Kyrgyzstan

Hello!!!

It's been a while eh? I know I know you're mad because I haven't called and here I am showing up out of the blue just as you'd moved on with your life. But here is a big stonking blog all about Kyrgyzstan!

SOH...

After two driving days bushcamping in Kazakstan we passed easily into the border into Kyrgyzstan. We arrived in the capital Bishkek to a really nice hotel/homestay. It was fairly obvious to everyone that Bishkek had very little to do as it was just another city so we decided to drink. We got to Bishkek mid afternoon and me and Denis decided to go for some grub. We went to this restaurant and realised that English just isn't spoken it's all about Russian. Uzbek was very touristy compared to Kyrgy. So after 10 minutes of shouting "Shashlik" and pointing with three waitors shouting Shashlik back at us and shouting Russian we ended up with T Bone Steak and chips..

That night, after a freak thunderstorm we hit the town. CJ, our guide, had previously spent time in Bishkek learning Russian so we met up with his ex pat friends in a bar. We were in the bar for a good few drinks then headed to a night club. A gay night club. I couldn't help thinking it was becoming a habit!

We had an awesome night. First of all I tried to stop a gay fight before Denis grabbed me by the scruff of the neck and pulled me away. Then later in the night everyone was cleared off the dance floor for the strippers. One girl, two blokes then another girl. After the blokes had finished I didn't realise there was another one so I walked out onto the dance floor with everyone looking at me thinking "this guy ain't a stripper" then... Denis grabbed me by the scruff of the neck and pulled me off (That sounded weird, he just grabbed me and pulled me from the dance floor, he didn't pull me off). Then home for sleep..

From Bishkek we headed into the wilderness for some bushcamping. The Bushcamps in Kyrgy were by far the best of the trip. The scenery in the country was absolutly breathtaking. Our first stop was beside Lake Issy Kol. Lake Issy Kol is the second largest alpine lake in the world and it was really cool. The second we arrived there I was in. Just like when I used to go to the Beach when I was a kid. No time wasting. Straight in! Bosh.. A swim and dinner beside the Lake with a camp fire made me think "This is the life"

Lake Issy Kul

Setting up camp

The next day we headed up into the mountains to a place called Diety Orgus. This area is a pastoral area at about 2700 metres high. The local people move from the city for the summer and rent land from the government and bring their horses and livestock with them and live in Yurts. A really cool way to spend the summer. To get there we had to travel up a long road and cross over wooden bridges along the way up. Everytime the truck went over one we held our breath..

A Yurt village

The road to the campsite

Camp

Beside the river

We had three nights in this spot. We did loads of stuff. I went for two hikes with our guide Nastia (brilliant guide, really nice) and we had a Christmas in June party with secret Santa and wrapping people up in unused toilet roll and got drunk. There was even a river to wash in.

Our hike

The aftermath of the Christmas Party

The local shop

At the end of our hike

Party Games

Sorry the pics are sideways can't change em for some reason.

We had a nice short drive when we left Diety Orgus to a homestay in Karakol for a well needed shower. It was a cool little town with a huge market that did good Shashlik. I somehow managed to get my own room. Why CJ picked me to have it is still a mystery to me..

They don't call me Ben Dover for nothin..

That night we waited 5 hours for a Pizza while the girls sorted out their shower slots. Word of advice: Don't order Pizza in Karakol!!

On the road again as we headed up to another Bushcamp beside Lake Son Kul. This was a huge Plateau area with loads of locals living in Yurts. We stayed for three nights. Again, fantastic scenery with more hiking.

In Son Kul we had a great opportunity to get to know some of the locals. Me, Aoife and Nastia walked down to a local village and talked to some of the locals. There was this older man who told me via Russian that Kyrgy was god's country, he also told me he liked Aoife too.. One of the weirdest experiences was watching a game of Goat Polo. This game is played with a Sheep's carcass on horseback where the aim of the game is to drop the carcass in the goal while the other players are trying to get it off you. When it started I was like ok whatever this is weird by the end I was like "Go on son have it. Yessss!!!" Weird but strangely entertaining if you put your morals to one side for a bit..

That night we had a "Bad Taste Party" where the aim was to wear the worst thing possible. I strangely didn't have to buy anything for this I just used my own clothes..

My favourite costume was Keith's. He looked like a gay Russian pornstar. This is a man who's blog is called "Overland Cruising" and who's username is "Palace Boy 1"

Russell and his cross dressing..

Some of the costumes. Keith is on my left. Lucy is an escaped mental patient. Mel is from Essex

So currently in Laos after a long 4 week stretch in China. So much Blogging to do so little time...

Laters fuckers... :)