Anybody here been to Mongolia?

[Squatch]

After Sept's Outside Magazine, I think it's going to move high on my list of places to visit.

[On the Road]

1. I've Been Close

-- Heilong-Jiang province in northeastern China. Flat, cold d industrial region. Cattle and wheat farming.

Mongolia has more rugged terrain and is more remote. I agree with you -- it would be a fantastic trip.

If you really want to go, don't be put off by the high air fares. Try finding a Chinese travel agent in the local Chinatown or a free paper in Asian stores -- they can sometimes save huge amounts on a ticket. Or else you can fly to Beijing and take a train.

And that Outdoor Magazine looks like a great source of ideas. I hadn't really seen it before.

[Squatch]

2. Correction...Outside Magazine...

It had an article about fly fishing for Taimen on the Uur River in N Central Mongolia.

The country looks pristine.

[On the Road]

3. Sorry...OUTSIDE Magazine

The fly-fishing trip sounds wonderful. The place I was was pretty industrial and it was winter. But you could still get a feel for the countryside from the open areas.

I never used to even think about traveling to Asia -- that trip was the only time -- but it's become much more afforable. From the West coast you could probably fly to Beijing for $5-600 offseason, and once you get there, everything's dirt cheap. For me, part of the obstacle was mental, not financial.

[Squatch]

4. Yeah, I think I'd have a pretty good time catching these:

[On the Road]

7. Nice!

[NewJeffCT]

5. agreed on the Chinese travel agents

Just make sure you don't get one that has 100s of people having reported it to the BBB.

My wife & I and our then 18 month old daughter went to China last year: Round trip airfare from the US; 8 nights in good hotels; 2 meals per day and a 7 day tour that included the Great Wall, Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven and much more; 1 domestic flight within China and buses between other sites was like $2,300 total.

[On the Road]

6. My Girlfriend Took an Insane Mulit-Leg Trip Last Winter

DC-Hong Kong-Harbin-Tokyo-Honolulu-DC. Partly to go to a scientific conference, partly to see her family.

The whole thing cost a little over $1000. I couldn't find a simple round-trip on any internet site (and I tried dozens of them) for less than $1,800.