Hong Kong - Beijing - Ulaan Bataar: A Saga
Dec 23, 1999, 11:27 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: UK
Programs: reformed ex basic Member
Posts: 3,148
Hong Kong - Beijing - Ulaan Bataar: A Saga
A short summary of a leisure trip - the drama is at the end if you want to skip the first part...
Hong Kong to Beijing
My first time to PEK, and I can now tell you that going into this airport is much easier than getting out. Took Dragonair KA609 on a Friday night, a simple service, rather like a no-frills CX really. Fortunately I was assigned bulkhead seat as the layout perhaps does not favour large westerners.
PEK is in midst of a rebuild, and hence we had a long walk through and a significant wait at re-claim, but not worse than expected really. Most of my fellow passengers were returning from shopping trips to Taipei, judging my the amount of whiteware in the conveyor belt. Anyhow, I'd got some Yuan in cash before leaving HKG, so soon dashed out (no customs to speak of) and joined the taxi line. Fortunately, had the hotel name written in Mandarin, as was not staying at a big chain. If you are going to China, there is no longer any need to go on a tour group, and independent travel is quite easy, if you have your destination written down. All common sense really. Anyhow, soon roaring down the Airport Expressway into the city.
I'll summarise the tourist bits, and keep to travel details and tips, but needless to say the next morning i was back at the airport to collect my parents (novice flyers) who had just completed their first transcontinental flight from Stansted, via Frankfurt on LH. They had never been to Asia before and were pleased I had come to meet them. Mum is a very nervous flyer, and Dad, well he complained that she kept him awake.
Beijing to Ulaan Bataar
Three days later after a number of excellent self guided days (thanks to Lonely Planet - our Great Wall day was wild and remote.. not a Tshirt seller in sight) and we were back at the airport fighting our way to check-in for the next leg, with Air China to Ulaan Bataar, Mongolia. This was to be the main destination of the trip. If you are travelling out of PEK - it's simple get there very early, wether elite level, first or business class or not.The traffic into the terminal is appalling (we walked up from arrivals level in the end) All the international check-in counters are squeezed into a small area, to get to which everyone must pass full luggage security and have already paid departure tax at a seperate counter. Having arrived 2 hours beforehad, we got to the gate 10 minutes before it closed, as was a bus transfer to the plane as well.
Air China CA902.. not sure about the safety record, but it most definitely isn't China Airlines (a taiwanese carrier). Mum had head about the recent HKG inverted landing, and it look some time to convince her of the difference between the two carriers.
A simple fllight anyway, a 737 and only 30 people on-board. Snack meal, read my book and looked out at the Gobi desert below.
Ulaan Bataar airport has now got proper gates ! A recent Japanese development project I heard. A delight, really small airport terminal, in a wide empty flat plain of grassland. Fantastic. We had our visas in advance, and within 20 minutes were in alocal taxi en-route to the city.
Mongolia is a beautiful country, I ind it hard to describe in this medium - so I suggest you go to www.nomadicjourneys.com for more info. These were the people who organised the yak trek my parents were going on. I spent two days with them, we slept in the traditional ger tents, ate great food, hiked and drank gallons of local vodka. I had only a week's vacation, so I left the group in the wilderness and returned with a jeep to UB. This is where the moral of the story begins..
The drama - leaving Mongolia
Next morning, got up early, got to airport, checked in for my flight to PEK and on to Shanghai, paid departure tax, cleared security and got to immigration.
'NO VISA' said the guard. I corrected him and pointed out my Monglian Visa. 'NO EXIT VISA' said guard. How was I to know, this visa was written in Cyrillic/Russian ! I also showed him the accompanying letter received from Mongolian Consul in HK, which stated that 'visitors staying less than 14 days do not require an exit visa'. A rule it seems not communicated to the airport staff. My passport was confiscated and I was held in a holding room until the flight had departed. This I assumed was incase i tried to make a bolt for the aeroplane. My offer to pay my fine on the spot was refused. Now to put this in context, this was on a Friday, the next departure was on Tuesday. I should have been in Bangkok on a trip by then.
