Thursday, 22nd October, 2015
- Day 51/298
- 17%
Upbeat encounters drag me out of the doldrums, as I start to master basic Mongolian.
Love in is the air
Kiwi drum & bass never gets old.
It’s another sunny day in UB.
At the hostel, I’ve been getting to know hostel mate Fabriccio a little better. A fellow adventurer from Italy, he’s also at a crossroads. He’s a gentle soul, super warm and supportive. His awesomeness is cutting through the murk and I’m feeling noticeably sunnier on the inside.
Fabriccio’s passion is meditation and he recommends heading to the local Buddhist centre for brunch. I decide to leave my electronics in the hostel locker and go analog for the rest of the day.
The restaurant is nearly empty, so I sit near a window and enjoy a delicious brunch of vegan dumplings and sauces. Just what the doctor ordered.
Getting to my Mongolian class afterwards is harder than expected.
I have no natural compass and it becomes clear that I’m far more dependent on my GPS than I realised.
Peace Avenue is the main drag through town. Nom-Ekhe is in a side street off of this. I’ve been there before and it should be easy to find.. but it isn’t.
I get completely lost within four blocks of my destination and am half an hour late for my class. In my defence, they are big blocks!
The class turns into a double whammy, with the second part featuring four friendly Germans, who are here teaching German (I think) to Mongolian school children.
After personally struggling with German grammar for many years, it is a relief to see young Germans struggling to learn Mongolian. Regardless, lots of smiles and good vibes are had, and I feel that my confidence with Mongolian is growing. On the way home I visit the local dairy and can finally ask for a bottle of water, without looking like a fool yet again.
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Kiwi drum & bass never gets old.
Back at the hostel, I chat to the hostel owners about my upcoming tour. They are also in good spirits and there’s a lot of love going around. I’m feeling better than I have for the past few days.
I retire to my room and put my headphones on, soon nodding to the upbeat energy of Shapeshifter (opens new window). Kiwi drum & bass never gets old 🙂