Stuff you need backpacking around Mongolia

With the exception of the Western-most province, everybody in the country speaks Mongolian. The language is extremely difficult for Westerners to learn and speak, even after multiple months of being immersed in the culture. Westerners typically take a minimum of 9-18 months of full time Mongolian language study to be conversant. Most locals will appreciate attempts to speak phrases in Mongolian, although the traveller will inevitably pronounce them wrong (be careful when ordering water in a restaurant - the word for water [pronounced "oos"] is indistinguishable for that of "hair" to the English ear! Makes for a good laugh over and over ...). Picking up a phrase book and practising a few phrases will help, such as "hello" ("Sain bano"), "good-bye" ("Bayair-tae"), "thank you" ("Bayair-la"), "yes" ("teem"), and "no" (oogwai). The numbering system is regular, and fairly easy to learn. Sometimes it is possible to communicate in Russian. English is not widely spoken, although it's been getting more popular lately.

Outside the cities, the staple of the Mongolian diet is mutton. After a month in the countryside, you'll either never want to see a sheep again or you might find that you get used to meat as tough as leather and with large lumps of fat surprisingly quickly. Yak might also hit the menu occasionally. The countryside is littered with cafeteria tents called guanz. Here, about 800 to 1200 tugrik will buy you a large platter heaped with fried noodles and slivers of mutton. On the side will be a large bottle of ketchup. Closer to large towns there may even be chunks of potato or vegetables added in. A tasty and greasy dish served is khurshuur (hushoor), which is a fried pancake stuffed with bits of mutton and onion. Three to four make a typical meal. Also, the ubiquitous buuz (boots) can be had at any canteen in town or the countryside. About 6 buuz should cost 500 tg, or 60 cents USD, and serves one. The boodog, or marmot barbecue, is particularly worth experiencing. For about 10000 tugrik, a nomad will head out with his rifle, shoot a marmot, and then cook it for you using hot stones. Along the same lines as boodog is khorhog, which is prepared like so: build a fire; toss stones into fire until red hot; place water, hot stones, onions, potatoes, carrots, and, finally, mutton chops, into a large vacuum-sealed kettle; let the kettle simmer over a fire for 30-60 minutes; open kettle carefully, as the top will inevitably explode, sending hot juices flying everywhere; once the kettle is opened, and all injuries have been tended to, eat contents of kettle, including the salty broth. This cooking method makes mutton taste tender and juicy, like slow-roasted turkey. Ask your guide if he or she can arrange one (but only during summer). The boodog is also made of other meat, usually goat, and is similar to the khorhog with one major difference: the meat, vegetables, water and stones are cooked inside the skin of the animal. They skin it very carefully, and then tie off the holes at the legs and anus, put the food and hot stones inside, tie off the throat, and let it cook for about 30 minutes. In Ulaanbaatar, there are restaurants of many different ethnicities, including traditional Mongolian, Chinese, German, Indian, and "California-style" restaurants. Newly opened in 2005: an Irish Pub with excellent views, service, and food (and drink), right across from the big red and white building (National Academic Drama Theatre).

The national drink is called Airag. Made from fermented mare's milk, it is certainly an aquired taste. It is about as potent, in an alcoholic sense, as beer. Be careful though, if you aren't accustomed to drinking sour milk products, the first time might give you quite a diarrhea, as your stomach gets accustomed to it - in addition to the shock of the bile-like taste. This happens only the first time, though, and once you've completed the ritual once, your digestive system shouldn't complain again. The first thing you will be served every time you visit a ger, will be milk tea, which is essentially a cup of boiled milk and water, sometimes with a couple pieces of tea leaf thrown in for good measure. You might want to build up your tolerance by drinking lots of milk in preparation for your stay because they don't drink much else, except perhaps boiled water if you specially request it during a longer stay. Also, most traditional nomadic foods such as dried yogurt and the like require a good accustomization to milk as well. Cold drinks don't actually exist in the countryside (unless you intend to drink straight out of a river, generally not recommended), and it's generally recommended that you don't drink anything cold after eating mutton, as it can cause the fat to congeal in your stomach and make you ill. Local beer, such as Chingiss or Sengur is fine. Bottled water is particularly recommended.

The Mongolian currency is the tugrik (төгрөг), also spelled tugrug or togrog. There are 1172 tugrik in US$1 (as of 19 Dec 2007).

• Garments and blankets made of cashmere wool and paintings by local artists are excellent buys in Mongolia. Note that it is illegal to take antiques out of the country without a special permit.
• The huge open-air market, Narantuul ("The Black Market") in Ulaanbaatar offers the lowest prices on just about anything you could want.