteps means a lot to me.

Today was an interesting day, to say the least! I awoke early after a fitful night's sleep. The construction carried on outside my window until 2am! Then it was the dog's turn to disrupt me with their barking. The dogs here stay near their houses, or gers, but are not inside pets. Basically they roam free at night and bark and growl viciously at anyone who nears their property.

Deciding to head to school to get some serious work done I talked with the Principal, Mark (who I wrongly named Mike in my earlier posts). He wanted to know how I felt about switching to grade 3 instead of doing middle school. At first I was apprehensive, but once I got used to the idea became very excited. Another teacher arriving soon would prefer to teach my grade levels and I agreed to exchange. I will be the first to admit that I have very little experience in this area but have since discovered in my classroom lots of reference materials left behind by the last teacher. That definately helps to put my mind at ease.

Dan, Tina and I are off into town to get some supplies. My phone is still not working and I still have no hot water. The power goes out here every day for about 2 hours, why, I don't know. The flies are still everywhere!

Sunday Night, the 19th

I called home this morning to see how my dog, Farley, was. Thankfully Dan and Tina have the option to call on their laptop and it only costs 2 cents a minute! I talked with my mom as she is now back from her vacation out west. He seems to be okay and I miss him terribly. I have never traveled without him! I was thinking about it and you know how couples have their significant other? Well, he's my other.

Feeling decidedly blue the weather today definately matched my mood. I went for a hike in the rain. It doesn't look like much of a walk, but it was a hard hike! Very steep! I had to stop frequently probably due to the altitue adjustment. I wound up near the top and ran into a goat herder. We hung out together and I forgot already all the words he taught me.

We hung out in the rain and talked for a bit. He, not knowing any English and me not any Mongolian. The one word he did know in English was "teacher" and I could actually say "Yes, me." I have to admit, I love the photo he took of me!

I am feeling a little under the weather still. My chest is sore and I believe the cold I was cathing has moved there. I am taking good care of myself and otherwise my health is fine. Tomorrow marks the start of the school year to me. I will begin to get my classroom in order and am excited at the prospect of having one all to myself!

Good morning everyone! It's about 9:00 here Sunday morning and I"m very curious about how Farley is doing! My throat thing has now turned into a chest thing but I hope it will pass quickly! Yesterday and today were great! Dan, Tina and I went into town as it was rainy and we decided to bypass the hike. Today is rainy too, much more so than yesterday. Definately not a hiking day!

Yesterday we decided to forgo the hike and just went into town. I had no money left and after much ado finally managed to take some out from an ATM in the State Department. I then bought a North Face back pack for $26. What a deal. One of the things I'm going to have to do is stop thinking about how much things cost in Canadian dollars. If it costs 3000 tugriks, that basically means $3. Less than actually. We did some shopping, and I finally got a fancy can opener as they are not included in the kitchen appliances in my apartment. While we were sitting at a pub (drinking Chengis beer after a hot day of shopping) we ran into Terry and Laurie Olsen. We have since discovered that most of us are Cancers, of all things! Homebodies, we are, but home is where we are! They brought their cat, Aggie, who is sweet and wants to try to go out some, but once she sees there's not much out in the hall becomes disinterested. I also bought some fly strips and already have captured many! I was the lord of the flies with my dishtowel but that can get tiring. Terry bought some netting for the windows and will put it up today.

Dan and Tina invited me over for dinner and more and more it turns out Dan and I are twins!We had a wonderful dinner of curry and rice, potatoes and veggies. After dinner Terry. Laurie and a just arrived teacher from Indonesia named Maureen came by and we played Taboo. Those of you who know me know that I get excited and managed to guess and get guessed many words! It was fun!

I have decied at 10:00 I am going to harrass Dan and Tina as they have an internet phone that costs only about 2 cents a mintue just to see how my baby Farley is!

Well, the rest of today was very interesting. I babied myself all morning and had a nap. There was quite the dust storm and I'm hoping that is what is causing my throat, but my stomach isn't happy either. I was just hanging around when Dan and Tina came by and asked if I wanted to go for a walk. I, of course, said yes.

We walked to this monument near the school. We were trying to figure out what it commemorated. The most we could figure out from the pictures what that the cycle of peace and war is cyclical and comes full circle. After this we ran into an elderly gentleman who

is an artist and has children who are in acrobatic school. At the same monument there is also a man who handles an eagle. This eagle caused quite a stir as while the trainer was not looking a man came up and pretended he was going to take the eye cover off. Next thing we knew, the trainer came out of nowhere and started punching the man. We hightailed it out of there and one of the ever present security guards stepped in. We now know you don't touch the eagle. As you can see from the photo it is an extremely large bird.

