Mongolia

I guess seeing as I am spending so much time in Mongolia that I should write a few little bits about Mongolia. In case you are curious, here is some of the history (of Thomo and Mongolia, not the Great Khan - would that be UX XAAN?? < -- I will need to wait for one of my Mongolian speaking friends to adjudicate on that one).

Question: Thomo - why did you come to Mongolia?
Answer: To be honest, the offer from Khan Bank here was the first offer that came across my life right after saying "I will take the first money paying offer that turns up". It had nothing to do with the separation from my wife (the start of this year was not good).

Question: Was it a good move Thomo, coming to Mongolia that is?
Answer: Yep - best move I have made for many years ... and being paid cold hard cash rather than promises is nice too.

Question: Where does "Thomo" come from?
Answer: "Thomo" is a nickname that I have from Australia. For the origin of Thomo the Lost - look at the story of the Thompson name. "Thom", however, is also a Mongolia word meaning "big". Now, given that Thomo has a somewhat fulsome figure, shall we say, Thomo is an appropriate nickname in Mongolia. My predecessor had "Thomo" included on my business cards. It works. It doubly works in Mongolia.

Question: What is the worst thing about Mongolia?
Answer: As I have not lived through a winter here, I would have to say the driving. I will, of course, be happy to change this opinion around December or January.

Question: What is the best thing about Mongolia?
Answer: Undoubtedly the people. A warmer, more giving of themselves group I could never wish to meet.

OK, that covers some questions. Perhaps I will cover more in a future instalment. Let me say though, if you get a chance to travel to Mongolia, then take it.

Cheers, UX THOMO, the Lost BAATAR :-)

Drive for the Gap

"It might not be where you want to be now, but it will be eventually, so aim for the gap". These sage words about gaps in traffic were given to me by a friend in Indonesia many years ago.

Then, when in India, another friend noted that when an Indian buys a car, the first thing he does is check to make sure the horn is working - no horn, no buy car.

I think it was in Korea that we discovered that lateral vision was a positive impediment to good driving as really, what happened 15 degrees of straight ahead was all that mattered.

And then in the Lebanon, the taxi drivers there taught me that there are three colours of traffic lights - green, light green and dark green.

Mongolian driving is the culmination of all these traits. A combination of artful horn blowing, even if only as an after thought, coupled with a desire to fill any gap (causing more artful horn work) whilst ignoring anything behind and refusing to pay anything other than a brief passing regard to the traffic lights. The last place for artful horn blowing is at the traffic lights. If cars are not moving forward within 15 nano-seconds of the lights changing to green, the horns are off.

Having said that, the majority of bingles I have seen around UB (and been involved in, I have been here slightly over two months after all) have been pretty minor.

Great people though :-)

Dancing Trees and Pretty Girls

Well, more just dancing trees. I went into the woods today to the west of Ulaanbaatar, out in the countryside. My favourite Mongolian family took me for a drive again (we had done this the week before but in another direction). Where we ended up today was in a pine forest on the side of a hill with a large rock formation in it - Dhugan something or other. Hopefully one of my friends will see this and give me the full name. Added Later: They did, the place was Dugan Khad - trees, hills and some really pretty rocks. So, after eating salami and cheese on black bread, washed down with a Mongolian Mutton Soup and warm beer, I lay on my back to watch the trees move in the wind. With your head near the trunks it is wonderful watching them sway to the breeze.

"The trees are dancing", I told my Mongolian hosts. "See - she is swirling her hips trying to attract him". I then noted that "He is not a good dancer though. Look at how stiff his movement is ... and there, next to him, his girlfriend - she is jealous and her branches are locked to him and trying to hold him back!"

It was at that point that I passed a memory for my old mate Bob, I could see him laying and watching the trees dance. Try it sometime, watch the trees dance in the wind.

Changes in Mongolia

Things do not change often in Mongolia. This is something that I have seen over the past two months. However, when it is time for change in Mongolia, it just happens. Winter gave way to Spring overnight. One day the trees were bare, the next day that had leaves. The cool of spring gave way to summer. One day, 16 degrees Celsius, the next, 33.

Now, only three weeks later, the same trees have their flowers and seeds. Today walking around was pleasant in the 35 degree sunshine - but unpleasant when it came time to breathe as thousands (dare I say millions) of soft, feathery white seeds from the trees were carted across Ulaanbaatar on the breeze.

All or nothing. When it is time for a change in Mongolia, then it is a complete 100% change - an immediate change.

