Travel to Ulaanbaatar

My trip would start with a very familiar Korean Air flight to Seoul from Seattle. I arrived at the airport with more then enough time to spare. One of my many signature "OCD" moves. Korean Air shares the lounge with Detla, which is one of the nicer lounges at SeaTac, and also very familiar. I relaxed with a beer and then again checked to make sure I still had my passport. Another of my many signature "OCD" moves (both the passport check as well as the beer drinking).

Korean Air uses the Apex Suites out of Seattle which are semi-private and fairly comfortable to sleep in. Probably my favorite business class product.

I enjoyed both the forward facing camera as well and the downward facing one during take off.

They have a nice amenity kit and if any of you have been a guest at my house you too probably have received one of these.

I then pulled out the menu to order my dinner and breakfast.

Yeah, looks the same as last time.

These flights would give me a chance to catch up on my movies as I would watch: Tomb Raider, Ready Player One, Solo, A Quite Place, and Fahrenheit 451. I have to ask..... When did film no longer serve as a platform for story telling but instead become nothing more then a poor attempt to dazzle me with special effects?

My first course was a lovely piece of seared ahi over a cucumber topped with creme fraiche, salmon roe, and an onion sprig. Paired with a nice Bordeaux. I'm not sure if the slippers got smaller or if my socks were thicker, either way they seemed a bit more snug, as did the pajamas.

I then enjoyed the Caprese Salad while I waited for Ready Play One to form some kind of story, I would be waiting for a very long time.

Next was an old favorite, Bibimbap. A Korean dish that you mix with rice and your desired amount of red pepper paste.

Followed by a cheese platter for dessert.

I then reclined the seat flat, grabbed my pillow and blanket, and got some sleep until breakfast on this ten hour flight.

Korean Air always seems to have very tight connections in Seoul. In fact a few times I've gotten off the plane to find a person waiting to rush me through transfers and then to my next gate. But to their credit I have only missed a single connection so far. No one was waiting for me but I did have to run to transfers and then run to my next gate. I arrived slightly sweating from the humidity just as they were boarding. Some might say I had plenty of time but I like to board early for my preflight cocktail.

After enjoying a short three and a half hour flight in Korean Air's Prestige Sleeper I arrived in the capital of Mongolia, Ulaanbaatar.

Over the years I have found two travel companies that I use for most of my trips. I recommend them because they are the only ones I have found that truly customize a trip just as you want, and for a reasonable price. Many other companies package various tours together making it hard for you to drop or add a day or attraction as you desire. ATR or Africa Travel Resource is one of them and the other is ATJ or Asia Transpacific Journeys, which I was using for this trip. They would have a great ground crew in Mongolia and took care of me right as I got off the plane. I was dreading going through immigration and then having to locate my bag and clear customs. Instead, once I got off the jetway a man was holding an "ATJ" sign. I told him I was with ATJ and he took me through a special door. He asked for my passport and handed it to an immigration officer. He then escorted me to the VIP arrival lounge saying that they would bring my passport later. He asked for my baggage claim tag and introduced me to my guide for this trip.

Around 20 minutes later he would return with both my stamped passport and my bag. In the meantime I caught up with my guide who would turn out to not only be amazing but also speak very good English. Plus she introduced me to my first local beer, Golden Gobi, which I quite liked. Thanks to ATJ for the VIP treatment on arrival.

We then headed to the Shangri-La where I instantly became a millionaire after converting some US dollars into Mongolian Togrogs.

I headed upstairs and my room had a nice view of the local amusement park.

It also had a very welcoming sight after the long 16 hour journey to get here.

But I wanted to make one last stop before bed and that was to unwind with a nightcap. Plus with the 15 hour time difference and a good sleep on the plane I was wide awake. They don't encourage tipping in Mongolia and the service seems to reflect this as it took forever to get a ₮13,000 beer.

I took a nice warm shower knowing that it would be my last one for the next few days. We would be flying out early in the morning to the north to begin the journey from the top of Mongolia to the bottom.