As of tomorrow morning, I will be unreachable for at least 10 days... there is no internet access in the Gobi. :)

The day I arrived here in UB, the really sweet owner of my guesthouse, Nassan, asked if I was interested in doing a tour. I had been hoping to go to the Gobi Desert but I figured I'd have to make do with where ever the people I found to rent a jeep with were going. Luckily for me, there were two guys waiting for a few more people to head towards to Gobi. We then acquired two more passengers yesterday, so we're all set to go tomorrow. For $17 a day, we are fed, driven, and housed. Not too shabby!!

THe crew went food shopping for things to break up the monotony of mutton, potatoes, and cabbage. I bought abotu $22 worth of food- loads of salty and sweet stuff to change things up. Ritz crackers, peach tea, and loads of noodles are going to get me through foodwise. Oh and WetWipes... no showers are to be had for 10 days.... I will be ripe as tripe by the time I return to good old UB.

As a random observation from the last three days, I've felt like Ulan Bator feels like what I would expect Russia to look like, with big drab concrete block buildings. If you closed your eyes, you'd think you were in Russia from the language, but then the people speaking it are Asian in appearance. It's all very confusing.

I was also relieved to get an email from GLOOOORIA telling me that two out my three packages had arrived in Long Island. WHEW. I am much calmer now because one had some photo cds and the other had some shopping, and my sister's really expensive bra in it . Does it make ANY sense that the one from China took only 5 weeks, while the one from Australia took 13?? Go figure. And the Chinese one was cheaper. Now I just have to track down that print I bought at a Aboriginal art center....

Anywho, I need to go pack for the desert. I'll update on my return.