I was taken back to AirChina desk, where my luggage had been found (thankfully) and off-loaded. It seems this happens on a weekly basis. The agent was not that interested in my case, but perhaps I can put that down to language barrier. She told me to go to Air China office that afternoon (it was already noon). A quick look at the Lonely Planet confirmed that the government dept which issued visas was not open in afternoons, and would be closed until Monday.
This is when i felt the most stranded, ever. Travelling alone, in a remote country, low on cash, no exit visa, no plan. My contacts, and family were out in the forests, some 2 days drive away.
Oh well. Better give it a shot, nothing else to do. I flagged down a passing car and got a ride to the government offices. Walked in, knocked on all the doors, found no-one. The guard gestered that after 2 they would return from lunch. So I dragged myself into a snack bar, and began to pull my thoughts together.
I pulled out a pen and paper and wrote 'I need emergency visa' in english, with the cyrillic for key words (again thanks guide book) and went back to the offices, showing it to everyone I came across. Third person struck lucky, she smiled and scuttled off, returning in 20 minutes with an english speaker.
He explained he was very busy and may be able to help. So out came the story and he took my papers, to return an hour later explaining that i needed special circumstances for an emergency exit visa, and did not meet those criteria at that time.
Not a good moment. I asked if there was anything else I could do. 'GO TO EMBASSY' he said. So I took his word for it and began to walk, but he stopped me, picked up phone and we called.
The ambassador herself answered (as all the staff were out). An honour, and I am really grateful, for within half an hour she sent over a letter requesting that 'her brittanic majesty would be very grateful if her loyal subject were to be issued with an emergency visa' (i kept my views on the monarchy quiet)
Eventually, sometime later I was on the street visa in hand (less $40 for the privelege) and ran across town to the Air China office (backpack held me down a little).
'SORRY NO FLIGHT - next week is full' Great. They gave me a phone..'try MIAT' (Mongolian Airlines). 'Yes MIAT has one seat tomorrow to Osaka - come to our office, we close in 10 minutes'.
Back onto the street, with $10 cash in my hand, flagged down a car in minutes. I paid way over the going rate but this was an emergency. The careful lady driver saw the tension in my eyes, and zoomed off into town.
Got to MIAT office, closed. Banged on door, and was admitted by gun-toting guard, to find the counter mobbed by locals. I stood on my backpack, head rising above the crowd and shouted for help ! It worked, and thankfully they accepted credit card without much dramaI was able to pay the $1,400 for the ticket.
So got back to airport next day, got there very early, breezed through immigration, but didn't relax until the plane left (OM903). MIAT ? Are you kidding ?
We were delayed a few hours, nothing serious, just a few learning curve issues for the mechanics, as this was the airlines' only Airbus (thankfully - the soviet era jets were parked neatly in a decomposing row)
I was still anxious, as my exit visa was only valid for 24 hours from issue.
However, made it to Osaka, and the rest was an absolute breeze. Spent the afternoon in the JAS lounge, midning my own business, having the first hot shower in a few days (we were camping remember) and then slept on JD239 back to HKG, vowing never to complain about a little delay again.
Well, hope you enjoyed that, any questions about the locations or places to visit, please email me. Thanks
[This message has been edited by GK (edited 12-23-1999).]
Hong Kong to Beijing
My first time to PEK, and I can now tell you that going into this airport is much easier than getting out. Took Dragonair KA609 on a Friday night, a simple service, rather like a no-frills CX really. Fortunately I was assigned bulkhead seat as the layout perhaps does not favour large westerners.
