Postcard from Kyrgyzstan
Greetings from Kyrgyzstan.
The above photo is of Askar and his wife, who I met a couple of days ago near Kara-Koo Ashuu, a remote mountain pass surrounded by rolling grasslands and summer pastures.
Like many families here, they spend the warmer months living a nomadic life with their horses, cows, and a simple yurt. I ended up spending most of the afternoon with them, drinking tea, talking through a mixture of translation apps and hand gestures, and watching the rhythm of daily life unfold.
Then things got interesting.
Just as I was preparing to leave, I discovered I had lost power steering on my hired 4×4. Not ideal when you’re several hours of twisty roads from the nearest town.
The mechanic couldn’t reach me until the following morning, so I spent the night in the vehicle parked beside the yurt, with the mountains to one side and livestock wandering past the windows.
Not exactly the accommodation I had planned.
The following morning, a mechanic drove all the way from Bishkek with a replacement vehicle, and a few hours later I was back on the road. These things happen from time to time when you’re travelling in remote places like this. It’s all part of the adventure.
I’m now sitting in a yurt at Song Kul, continuing to explore the route for next year’s Kyrgyzstan tour.
One thing that’s becoming very clear is that this country is completely different to Uzbekistan. Less architecture and history, more landscapes, horses, nomadic culture, and wide open spaces.
Speak soon
Tom
P.S. The tea never stops here in Kyrgyzstan. Every family I’ve met seems convinced I’m permanently thirsty.
P.P.S. A few people have asked what I’m doing out here. The short answer is that I’m scouting and refining next year’s Kyrgyzstan photography tour. If you’re curious, you can view more details here: www.raw.tours/Kyrgyzstan-