Sunday, August 05, 2007

Mongolia - coming to an end for us

The last day was a wrap up option and it was a fun end; the NEMA did a superb job but the 'exit' ceremony was very involved. All 177 odd delegates were asked to come up and be presented with a photo, a certificate and a medal. Good idea with very enthusiastic clapping and cheering for the first ten but once it became obvious that it was to go on for another 167 more times, the clapping and cheering all but ceased.

Me and the Swedes all then walked back to the hotel and the a large gang all agreed to meet up at 19:30. I got freshened up, changed and went down with S to the Casablanca bar. A large crowd was there and beers all round. Then it was inside for more food and more beer.

One by one peeps disappeared off until there was me, Thomas and Peter (SRSA) and an annoying Kiwi who was not attending the conference but decided to tag along with us; un-invited. The time was already 2:30am in the morning and it was really time to go.

Emerging from the hotel I met up with Matt who was also bleary-eyed like me. He was returning from another bar. Matt and his team got on very well with me and S. As we were going off to our separate rooms, we agreed to meet up for breakfast and plan on what we wanted to do for tomorrow. He and his team were not leaving for Singapore until 15:30 so wanted to do 'something' around Ulaanbataar.

Morning came and I emerged from the bed and wandered down to breakfast. I was starving and had a hangover too. No matter, I drank copious amounts of beer the night before - it was to be expected.

The morning was spent wandering around UB and we took in the magnificient temple NW of the city. Very nice though it was illegal for pictures to be taken....I took two, got caught - deleted one picture and left. Naughty me.

We had lunch, did some shopping and S and I booked a day trip to Terenji National park. Matt and his mates then bid us farewell and left us for their trip home. We were now alone, being the first ones to arrive and now the last ones to leave.

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