My Summer Adventure in Mongolia #231

In this episode, I talk about my experience traveling to Mongolia during summer vacation. When you think of Mongolia, what comes to mind? Perhaps vast grasslands, horses galloping freely, or nomadic people living with their livestock. Mongolia is famous for its nomadic culture, where people move from place to place with their animals depending on the season.

There were three main reasons I chose to travel to Mongolia. First, there was a direct flight from Osaka’s Kansai International Airport to Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia’s capital, which only takes about 4 to 5 hours. I hadn’t been on a plane in a while, so this seemed like the perfect distance for my first international trip in a long time. Second, I was really interested in the nomadic culture. Having experienced a bit of the “digital nomad” lifestyle myself, I was curious to see how traditional nomads lived. Third, several people I know, especially Japanese friends, had recommended Mongolia as a great destination.

In the episode, I also share some general knowledge about Mongolia and what I personally experienced. For example, Mongolian is the official language, and it uses both the Cyrillic and traditional Mongolian scripts. I found out that Mongolian grammar is quite similar to Japanese, which makes it easier for Japanese speakers to learn. Additionally, I noticed that many Mongolians also speak Russian, English, and even Korean, which surprised me.

I also discuss practical aspects like currency and prices. The currency in Mongolia is the Tugrik, and I was pleased to find that credit cards are widely accepted, so I rarely needed to withdraw cash. Prices in Mongolia were comparable to Japan, which was surprising. For example, a 500ml bottle of water costs about the same as in Japan, and dining out wasn’t much cheaper either.

I participated in various activities during my trip, including living with a nomadic family for five days, attending the Reindeer Festival near a beautiful lake, horseback riding, and visiting a national park. Although I didn’t get the chance to visit the Gobi Desert, I learned that you can ride camels there.

Regarding safety, I traveled alone and felt quite safe throughout my trip. Even at night, I didn’t encounter any dangerous situations. The only culture shock I experienced was that people, including shop staff, rarely smiled. It’s a cultural difference I hadn’t expected, especially after visiting places like Hawaii, where friendliness and smiles are the norm.

Lastly, I talk about food. When staying with the nomadic family, I ate mostly mutton—twice a day, every day. Vegetables were scarce, and the only ones I had were potatoes and onions. This was quite challenging for me, as I’m not used to eating so much meat and usually eat a lot of vegetables. I’ll share more about traditional Mongolian cuisine and what young people eat in the next episode.

Thank you for listening, and I hope you tune in next time!