Mongolia... Dunes and their height, a wager, UB accom

My reply to a reply commenting on sand dunes in the Gobi - an open wager worth 2 pints in UB - some random comments about hotels in UB...

C'om Riccardo, you know those dunes aren't 300m high... 80m is my guess from climbing up them in a few places and from what is written in one of the old 'Mongolian' Mongolia guide books. I believe one of the older english guide books mis-typed this as 800m in one edition and the LP seems to have brought it down to a slightly more reasonable 200m. Would someone please check with a altimeter watch or GPS with barometer next time they are there, I'll buy them a pint in Dave's bar. Riccardo - want to make a bet on greater or less than 300m? I'll put 2 pints in Dave's bar on the dunes not being over 300 m high (vertical distance from the bottom to the top of a single dune with photos of the altimeter readings, first person to prove it only!).

(Some of my pictures of the dunes here)

PS. The Bayangol Hotel used to be around 70USD on a good company rate (2006). The walk-in rate is nearer to 120USD. It's mainly used by large tour groups of large Americans/Europeans, Russian business men and geologists/drillers spending a night in town on a rotation into or out of the country. Not such a good place for independant backpackers although the Taj restaurant gets my vote for a curry in UB (no, Babu doesn't give me a commission). Willie's 'Cassablanca' bar is the place to find the mining industry partaking in a quiet evening beverage... Black-tie and tails only I'm afraid ;-)

Then again there is a lack of decent accom in UB in the 20-80 USD range so if you want more than a backpackers dorm you may have to look at the +100USD options. The Puma Imperial hotel is a more modern alternative to the Bayangol and is in just as good a location near Sukbaatar Square. The Khan Palace hotel is out past the British embassy to the east (~500m past the embo) and is another new building - it's a dollar's taxi ride from Sukhbaatar Sq.