This wasn’t a typical week for me, since I usually don’t take long-distance trips during the school year. Because we were on break for the holiday and my friend was visiting, we traveled 295 kilometers (183 miles) outside of Ulaanbaatar to visit my nomadic family friend. The journey took about five hours by car.
One of my biggest goals while living here is to travel as much as possible. The furthest I’ve gone so far is to Erdenet, the second-largest city in Mongolia. It’s about 400 kilometers (248 miles) from Ulaanbaatar. To get there, I took a Russian-Mongolian train, and the journey lasted around 13 hours. It was a long ride, but it gave me a unique glimpse into traveling across Mongolia and the vast landscapes along the way.
I usually walk everywhere. My school is only a ten-minute walk from my apartment, and most of the places I frequent, like the gym, our monthly Fulbright meeting venue, cafes, and restaurants, are about 20 to 40 minutes away on foot.
Since this week was mainly dedicated to traveling and celebrating the holiday, I got around by car more than usual. It honestly solidified my love for walking.
