Details

Here are some important things to remember:

1, Tap water is never safe to drink. Although the water may be
fine from the source, the distribution may render it not safe.

2. Hot boiled water is 99.9% safe. Most hotels in China will provide
a hot pot to make hot water for tea, coffee, or instant noodles.
If a small hotel or a Mongolian tent does not have a hot pot, you
will be given a hot Thermos bottle. Hot water is never a problem.

3. Bottled water is ubiquitous, even in tiny towns. It is 99.999% safe.
It is available in 250ml bottles and 1.0 liter bottles and sizes in
between.

4. You should bring good boots and a jacket from your home country, even
though Beijing has a selection. Boots must be broken in and jackets
need time to shop for.

5. I find synthetic outdoor climbing clothes are the best. Beijing has an
excellent selection, but you must allow a half day to shop. Synthetic
clothes such as Nylon are strong and dry overnight. Jeans may take
two days to dry, are heavy, and harder to wash.

A suggested list of clothes is:
Pants (two)
Shirts or T-Shirts (two)
Swimming clothes (or convertible pants)
Jacket (Windproof is best)
Underclothes and socks ( four pair)
You wear one set, and the other is a spare.

6, Blankets will be provided by hotels or Mongolian tents, but you MUST
ASK FOR THEM. Mongolians are used to the cold and may not realize that
you need a blanket.

7. Plan on nothing being available out of Beijing. Get everything you
want there. The reality, however, is that basic things such as soap,
water, batteries, and the like are available. You may even be able to
find an SD card or a CF card for an astronomical price. I once looked
for a camcorder battery in Hailar. Although they had Cam corders, they
did not have the battery I wanted.

8. Bring an umbrella.

9. Bring all prescription medicines and even OTC medicines. You are
unlikely to see a pharmacy where you are going.

10. Bring only what you can carry for 1/4 mile. A backpack and a roll on
is a good combination. Only a large backpack is better. A single small
backpack is best. Suitcases have no place. A duffel bag is fine if you
can carry it. Do not count on anyone carrying your bags. Your bags
will be loaded unto busses or dusty car trunks. The grasslands can be
green with grass or amazingly dusty.

11. Have good health. There are no doctors.

12. Remember to ask if you need or want anything. People cannot
read your mind.

13. You may travel with two persons. One speaks fluent Mongolian
and Chinese, and fairly good English. The other speaks fluent English,
some Chinese, and very little Mongolian. You are only paying for one
person. Both have traveled extensively in these areas.

14. You will learn to milk a Mongolian cow, how to make Mongolian yoghurt,
How to make Mongolian cheese. You can ride horses on the Mongolian
grasslands. You can see stars that will be a lifetime memory. You can
ride a horse and look at sheep all day. You will learn how to shear
sheep. You will learn how to make Mongolian Sheep's blood sausage,

15. Electricity is available in small hotels and towns. Some Mongolian
tents do not have electricity or running water. We will try to spend
no more than one or two nights in such places. Make sure everything is
charged to last two or three days. If you have a 12v adapter for
your digital camera or cell phone, you might use it. Cars are all
over.

16. Here is a list of things to consider bringing (if it fits in an easily
carried bag or pack). You do not need to bring everything listed. I have
at one time or another.

Hard Drive (to Store digital pictures or box to store film).
Hard Drive (to Store Cam corder video).
(I know a computer is needed to put video (mp3) on a hard drive. Most
towns and cities have a computer. Bring all needed cables.
There are many hard drives that have built in SD or CF card slots.
Examples include Aigo, Epson, and Wolverine)
Camcorder (240 volt charger)
Camera (Digital is best).
Cell Phone (Unlocked GSM with 240 volt charger)
Adapter Plugs (To convert US type plugs to Chinese plugs)
Card Reader (if you plan on reading an SD or CF card with a computer).
Flashlight (LED is best. A Flashlight is a must. Small AA or C one).
GPS Card for PDA
Wireless CF Card (Allows wireless email if you have a PDA with a CF slot)
CF LAN Card (Allows hard wired email if you have a PDA and an ADSL line)
Clothes
PDA (with 240 volt charger. One with a CF slot is best. Dell and HP have them)
First Aid Kit
Mosquito Repellant
Aspirin
Bactiracin Ointment (For dry nose or cracked feet)
Band aids
Sun Cream (SPF 40 or more)
Moisturizer (parts of Mongolia are dry)
Foreign Currency
Reading Material (A PDA is good as books are digitized)
Hats
Photocopy of Passport cover page and active visa (Carried separately)
Misc bag containing:
Black Plastic Electrical Tape
Knives(Swiss Army type)
Nylon Cord
Pen Refills (Assuming you have such a pen)
Rubber Bands
Scissors (Travel kind that fold)
Sewing Kit
Spare PDA Stylus
Spare Shoelaces
Tweezers (to remove splinters and such)
Packs
Shoes or Boots
Coffee or Tea
Toiletries
Dental Floss (Hard to get in China)
Ear Plugs (Impossible to get in China. Highly suggested)
Electric Shaver (With 240 volt charger)
Hair Brush (Small)
Hair Conditioner
Hair Shampoo
Hair spray
Mirror (Small unbreakable)
Shaving Supplies
Bath Soap in holder
Tooth Brush
Toothpaste
Umbrella
Waist Security Pouch (Highly suggested)
Chopsticks
Dark Glasses
Spare glasses or contacts
Hair Drier (240 volt)
Lexan Bowls
Lexan Mugs
Maps
Marking Pen (Black)
Small Locks (Combination are best like the TSA kind)
Towel (Small hotels may not give you a towel. Mongolian tents will not have any.)

The above is a "guys" list."Gals" may want to consider:

Cosmetics (careful as they are heavy. You may not need them)
Sanitary pads (Available only in larger cities and towns.)
Hair bands
Bandana

Updated 6/27/2008