A Quick Note If You’re Thinking About Traveling to Mongolia

the note:

DO YOUR PLANNING, ESPECIALLY DURING THE NAADAM HOLIDAY

two things prompted this short entry:

• i was told the hostel i’m staying at could get Naadam tickets for me, Naadam being the main reason i came to Mongolia…but they’re having trouble securing them. i was told to contact local agencies, so i sent out about six emails last night. only two had a ticket available. one wanted $75, one told me to call. i called this morning and was able to get tickets to Friday’s games (one ticket for the morning, one for the afternoon). thank you Anna from Mongol Khaan travel! PHEW! moral of the story: get confirmation you have tickets (or anything you for sure want to do) before you come.
  

  Score! Managed to find agency selling Naadam tickets for $27 for Friday. One guy wanted $75! Ha!!! (Face value $8) pic.twitter.com/ozMmYCSDjS

  — Jonathan Khoo (@jonk) July 9, 2013

• the doors in this hostel are pretty thin, so this morning i overheard someone being told the bad news that he was given the room next door to mine by accident, as the hostel was actually full. Naadam season must see a great swell in tourist numbers, so be sure you plan ahead and secure your living arrangements! no backpacker “i’ll find something when i get there” mentality on this one, ok y’all?

p.s. as with anything, all the planning in the world can’t prepare you for great surprises, like what i saw today in Sükhbaatar Square — schoolkids practicing dance moves and something being set up in front of the Genghis Khan (Chinggis Khaan in Mongolian, btw) statue. i have it on good authority (via local IG friend 10gis) it’s because the president will be sworn in tomorrow!

(original instagram video)