PEK is in midst of a rebuild, and hence we had a long walk through and a significant wait at re-claim, but not worse than expected really. Most of my fellow passengers were returning from shopping trips to Taipei, judging my the amount of whiteware in the conveyor belt. Anyhow, I'd got some Yuan in cash before leaving HKG, so soon dashed out (no customs to speak of) and joined the taxi line. Fortunately, had the hotel name written in Mandarin, as was not staying at a big chain. If you are going to China, there is no longer any need to go on a tour group, and independent travel is quite easy, if you have your destination written down. All common sense really. Anyhow, soon roaring down the Airport Expressway into the city.
I'll summarise the tourist bits, and keep to travel details and tips, but needless to say the next morning i was back at the airport to collect my parents (novice flyers) who had just completed their first transcontinental flight from Stansted, via Frankfurt on LH. They had never been to Asia before and were pleased I had come to meet them. Mum is a very nervous flyer, and Dad, well he complained that she kept him awake.
Beijing to Ulaan Bataar
Three days later after a number of excellent self guided days (thanks to Lonely Planet - our Great Wall day was wild and remote.. not a Tshirt seller in sight) and we were back at the airport fighting our way to check-in for the next leg, with Air China to Ulaan Bataar, Mongolia. This was to be the main destination of the trip. If you are travelling out of PEK - it's simple get there very early, wether elite level, first or business class or not.The traffic into the terminal is appalling (we walked up from arrivals level in the end) All the international check-in counters are squeezed into a small area, to get to which everyone must pass full luggage security and have already paid departure tax at a seperate counter. Having arrived 2 hours beforehad, we got to the gate 10 minutes before it closed, as was a bus transfer to the plane as well.
Air China CA902.. not sure about the safety record, but it most definitely isn't China Airlines (a taiwanese carrier). Mum had head about the recent HKG inverted landing, and it look some time to convince her of the difference between the two carriers.
A simple fllight anyway, a 737 and only 30 people on-board. Snack meal, read my book and looked out at the Gobi desert below.
Ulaan Bataar airport has now got proper gates ! A recent Japanese development project I heard. A delight, really small airport terminal, in a wide empty flat plain of grassland. Fantastic. We had our visas in advance, and within 20 minutes were in alocal taxi en-route to the city.
Mongolia is a beautiful country, I ind it hard to describe in this medium - so I suggest you go to www.nomadicjourneys.com for more info. These were the people who organised the yak trek my parents were going on. I spent two days with them, we slept in the traditional ger tents, ate great food, hiked and drank gallons of local vodka. I had only a week's vacation, so I left the group in the wilderness and returned with a jeep to UB. This is where the moral of the story begins..
The drama - leaving Mongolia
Next morning, got up early, got to airport, checked in for my flight to PEK and on to Shanghai, paid departure tax, cleared security and got to immigration.
'NO VISA' said the guard. I corrected him and pointed out my Monglian Visa. 'NO EXIT VISA' said guard. How was I to know, this visa was written in Cyrillic/Russian ! I also showed him the accompanying letter received from Mongolian Consul in HK, which stated that 'visitors staying less than 14 days do not require an exit visa'. A rule it seems not communicated to the airport staff. My passport was confiscated and I was held in a holding room until the flight had departed. This I assumed was incase i tried to make a bolt for the aeroplane. My offer to pay my fine on the spot was refused. Now to put this in context, this was on a Friday, the next departure was on Tuesday. I should have been in Bangkok on a trip by then.
I was taken back to AirChina desk, where my luggage had been found (thankfully) and off-loaded. It seems this happens on a weekly basis. The agent was not that interested in my case, but perhaps I can put that down to language barrier. She told me to go to Air China office that afternoon (it was already noon). A quick look at the Lonely Planet confirmed that the government dept which issued visas was not open in afternoons, and would be closed until Monday.
This is when i felt the most stranded, ever. Travelling alone, in a remote country, low on cash, no exit visa, no plan. My contacts, and family were out in the forests, some 2 days drive away.
