2022.12.13 – Going home

BUD --> (IST -->) UBN

So we got up at 5 am after roughly 3 and a half hours of sleep. Closed all suitcases, ate the last bits of food (two pieces of mooncake), and left at 5.30. It was supposed to be our usual guide driving us to the airport but, apparently, she sent her brother or something, a nice enough guy I guess (he was quiet the whole way). He drove us to the airport fairly quickly (this city is still so huge) with no traffic on the roads (an unusual sight here!).

There, we had our suitcases wrapped, checked them in, and then went to the Business Lounge. It was the diplomat guy who suggested we try it. It costs 90k mnt per person but it gives fairly good service (and a private security check and border control too, so there’s less hassle). And so here I sit right now, after some cookies and grape-flavoured Fanta for breakfast, waiting for our flight.

'Goulash' at Chinggis Khan Airport (it looks NOTHING like gulyás)

…

Oookay, so the first hiccup just happened. They called my name to go to gate (one and a half hours before departure) and we told the receptionist here in the lounge about it. They took me to the baggage sorting area because apparently, we’ve left a power bank in one of the suitcases. I was baffled as to how that was possible since we don’t even have a power bank. Well, we do, but I’ve completely forgotten about it (and so did my husband) – the notebook I got from MUIS as a gift has a power bank in it, I just didn’t remember. So we had to cut the wrap from around the bag and open it, taking the notebook out. Kinda embarrassing and also very much not good because now the big suitcase has no wrap around it (the fact that we wasted 15k mnt on it is not that significant) – I hope it will arrive safe to BUD this way too. And I am back in the lounge, facepalming so hard.

Fancy toilets in the lounge had WARMED seats
You can't understand how great a warm toilet seat feels until you've tried it

Smallest airport I've ever been to (also country with the smallest population so...)

Last glimpses of the terminal

…

Had a safe and kind of uneventful flight from UBN to IST. It lasted 8 hours and 44 minutes (plus the time we spent taxiing). I only stood up once during the flight to use the lavatory, but otherwise chilled at my seat. We had breakfast and lunch (both of us going vegan this time), watched two movies (Turning Red and Cruella), and I’ve finished reading a book while my husband played some games on the in-flight entertainment system. Luckily, it wasn’t too hot or too smelly this time – unlike in October, on our way to UBN – so it was quite the pleasant journey (well, pleasant for such a long one).

Now we are in Istanbul, chilling and snacking in the lounge we tried and liked last time. Hubby even had a nice shower to freshen up a bit, and I had a 3-min long (but quite good) massage. Also, my grandpa called on Messenger, having no idea that we are actually on our way home, and we had a nice chat, telling him about the dog sledding and about our time in Ulaanbaatar and talking about possibly visiting them during the holidays.

Our flight is still two and a half hours away, so we are just waiting and snacking some more.

Snow-covered mountains, almost no traces of civilization - gotta love the Mongolian view!

After showing self-restraint on the way to Mongolia, we did get a box of sweets in Istanbul on our way back home.

Eating anything and everything all day seems to be the way we roll on travel days.

…

Landed in BP at 7.30, then had to wait for our suitcases (luckily unscathed) before stepping out of SRA and meeting hubby’s work friend first (he was waiting for us with a stupid funny cardboard) and then my parents driving us home to the ‘welcome home’ celebration with my in-laws, my brothers (well, one of them only came down when we were already saying goodbye for the night), and my parents of course. We were really tired by then and had a really good sleep that night.

Our supply of chewing gums for the whole journey was this coconut-strawberry-flavoured weird pack

Back at BUD!