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Series 2: 2. Mongolia

In this episode Romesh Ranganathan travels to Mongolia – a country which he has almost no prior knowledge of, save for the fact that it is famously in the middle of nowhere. \n \nLanding in the capital Ulaanbaatar, Rom spends a week exploring this vast nation, guided by local entrepreneur and TV host Ider Od, seeing an enormous statue of the country’s iconic Genghis Kahn, visiting an energy centre in the middle of the desert and finding out how nomadic people meet a future partner, when their nearest eligible neighbour might live 100 miles away. Along the way he takes in ancient Shaman rituals, bizarre mystery statues, tries his hand at Mongolian wrestling and takes part in his own 'vegan' eagle hunting trip. \n \nBut Romesh also encounters a country of contradictions. It is full of vast empty open spaces and yet Ulaanbaatar has traffic calming measures to control the unbearable congestion.\n \nIt is the most sparsely populated country on earth – a vast wilderness, almost untouched by man. But is there actually anything worth seeing there? And would Rom recommend it as a holiday destination?

Source: BBC 2