Oh well. Better give it a shot, nothing else to do. I flagged down a passing car and got a ride to the government offices. Walked in, knocked on all the doors, found no-one. The guard gestered that after 2 they would return from lunch. So I dragged myself into a snack bar, and began to pull my thoughts together.
I pulled out a pen and paper and wrote 'I need emergency visa' in english, with the cyrillic for key words (again thanks guide book) and went back to the offices, showing it to everyone I came across. Third person struck lucky, she smiled and scuttled off, returning in 20 minutes with an english speaker.
He explained he was very busy and may be able to help. So out came the story and he took my papers, to return an hour later explaining that i needed special circumstances for an emergency exit visa, and did not meet those criteria at that time.
Not a good moment. I asked if there was anything else I could do. 'GO TO EMBASSY' he said. So I took his word for it and began to walk, but he stopped me, picked up phone and we called.
The ambassador herself answered (as all the staff were out). An honour, and I am really grateful, for within half an hour she sent over a letter requesting that 'her brittanic majesty would be very grateful if her loyal subject were to be issued with an emergency visa' (i kept my views on the monarchy quiet)
Eventually, sometime later I was on the street visa in hand (less $40 for the privelege) and ran across town to the Air China office (backpack held me down a little).
'SORRY NO FLIGHT - next week is full' Great. They gave me a phone..'try MIAT' (Mongolian Airlines). 'Yes MIAT has one seat tomorrow to Osaka - come to our office, we close in 10 minutes'.
Back onto the street, with $10 cash in my hand, flagged down a car in minutes. I paid way over the going rate but this was an emergency. The careful lady driver saw the tension in my eyes, and zoomed off into town.
Got to MIAT office, closed. Banged on door, and was admitted by gun-toting guard, to find the counter mobbed by locals. I stood on my backpack, head rising above the crowd and shouted for help ! It worked, and thankfully they accepted credit card without much dramaI was able to pay the $1,400 for the ticket.
So got back to airport next day, got there very early, breezed through immigration, but didn't relax until the plane left (OM903). MIAT ? Are you kidding ?
We were delayed a few hours, nothing serious, just a few learning curve issues for the mechanics, as this was the airlines' only Airbus (thankfully - the soviet era jets were parked neatly in a decomposing row)
I was still anxious, as my exit visa was only valid for 24 hours from issue.
However, made it to Osaka, and the rest was an absolute breeze. Spent the afternoon in the JAS lounge, midning my own business, having the first hot shower in a few days (we were camping remember) and then slept on JD239 back to HKG, vowing never to complain about a little delay again.
Well, hope you enjoyed that, any questions about the locations or places to visit, please email me. Thanks
[This message has been edited by GK (edited 12-23-1999).]
Dec 23, 1999, 2:17 pm
#3
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Join Date: May 1998
Location: NYC
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Posts: 14,636
wow. it read like an adventure novel. 
How are your parents getting out of Mongolia? Do they have their exit visas?
[This message has been edited by seawolf (edited 12-23-1999).]
How are your parents getting out of Mongolia? Do they have their exit visas?[This message has been edited by seawolf (edited 12-23-1999).]
Dec 24, 1999, 5:36 pm
#7
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Join Date: May 1998
Location: The shape-shifting urban sprawl that is El Lay. FT member #71.
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Posts: 4,690
There is a book called "Bad Trips", with short travel horror stories. GK needs to submit his to the editor for the next edition.
Up until I read this, Mongolia was on my short list of places to visit.
Up until I read this, Mongolia was on my short list of places to visit.
Dec 26, 1999, 5:20 pm
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: UK
Programs: reformed ex basic Member
Posts: 3,148
Don't get me wrong, I loved Mongolia, and I am sure if you have the right visa..it works out fine. My parents got theirs in London, and actually left the country on the overnight train into Beijing. They had an excellent time and are planning to return to visit other regions of the country. So go now while it is still an adventure.
[This message has been edited by GK (edited 12-26-1999).]
[This message has been edited by GK (edited 12-26-1999).]