Further Expenses in Mongolia

Of course, I neglected to mention that whilst I was being burgled twice last week, I also managed to break my spectacles. If you have a look at this link in Thomo's Hole you'll see an article on getting a new pair of spectacles in a country where you do not read the language. Well, same thing happened here, with Baggy my translator and Thomo heading off to the optometrist.In two weeks I should have my new specs (add another $300 to the losses this week and yes, I am getting desperate for pay day to roll around again).

Naturally, five hours after visiting the optometrist, I was in Dave's Place (best little bar in Ulaanbaatar by the way) imbibing the odd pint of X to ease pain at having to spend so much on specs when I met the English optometrist in Ulaanbaatar. Turns out his office is near the bank Head Office building.

Oh well, next time I shall get to him.

Cheers, Thomo the Lost
Visit Thomo's Hole at
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Currently in Ulaan Baatar
"You are perfect ... but you are fat!"

Thomo gets Burgled .... Bloody TWICE!!

Last Friday I moved house. I moved out of the hotel and into an apartment. Apartment is good, new, has 24x7 security. Because of functions on Friday afternoon and night, I grabbed my bags in the afternoon, and my laptop, and moved them into the apartment. Left them overnight (came back and slept) and unpacked everything in the morning. The office mobile phone, which I was not using because mine is better, was left here along with battery chargers for both phones, phone pouch for my good phone and the rest of my cables and such. I went into the office with the good phone and the laptop. That was about 11:00 am (I had gone to the office and had to come back as I had left my glasses here).

Saturday afternoon and most of Sunday I was about with a mate here. Monday morning I got up for work and could not find the mobile phone. Hmm, thinks Thomo, I must have left it in the office with the move and everything. Went to the office and could not find it. Checked thoroughly through the apartment, could not find it. Could not find the charger for either that phone or my phone or indeed the belt pouch for my phone.

One Month in Mongolia

Today marks day number 30 in Mongolia, and as I arrived in April, this means that I have now been in Ulaanbaatar for one calander month. What have I discovered in that time? A lot really. There is a fair population mix between the poor and the well off. Mind you, the salary levels are not that high for the middle classes for example, but rather that they just have a job. There are a number of people in Ulaanbaatar who are in from the countryside, finding it impossible to make a living in the countryside they have descended on the city. However, that just means that there are less jobs around in the city as well.

I have a picture of some locals stealing coal from one of the trains at Ulaanbaatar station.  This is an ongoing problem. Not just coal from the trains either but it could be cables (any sort) for scrap value or rolling the odd foreigner on the grounds that we must be rich. Allowing for that though, the Mongolians are a warm and friendly bunch and nothing has been too much trouble, especially those I work with.

Food is good (lots of Korean Restaurants) with a good mix of western style or western fusion as well. Dave's Place does an English Breakfast all day so on those days when something familiar is needed, Dave's is the place to go.