Mongolia, and other realms of the imagination

Over the past week or so, some d00dettes and myself have engaged in "chatter" regarding the far-flung, way-out-there, totally crazy idea of ... going on vacation to Mongolia. Or visiting exquisite areas on the Silk Road.

Thoughts of Marco Polo, Genghis Khan, the Gobi Desert, yurts, gers, Mongolian horses, and the like, have been bandied about in my imagination. What an insane trip this would be, but how beautiful, remote and new. At the same time, my knees are a 'quiver at the thought of spending boatloads of money (this would of course require my earning and saving said boatload, first).

I don't suppose any of you guys are also interested in taking a wild trip out to Mongolia or the Silk Road, and/or, does anyone here have any experience (or have friends with any) in that part of the world? I'm trying to figure out how necessary an organized tour would be, versus simply being a knowledgeable traveler conversant in Russian, but still obviously a foreigner.

(ahem)

And now I return to my work. Not looking up Mongolia online.

No. Not I.

Incidentally, I have found a promising piece of news on Mongolia, courtesy of the Association for Asian Research....

World tourists discover Mongolia
Michael Kitchen7/14/2004
http://www.asianresearch.org/articles/2194.html

In an effort to boost tourism, Mongolia declared 2003 the "Visit Mongolia" year.

But, as the National Mongolian History Museum's assistant director Areuntuya notes, the tourism campaign was not very successful because of the outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, or SARS.

"Last year there were a lot of problems about SARS. This year it will be okay, I think," he said.
So with the outbreak now over, Mongolia decided 2004 would be "Discover Mongolia" year.

Le sigh. It's simply THE place to visit, methinks... Are you not convinced? Let me know if you want to come, too. 2005 is "Discover Mongolia, For Real This Time" year.