Hyatt Regency Bishkek

... being the highest one). In convoy as 2 dutch guys are joining us with their van!<br><br>Slowly on our way to China...exchanging Privjet for Ni How!<br><br>The van is doing great: Frits took the mountain passes brilliantly and even started in one go on 4000m with -4 degrees celcius on the thermo! The biggest test is yet to come, but this makes me less worried and convinced that we will make it WITH van to India!<br><br>more later...<br>

... about being on a tight schedule and as politely as I can decline the offer and grab the chance, like, where can I pay? and worth every cent!<br> I pay my $190 and skip away from the consulate with a light heart and a lighter pocket.<br> I spend a happy evening at the lodgings swapping stories with others. Some have been here for some time waiting for visas for various countries and some have not been as lucky as I and have had applications refused.

... bedroom suite thing to myself for the sum of about $5, and it felt as though I was in Europe in the 19th century. <br><br>To get back to Bishkek in order to take the road south, I plumped for the ex-European bus. A 9 hour journey with a snoring Babushka next to you and awful Eurovision music coming from the stereo is possibly not top of my list of things to do again. Of course, I also picked the hottest day of my stay for a trip in a bus with little in the ...

<br><br>I ride down to the animal market at 07.30. I follow the traffic. It's all heading there. There are thousands of people and animals milling around. Clouds of dust rise in the early morning light. People stand around sheep, cattle, horses. Sellers are looking hopeful. Buyers are feeling the animals shaking their heads and walking on. No need to get carried away just yet by making an offer. Lines of trucks are ready to transport bulk purchases but individual sheep are more usually ...

... different nationalities, are friendly and welcoming. I wish we had more time in this beautiful country, but tomorrow we begin what has been described as a 'hideous' 15 hour drive through the Kazakh steppe to Uzbekistan.<br><br>I will keep this short for now. It is breakfast time. Thanks to the Russians, breakfast is edible. In China, it consisted of congee, pickled cabbage, last night's concoctions and some other unidentifiable things. But here, it is bread, porridge and cheese - thank goodness!

... first to Sarala Sez, to stay in a yurt with a Kyrgyz family there and to watch the arranged Horse Games. After some initial nausea and hypocritical shock on Caragh's part at the slitting of the goat's neck, it was hard not to be mesmerised by the game. Our American friends again provided some of the entertainment, with the ever enthusiastic Nick running after the action with his handheld camera and getting in all of our pictures too.<br> <br> <br>The ...

... ouzbek se nourrit avec des tickets de rationnemement et la repression policiere n'a jamais ete aussi forte. Au sud, les talibans, repousses du Pakistan par les Americains, s'attaquent deja a la frontiere tadjike pour trouver de nouveaux refuges dans les Pamir.<br>Autant dire que, au milieu de ce bordel, nos petits kirghizes n'aspirent qu'a la plus grande statbilite et a un pouvoir fort qui les empeche de sombrer dans la meme debacle. Malheureusement, je connais pas mal d'Ouzbeks qui ont ...

... technique in area of BC and Kyzyl-Su river valley.<br>Day 7. Here and further for Option 1: Ascent along the line of the Lenin peak route to traverse of plateau («skovoroda»). Flight towards C 1. Overnight at C 1 or return to BC with having possibility to make evening flight from Puteshestvennikov pass.<br>Day 8. Acclimatization hike to C 2. Overnight.<br>Day 9. Morning ascent to the crest of Razdelnaya summit. Flight towards C 2 or C1 at good ...

... if your personal track record includes only a few simple routes and your high-altitude physical and technical preparedness is not appropriate. The mountain is extremely serious both physically and technically. Classical West Rib route that is described here below is not a simple one. Before setting off, the one adventuring on the climb must consciously weigh up one&#8217;s potential and ability of doing that. Because ...

... Soviet states of Central Asia, this improbable country has had a tumultuous past and today still suffers from an ineffectual government with entrenched corruption and nepotism, high unemployment (and underemployment) and a struggling economy. <br><br>Yet, this appealing and picturesque nation does have its pluses. It has some of the most liberal attitudes and the fastest privatisation programs in Central Asia, and it is now investing heavily in a thriving ...