After this excitement we decided to walk over to the giant golden Buddah statue. One thing you should know about Mongolia is that it stinks! There are feces most everywhere, two large factories near us spewing dark smoke, and garbage all over the place. There also are goats, dogs, and other animals roaming the streets. I saw a goat today eat a cigarette butt.

The statue was really neat to see. Aside from these sights we saw a man sleeping in a very strange place. We were unsure if he was alright but no one else around seemed to pay him any mind. On the way back to the school we checked to see if he was still there and he was gone. I very nearly was run over by a crazy driver, as all Mongolians seem to be, and we saw another man hanging out his car door doing what may have been vomiting. We realize what priviledges we enjoy compared to the rest of the country. The Mongolians work so hard it seems for many hours a day. We can't even begin to know what their life is like. We are so lucky simply to have been born in a different location and be able to offer them a service otherwise unavailable. Does or should that award me a special status? I can't help but feel guilty.

I am currently heating up large pots of water to try to warm my bath up enough to actually sit in it. Still many days with hot water ahead. Tomorrow Dan, Tina, and I plan on hiking up the mountain on the other side of us. Hopefully my stomach and throat will cooperate.

This is my apartment!

August 17/07

I woke up this morning to an overcast, windy day. The construction workers here seem to work around the clock. Last night at 10:30 the cranes were still going and someone was honking a horn for one minute straight, at least. I have a sore throat this morning and think it may be best for me to chill today. I should go to the school to get some pictures for my classroom. If I print off colour photos here they will take them into town and have them blown up for me.

I have discovered that Mongolia does not use daylight savings time so I'm really 12 hours ahead of those of you back at home. I'm still in the future though!

I have been slowly learning more about my upcoming school year. I believe classes begin on Sept. 2 and though I will be a home room teacher I will only have a total of 24 students. The staff is aware that this is my first teaching post and want to make sure I'm not overwhelmed. I will also be assisting with the ESL classes. I think the verdict was going to be in yesterday. The VP was all for me heading into town yesterday though in order to get more comfortable with my surroundings. As I'm sure you all read, I had a great day yesterday. I love those random days where you meet people and talk and share stories. We talked with Dan from Boston, as I have already mentioned, and a nice young man from Seoul, Korea.

A few new things have come to light recently, one being the fact that though we are equipped with washing machines there are no dryers. I just assumed that they hadn't arrived yet but then noticed two of my fellow teachers now have drying racks in their rooms. Another is that since the hot water won't be on for another two weeks the admin had set up a shower for the staff on the first floor of our apartment complex. It is a communal apartment that is shared by the work staff and I have heard it is not in the best of conditions. I will stick to my tepid dips in my own tub, thank you!

The artwork I purchased in the square yesterday.

I am officially out of money right now. I could go into town to get what Canadian money I have on me exchanged, plus, I have the rest of my advance coming. There are a few things I would like to get. I somehow forgot shampoo, my alarm clock, a hairbrush and have decided that I can either invest in a coffee maker or beging to buy instant.

The flies are copulating like mad in my apartment! I had to break up a couple of trysts, but the last thing I need is more flies in here!

Hi! I'm Cat and this is a memoir of my year traveling and working as a teacher in Mongolia. Ulaan Baatar is the capital city where I am currently employed as an international teacher. The capital holds nearly half the population of the country. Mongolia consists of two areas, basically inner and outer Mongolia. The capital is situated in what is considered the outer region. For those of you who don't know, Mongolia is sandwiched between Russia and China and to the south lies the Gobi desert. My teaching post is at a brand new school, in it's second year, called the American School of Ulaan Baatar.

Day 1 – August 14th/07

My flight was long but fairly uneventful. I flew for the first time on a Boeing 747 and was surprised at the size of it. The trip from Chicago to Beijing was long and my knees grew incredibly stiff. I did receive special treatment in my food though, and it was quite fresh and tasty. I lucked out on that long flight though as there was a young man in the aisle seat, me in the window and no one between us. I traded him and he offered me up a view outside once in a while. We traveled over what seemed to be the north pole, quite unexpected to me. I also seem to have gotten bitten by some bugs on that flight. What, I don’t know.

