Feeling a bit like a tourist, wanting to feel like a missionary

Deciding I wanted to have a week to do a sightseeing holiday (in Japan) at the end of my trip to Mongolia made todays efforts at booking flights and accommodation bit more complicated. 

Then again, there was always going to be some tough bits to it.

Doing my homework paid off, and I feel like my flights, accommodation and JR Rail pass will be about the same cost as what one relatively cheap seller was offering for flights online.  I'm told that if I wasn't going in peak tourist season (Northern Hemisphere Summer) then the price could be cheaper again.

Some of the things I've been talking with JCS about are sounding quite good and look to be interesting ways to help out their work more broadly, even outside of the Ulaanbaatar capital.

I've also gotten over my reluctance to say "short-term mission trip" when telling people at work what I'm doing, I guess that is a good sign, and comes with practice, as I eventually realise the work I will be taking on.  

One exciting moment today (apart from booking the flights) was the joy of joining a frequent flyer program with an airline I have never used.  I will visit Seoul airport three times within a month, and may as well get the benefits, just in case I decide at some point in the future to go back and look some more.  But I can see how these things make traveling more addictive.

Tomorrow will be an interesting day, my family is lucky enough to be having lunch with Peter Jensen, the Anglican Archbishop of Sydney.  

Hopefully more time soon to plan a Pete to Mongolia information night.  Details to follow.