G'day all,
We are in Kyrgyzstan and enjoying a bit of different scenery. It is a lot more russified than we had anticipated - not that this is a bad thing. Our journey yeserday from Kashgar over the border through the Irkershtam pass was fantastic. It was a long day in the saddle: 4 hours drive from Kashgar to the border; then 2 hours through chinese and then Kyrgyz customs (we thought this was pretty quick) including an interesting walk across the 'no man's land'; a 2 hour 'rest' at a border 'saloon' on the kyrgyz while i tried to get us a ride back to civlisation; then a "ride back to civilisation" which took 9 hours(!) and cost 30 oz each. So now we are in Osh! so named since Marco Polo past through this region on the way back to the 'boot' and was told he left behind the expedition's pasta and porcelain in Peking: "Oh Sh......". The rest is history.......i think. We are staying put here another night, trying to organise onward transport to Bishkek is proving a bit difficult. Just as a point of interest though ATM's dispense US Dollars and local currency (Som) - but want proof of a changng world order? - the currency used for all fuel bowsers is Euros. While i have your collective attention i would also like to comment on what seems to be the most pressing matter in the world right at this present minute (Editorial begins now): The reinstatement of the Sheffield Shield as the name and prize of the premier first-class cricket competition in Australia is about the best thing to happen- of all time. Congrats to all involved. (Editorial complete) So we are very excited that we are here in country no. 4. Our drive from the Kyrgyz border for the first 2 hours was great as we tracked along the northern most rridge of the Pamirs which were snow covered but fell down with sweeping spurs into a broad green valley- it was very impressive. The landscape is reminiscent of Mongolia - there is lots of steppe - but the elevation is greater and the topography more dramatic. The food is a slight improvement on what we have had for the past month. There is quite a lot of diversity too: Russian (slav) food, Uzbek, Turkish and Kyrgyz. Also, I am enjoying pitching my Russian against all who will hear it. I have learnt the alphabet already (very easy, they have only 2 letters that change the sounds of other letters and these are rarely used), so now i just need to learn to say something! But i can see myself making good in-roads into the language as english speaking here is limited and we spend the next 4 months in former soviet states- yay!
| 
11 votes 
