Trans-Siberian Ballers

If you have ever done something so amazing, so cool, so different, then you know part of the feeling I felt for the majority of this past week.

If you have ever spent a significant amount of time just enjoying yourself, just being around friends, just being totally relaxed you, then you know the other part of that feeling.

My experiences on the Trans-Siberian Railroad and the stops in Beijing, P.R.C. and Ulaanbataar, Mongolia were without a doubt the coolest travel experience of my life. Between the amazing locales we visited (the Mongolian Steppe, the Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, Mongolian National Museum of History), to the awe-inspiring views (Yangtze River, Great Wall, Mongolian Nomadic Families on the Move), to the ways we past the time (Hearts, Spades, Reading {Atlas Shrugged does not disappoint}) and of course the food and drink (Mongolian Traditional Soup, wow!) The trip was everything you could ask of it.

When Middleburians (because I now hate the term Midd Kid) talk about their study abroad experiences this is the sort of trip they rave about. Now on to the good stuff. Lists!

The Good:
1) Beijing's Far East International Youth Hostel: great stay, cheap as all hell, right next to Tiananmen and a dope night market, and a major plus the hostel bar had free wifi and a great selection of free movies for screening, plus good cheap beer.
2) Yi Ningsen: Nate Evans if ya nasty. The boy is a baller and Beijing has brought that to light more than Middlebury could've. Can't wait to kick it with him down in the Hangzhou in a couple weeks.
3) Ayn Rand: So far "Atlas" is enjoyable, but a little bit too much of the sex talk, how about getting back to that famous story huh?
4) Nomad Tours: Gana, our tour guide? Balla. The Ger Camp? Balla. The Mongolian Horses? Balla. The Price? Balla.
5. The Trans-Siberian Railroad: Great way to see the sights of Mongolia and northern China as well as relax. I've always liked trains, the little engine that could, the metro-north with my Pops, the Amtrak with Jessiman, all great experiences, and despite the somewhat cramped conditions of the Trans-Siberian, the sleeper car was great and we met some really interesting people along the way.
6. Mongolia: Great Food, Fun People, Good Beer, Beautiful Women, only knock was the bars close wayyy too early.

The Bad:
1. Drunken MacDonald's: gotta stop that.
2. The Person who Stole my Camera in Beijing: Asshole
3. Beijing Taxi Drivers: If the Olympics are going to be a success, the Government has got to get these guys under control, 80 kuai for a 5 minute cab ride, I'm starting to think these are the guys that stole my camera...
4. Food Car on the train in China: Come on, you can put in a little more effort than that. I've realized Chinese people are the most apathetic people on the face of the planet. Not a good quality!

The Ugly:
1. My Beard: Still not capable of growing one. Damn
2. Mongolia's Drinking Problem: They get drunk and fall off walls (onto their heads, I might add) get in fights with each other and are generally ridiculous. Oh well, its where Genghis Khan is from, should I be suprised?
3. 14 hour standing room only return ticket from Beijing to Hangzhou: Dammit that was rough.

That's all for now! keep on keepin' on.