18 January 2008
5am: First morning in
I decided to get up, stretch and sort out suitcases. On our arrival yesterday I knew I was in a developing country with the lines and slow process at immigration (and the fancy military-type uniforms of the immigration officers). All our luggage arrived safely (6 pieces of it, but no excess!). As we walked through the “Nothing to declare” green door we were faced with a crowd at arrivals. Overall impression of brown, black and grey coats, fur-trim, hats, boots and gloves. It wasn’t that cold in the arrivals area, but I have since learned that it is easier to leave all your cold gear on when inside for short times as it is such a bugger to get it on and off. We had to push our trolleys single file through the crowd, forcing a path. A stranger had to help Alesia when she stumbled, as I couldn’t reach her. We were met by an ADRA worker and the driver. They had moved the car right outside the airport doors so we didn’t have to walk far. We were so rugged up that the air just seemed bracing. I know now that this was because there was no wind chill. I took a deep breath and felt the cold air burn my throat. Alesia slipped on the icy footpath, fell and started to cry. That was her introduction to
It was 5:30pm, close to sunset. The light was behind us as we drove from the airport, magic late afternoon light that is soft and yellow and makes everything look good. The mountains rising up on the right side of the road into town were bare, covered with snow, pristine and epic. Settlements were on the left side. Brown, treeless, but the gentle light softening the edge of poverty. Alesia looked out for her first ger (round felt tent), which was dirty grey rather than the white in the pictures. In the distance steam or smoke (or both) belched from the power plants. It seemed to be blowing smog right over the city. In the late afternoon light the cooling towers and the billowing smoke looked apocalyptic. No pictures, my camera was in the bottom of my carry-on luggage somewhere in the car.
Alesia was wearing her new pink ug boots – but kept taking them off in the car because her feet were hot. She kept up that habit when we arrived and the Mongolians’ in the office think I am a bad mother because Alesia was wandering around in her socks. Our apartment is on the 3rd floor (second to us, as the ground is called 1st floor here). It is quirky but spacious. We will be able to make it a home. It is only two bedrooms, as the wall between the lounge and the third bedroom has been removed to make a huge lounge room. It is pretty empty now, and echoes (much to Alesia’s delight).
On our first night they had some pizza for us to eat at the office and then took us shopping to get some nappies and other things. Shops are open here from about 10:30am until 8pm. We got Alesia some fur-lined leather boots for about $15. She needed a warm outer jacket, but we couldn’t find anything that was pink so she went without.
Got the girls to bed and then sat on the toilet. Noted it was warm and wondered if in
Feelings, I expected the city to be grim, but it is nicer than I expected. The cold is still a novelty. I am trying to be patient and just ease into things slowly.
Today I confounded the driver and maintenance man by deciding to move Chris and me into the small bedroom and put the girls into the big bedroom. We aim to buy a slide and other play equipment for that room. I am having fun figuring out what to put where, which is filling in the time.
We were assured by the building plumber that the hot water issue was not an issues, but tonight we had to run a bath and wait 30 minutes for it to be cool enough to sit in. I guess having a surplus of hot water is better than having none at all when it is minus 20 outside. Inside it is about 20 degrees though, so quite warm and cosy.
This afternoon Alesia and Chris went for a walk to a little playground near us. (Pictures). Alesia came back reasonably warm, but we are still having issues with her wanting to go barefoot inside.
The city is drab in places, but there are some nice buildings and lots of people walking about. There was sunshine and blue sky today, but it was only warming when I was behind glass in the car.
Found fresh coriander in the market and cooked our first meal with the new pots. Forgot to buy cooking utensils, so did everything with a spoon and fork. We need a new stove, as it takes a long time for the hotplates to heat up (and I think only two of them work). I have no idea of the state of the oven.
While cooking Rosie and Bethany arrived with homemade cookies. Rosie and Dean are volunteer missionaries (not supported by the church here, but funded by supporters in
One important difference to PNG, and even to Wahroonga, is that it is very quiet at night. The walls of our building are over a metre thick. The glass is all double-glazed. At night the grim apartment blocks look welcoming with their grid of squares of warm light from those inside their apartments. Condensation on the windows freezes into lovely ice patterns. I have a collection of photos of these now. I am also building a collection of photos called "Views from the Windows" as lots of people walk past, and on clear days there are glimpses of the mountains that surround the city.
We are having trouble getting our internet connected at home, and it took over a week for me to get a work laptop, but hopefully I can put more photos on the blog soon.
Miss everyone back home...