Ibasically lost consciousness on the final flight to Ulaan Baatar and missed all food and drink service. Upon my arrival in the terminal I was greeted by a poster of Nicole Kidman selling watches. In Beijing it was Jackie Chan for Visa. I can also vouch for the fact that there is a KFC in Beijing, as I saw someone with the bags. I was picked up at the baggage claim by a lovely woman whose name escapes me, and Jack, the school driver. There is basically one road that joins the capital with the airport and one road for the city as well. I have decided it is (hopefully) going to be difficult for me to get lost then. The roads in Mongolia seem to be in disrepair. There are also dogs that roam the area, much like Mexico. I was told the people here don’t really keep them as pets. My apartment is quite lovely, brand new really. It is right next to the school and also guarded. It was dark on my arrival so my only impressions thus far are my view, unattractive, and dogs barking in the night. I am exhausted. I was standing in line at the customs and wondering what that terrible smell was, and realized it was me!

I have also learned that there is no grade 10 class here. I was expecting to teach one, but I guess we’ll just see what happens!

Day 2 – August 15th

This morning is overcast and I have decidedly changed my opinion about the view. I have some construction initially that looks like condos but much larger in scale, though not attached to one another. I did see some lights in a few of the buildings last night and this morning I can now see some tents set up which must belong to the workers. Above that there is a rolling hill with sheep (I now know they are goats) grazing. They were right to tell us to bring our hiking shoes because I already want to explore. I can also see dogs running around and know Farley would just be too happy to say “see ya!” and go running too.

I woke up about 9:00 and looked at the provisions stocked for myself. There were two juice boxes of milk, one of which I drank last night and it tasted weird to me, but that was to be expected. There are eggs, cheese, yellow tea which tastes just like orange pekoe, a box of sugar cubes, a big tube of what I can only assume is meat, a few small apples, bread, butter, juice and jam. I have heard we are going out for lunch today and then on to meet the other teachers and staff at the school. The kitchen is sparsely outfitted and I will certainly need to get dish soap and other things. Everything about my apartment screams brand new and unused. I will most definitely change that! Most of the things still have price tags on them. It just has the effect of making my things all seem so dirty and used when I put them away. The bathroom is outfitted with a large tub that has a head rest built in and a toilet that reminds me of Italy. The toilet paper is like our paper towels and non-serrated so I have been having difficulty tearing it. There are no screens on the windows and the flies are coming in. I awoke to two of them harassing me. I’m sure it will get cold enough soon to kill them off and am not concerned as long as there are no spiders! The walls seem a bit thin in the apartment complex so I could hear some people last night while I was settling in. The woman who picked me up at the airport said I was a light packer! I also received an advance and hope today when we go to eat we will have the opportunity to shop for some supplies. I am still unsure about the water. It is supposed to be potable but it looks kind of brown to me. The sweetest thing was when I was shown to my apartment last night there was a rose on my bed with a welcome note.
Some of the teachers already have gotten a phone and I’m thinking it would be nice to have one as well for local calls and to use calling cards. My internet gets hooked up today, thank heavens! I am dying to tell people I am here safe and sound.

Day 3 – Thursday (I think)

