Richfield Hotel

I might not be staying in the most fashionable hotel in town but I'm getting quite fond of it.

It's not perfect - the phone in my room which allows me to make free international calls does not always work. Extremely frustrating when it crashes half way through a chat with my wife who is 4,500 miles and 8 days away and it wont start working again! I can't stay in the shower too long otherwise it floods the bathroom floor. Upon arrival in my jet-lagged daze I didn't realise the shower tray was over-flowing and the bathroom floor gradually filling up. Didn't realise it was a great problem till 2 hours later when I got a call from reception, "Sir, is your bathroom ok?" Hmmm...

But every time I return to the hotel the receptionist is waiting behind the desk holding out my room key for me and both receptionists and the security guard greet me warmly. Now this might just be because there are not too many guests currently staying or because I look slightly different to everyone else but whatever it is, it certainly makes you feel welcome!


It's funny what you find interesting when in a foreign country. Normal every day sights become exciting new experiences and you see things slightly differently from those who call this home. The hotel I'm staying in is surrounded by large soviet-style housing blocks past which I walk on the way back and forth to the office. Now these are definitely not the most interesting things to see in Mongolia but for some reason they caught my interest and I stopped to take some photos. Whilst doing this earlier today, one of the staff from the ADRA office came up behind me laughing and exclaiming, "Why are you taking pictures of these buildings!?" She went on to explain they are just normal and not interesting to photograph. Feeling more than a little stupid and without wanting to sound like some geeky building spotter I tried explaining that they were in fact not that normal to someone from the UK but I don't think I convinced her. She walked with me down the road for a bit but I waited till she jumped on her bus before getting my camera out again!

The past few days have been spent in the main ADRA office here in Ulaanbaatar - it's been a good and productive few days but it's tomorrow that I'm really looking forward to. Two of the project staff and I will be catching a flight out to Zavkhan in the West of the country. Located on the border with Russia, the provincial capital of Uliastai is surrounded by mountains and is one of the most remote towns in Mongolia. Although we'll only be there till Saturday visiting the project and those involved, it should be a great experience with all the snow and cold weather! I have no idea where we will be staying but if my previous field trip in Mongolia is anything to go by then I'm preparing for something basic!