Presidential Inauguration

Today the ever suffering Baggy - my faithful translator, confidante and friend - took me to the inauguration of the new president of Mongolia. It was a period of much pomp and circumstance with units from most parts of the army. Luckily we managed to watch from Dave's Place - the bar - see elsewhere. We managed lunch as well as a parade, although I must admit I think Baggy felt a little uncomfortable eating at such an august occasion and in front of the old folks crowded into the bar area to watch from a slightly higher vantage point. The only really uncomfortable part of the day was the old Russian/Chinese style of marching. The goosestep still reminds one of too many bad things from the past.

The Mongolian units though were really well drilled and performed well. The band that played was excellent and a highlight for me was watching the band run, in step, half the length of the square at one point, instruments in hand. Thanks Baggy - this day I really enjoyed :-)

Iceman and SMS

When I worked in Seoul many years ago, one of the then NCR executives had a driver who had been nicknamed Iceman after one of the characters from Top Gun, essentially for his ability to drive a car like a fighter pilot through Seoul traffic.

One of the benefits of my work at the bank here in Mongolia is that a bank vehicle collects me in the morning and takes me home in the afternoon. One of my drivers I have nicknamed Iceman for his ability to negotiate Ulaanbaatar traffic that is moving at between 40 and 60 kilometres an hour whilst never dropping below 120 kilometres an hour himself. He manages this one handed in a manual vehicle (one handed because generally his other hand is holding his mobile phone).

Today it was capped off for me though as whilst travelling in the usual manner, he managed to receive, read and then reply to an SMS message - all the while missing the other cars and frequent pedestrians :???:

Bouncing in and out of Grey

Well, maybe blue. Yesterday evening - after feeling so terrific with the heat and the sun - a couple of pieces of my life's baggage leapt up and frustrated me. Bugger. Repeated again today so once again Thomo was sliding to melancholia. I am hopeful that a long chat with a good friend will restore the balance as I hate this feeling and it is so, well, un-Thomo-like.

Wonder if the friend will call?

Late Note - For the record, the friend called but was busy doing other things. Maybe tomorrow friend will have time for Thomo ... maybe Friday .... maybe one day.

Summer's Here - Yippee

Actually, I had a lot of trouble explaining the meaning of the word "yippee" to some Mongolian friends - perhaps I should not use that term :lol: Summer has finally arrived here in Ulaanbaatar with the temperature yesterday a nice warm 32 degrees Celsius (that is just short of hot for Americans reading this) and today the temperature is expected to make 36 degrees Celsius (hot for you Americans).

With the heat, of course, comes a change of dress and Ulaanbaatar now looks really quite pretty with leaves on the trees, grass that is green and bevies of good looking young ladies who have dropped their jeans and jumpers in favour of summery skirts and trousers.

Thomo's mood has similarly lightened and almost any trial is no trouble at the moment.

Thomo's Back With Us

The veil appears to have lifted and Thomo's mood has cheered - nothing to do with the fact that it's POETS Day (Piss Off Early Tomorrow's Saturday) and therefore the night of the three Bs (Beer, Barbeque and Bacchanalian pleasures).

Well alright, the 2 Bs :-(

I am hoping to clear some work this weekend (sad case), catch up on some figure painting (see the gallery in Thomo's Hole proper at http://thomo.coldie.net/gallery/) and play some more Rome Total War.

I think I can feel a vegetable soup coming on too :neutral:

As is said in Oz, avagoodweegend folks!

Sun is shining and the grey gets lighter

So the sun was shining today and it was nice and warm. The grey mood is getting lighter. Either the sun is doing the trick or the chilli and the garlic from the local Korean restaurants is a more powerful drug than previously thought. Also put paint to some ships today which may have helped too.

Train Travel, Visas and Related Matters

There will be a long tale updated to the Hole soon concerning Thomo's Train Trip on the Mongolian Express to Erlian in China and back. 60 hours I was away from Ulaanbaatar and 30 of those hours were spent either in a train or on a station waiting for a train. Thrill a minute ... not! Look out for it in the Hole. It'll be under the title "Nara ... I'm Bored!"

The reason for the train trip? My visa was not correct so I had to leave the country so that the government could formally invite me to return to the country to work here. Yep, I know but I had to leave the country to do it. Note: If you ever need to do this - do not listen to your office. Fly to Seoul instead! The article can be found under the title of "Nara ... I'm Bored!". Part Two is available as well!