I went for lunch with most of the new staff, the principal (Mike) and V.P (Frank). We went to a place called the American Grill. It was nice. I had the seafood soup and a caramelized walnut salad. After lunch we headed back to the school for a 2 hour orientation. During this time I discovered I will be one of the only teachers without a TA as my students will be the most developed in their English skills. I also learned that I may be teaching Drama. Initially the prospect scared me, but once I got used to the idea it actually excited me. I think I will have a ton of fun with the students.
I heard some facts about the school. This is actually only its second year in existence and from the sounds of things; discipline was an issue last year. The usual Mongolian teaching style is very strict and the students are not allowed much freedom. Once they come to the new school they have these grand ideas that it is an American school and it is so free.
I also learned that my school supplies will not arrive until mid-October! Yikes! Since I have no TA, I have no one to decorate my classroom for me! Another issue with me has been that the other teachers did not listen to Gary in regard to the amount of boxes and supplies we were allowed to ship. I am disappointed in that sense. I feel I am getting the short end of the stick but I am determined to prove myself resourceful and creative.
I am the only teacher who has never taught overseas. I told the principal I was a little green when it came to that but during his opening remarks he said that we are all green, including himself. He is a nice man who has taught all over the world and lived in Grimsby at one point, teaching at Beamsville High. So strange!
We wandered around the school for some time after that and everything seems in chaos. You can tell the staff is working very hard to get the place organized. The library is small but full on relevant books and resorces, the gym is fairly large, the pool not quite an Olympic size, and the building appears to be falling down around our ears. There are many cracks in the walls apparently due to shoddy Chinese construction.
During the second half of orientation I was fading fast. Mark scolded me for not taking the day off to adjust but I said I would power through to try to get myself on a better schedule. He said on the way home from lunch that technically I was not there yet, as I should have been sleeping. I am still waiting on my internet connection and a phone.
After the meeting we headed into town. I was beginning to feel a little frustrated as the people who wanted to come into town seemed to scatter and I was left standing around so I took off for a cigarette and when I got back they were saying “Oh, there you are!” I laughed at that. I can’t help but be reminded of traveling in Italy where we were constantly waiting for some one. I think that that is why my trip here went so smoothly. I only had me to account for.
“Cat?” “Here!” “Okay, then let’s go!”
Tina and Dan, a young married couple who teach and travel the world together, have been here for over a week so they have been greatly useful in that they already know all the ropes. So, Tina, Dan, Terry, Sue, and I all piled into the van and Jack drove us into town. We headed to the State Department, a 5 level department store, downtown Ulaan Baatar. I only wanted some dish cloths and a dish drying rack but I also bought a little lamp for my space. Then we headed to the Mercury, a supermarket to buy some staples. Next door was an open market where you could purchase fresh veggies and fruit. I am pretty set for now. I did forget to buy an alarm clock having forgotten mine in Canada, and I think I just may invest in a coffee maker. The vegetables are fantastic; fresh spinach straight out of the ground, kale, bok choy, zucchini, cucumbers, all different types of mushrooms, the most amazing garlic, fresh fennel, shallots. There isn’t much colour but good green, leafy veggies are always great.
We headed back to the apartments and I relaxed, cooked dinner, and managed to stay awake until 10. There are only two channels in English and they are crappy movie stations. One of the stations has I think either Global or Fox shows, so I watched “On the Lot” last night. I have finished my book and am without. I may just go see what’s up in the school’s library as yesterday on the tour I saw some English books. There was also an English-to-Mongolian dictionary.
I woke up this morning much too early! My door was banging because of a draft created by my open window so up at 6 I was. I think hiking just may be on my agenda today. There are a monument and a giant gold Buddah within walking distance and apparently on the other side of the mountain outside my window is a park with many hiking trails. We will see how I do today. I am still quite tired but I’m sure moving around and tiring myself out for tonight is a better idea than napping and staying up too late. It is a beautiful day and I’d like to have some photos to upload for everyone.

I have had a very interesting, random day. It was wonderful! I went to the school to take care of some paperwork and check out the library. Dan and Tina invited me into town with them and we went in about 1:00. Dan, Tina, Sue and I all went to this square which of course I have forgotten the name, but will fill it in later when I ask someone again. We bought some original water colour art. I got a painting of a temple with horsemen and an amazing sketch of Gengis Kahn (Chengis Khaan) on rice paper. I also purchased some postcards as I have had requests for Mongolian mail.

We then headed for Dave's Pub where we indulged in some local suds and fries. It was there we met Dan Johnston who is an American. He stayed with us for a few hours. Tina and Sue got ancy and wanted to go for a walk while the rest of us remained inert and drank another beer. Dan invited us to this so-called "freak show" that apparently happens every night. He mentioned sword swallowers and a naked break-dancer. I would have loved to have gone but my funds were, are, low. We decided since our stay here was long, we could go another day.

There were many wedding pictured being taken at the square and I managed to get my photo taken in front of one of the wedding cars.

After we bid Dan a fond adieu, telling him to enjoy the show that night and to have fun for me too, we made our way back to our apartment building. In Mongolia, many people who see you need a ride will stop and you offer them the same amount of money a taxi would cost. A nice man who worked at the electrical plant picked us up. We paid him about $3 Canadian, 3000 tugriks. All you need to do is stand on the road and look like your waving. Perhaps a taxi will stop, perhaps someone nice who would like to earn some extra money.

Tomorrow, I promise to see the gold Buddah statue and monument! I have drawn a bath and as we have no hot water for the next two weeks I am letting it sit until what I hope is swimming pool temperature.