The receptionist in Taraz called us a taxi to take us to the marshrukta station. There was a sign for Bishkek and we were directed to buy a ticket from the cashier and present it to a ticket collector. It took about an hour to fill the 18 seater Mercedes Sprinter and we were off.
The border crossing was easy. We had to present a card that had two stamps on it to the Kazak officer and then walk with our luggage to the Kyrgyz post which was a small tin shed. The guy there had to check with his colleague in another shed to see if NZ ers needed a visa. He obviously hadn't dealt with Kiwis before. Once we got our 30 day stamp we were off again.
As soon as we drove through the border town we could see the big difference between the economy of the country compared with Kazakhstan. The roads were rough and potholed. The houses were simple single storey wooden buildings quite close together. Many were unpainted with patched roofs. Many women wore scarves covering their heads and necks and had long flowing gowns over their clothes signalling a more conservative Islamic sect than in Kazakhstan where most did not wear scarves at all.
At the bus station in Bishkek we were confronted by three men wanting to negotiate the price of the taxi to our hotel. We have not had touts at all so far on this trip which is great as they can be quite exhausting. We halved the prices they offered and they accepted.
The hostel is two storeyed and we got the only double room they have. It cost $US 9 for a dorm bed in a room of 8 or 6 bunks and for $US 3 more we have our own huge room with a TV and desk, and air con. There are twenty Turkish electricians staying here working on upgrading powerlines. None of them spoke English and they took over one of the small lounge areas as their prayer room. The hostel is spotless and staff clean the showers and toilets every half hour or so. The kitchen has all the things we need so we opted out of the local breakfast in the mornings
The hostel is a few minutes walk from a huge shopping centre so it is easy to get fresh fruit, bread and salads to have for dinner as we are over the meat shashliks for now. The supermarket has a huge selection of salads and pre-cooked meats so we have been feasting on them. Most restaurants only offer tomatoes and cucumber salads.We have tried about different dishes with eggplants and they are all yummy.
We need to get a visa for Uzbekistan but discovered that Ramadan ended on Sunday night and Monday is a holiday so we had to wait until Tuesday. John spend Monday getting an online e-visa for Tajikistan and I researched some of the web sites that offer drivers and 4x4 vehicles to cross the Pamir Highway and its passes. We also discovered that Turkmenistan is having the Asia Indoor and Martial Arts Games over the time we pass through and prices for accommodation have doubled as a result.
The temperature in the city has been around 37C. The night and the mornings are a cool 19C and it heats up mid afternoon. We managed a walk around the city centre and even had a few spits of rain. There is not much to see other than a few parks and squares. It is easy to find everything with our map apps so we don't have to jam in over packed mini buses or taxis.
Countdown to World Nomad Games!
To get our Uzbek visa we had to first register online and then print off the documents and phone for an appointment. On appointment day we caught a taxi and arrived to a very small courtyard full of others wanting to get theirs. We were the only native English speakers and were able to help some of the others waiting who didn't know they had to register online first. Everything was in order and the grumpy secretary huffed and puffed when we asked questions. Of course she could avoid such hassles if she posted the information for everyone to see, so maybe she enjoys it. We were given a deposit slip and had to queue at a bank 2 kms away to pay for the visa and then had to get back to the office before it closed at 1 pm. We caught a taxi to the bank that had just let other visa hunters off and then walked back with lots of time to spare. We can now visit for 30 days.
We usually call home to catch up with the family around lunchtime in NZ. Heard our grandson fell back from his chair and gashed the back of his head on the edge of the bench. He got the gash glued up and was back to his usual self after a good sleep. We were also able to talk to a niece in hospital who is having problems with her pregnancy. The internet here has been so strong and constant that we are able to do lots of calling, chatting and researching. I have been able to update the blog without too much trouble which is a great relief.
Met Guy from Israel and together we caught a taxi to Ala Archa National Park. We had to pay for the taxi to enter the park and drop us at the start of the trails. Guy was headed off to the mountain hut to stay the night even though he didn't have a sleeping bag and warm clothing. We opted for the trail to the waterfall.
A bus from Rotel tours arrived before us and spilled out lots of grey haired German tourists. These well equipped tour buses are all over the world and having been operating for decades. They have adapted the buses for camping and cooking if needed.
The trail was pretty muddy and slippery in places and rocky in others. There were lots of meadows of wildflowers. Some Germans pointed out an edelweiss flower to John but we also saw, wild irises, burgundy granny bonnets (columbine), poppies, and wild roses.
We hiked up the left fork of the canyon and when we got to the first river crossing and could see the waterfall I decided it was not worth the extra one hour plus hike and left John to carry on to about 2800m. In the end he did not make the falls as he though he would need another hour. The peak of Alamudin was covered in cloud so we never got to see it. We didn't want to leave the park too late in the afternoon as we needed to hitch a ride out and back the 20 kms to Bishkek. The buses do not go to the start of the trail which is odd.
Met a Swedish guy who was carrying a lot of gear as he was cycling and camped near the hut. He was also going to cycle the Pamir Highway. Another travel friend of ours cycled it and it took him 6 weeks.
We visited the local Community Based Tourism office a couple of blocks down the road. They explained how they operate and gave us a map of their locations. We plan to head around Lake Issy Kol and use the accommodation they offer in locals houses that belong to the group. They also cook meals for you and can organise horse treks and tours.
Next stop Tamchy.
The border crossing was easy. We had to present a card that had two stamps on it to the Kazak officer and then walk with our luggage to the Kyrgyz post which was a small tin shed. The guy there had to check with his colleague in another shed to see if NZ ers needed a visa. He obviously hadn't dealt with Kiwis before. Once we got our 30 day stamp we were off again.
As soon as we drove through the border town we could see the big difference between the economy of the country compared with Kazakhstan. The roads were rough and potholed. The houses were simple single storey wooden buildings quite close together. Many were unpainted with patched roofs. Many women wore scarves covering their heads and necks and had long flowing gowns over their clothes signalling a more conservative Islamic sect than in Kazakhstan where most did not wear scarves at all.
At the bus station in Bishkek we were confronted by three men wanting to negotiate the price of the taxi to our hotel. We have not had touts at all so far on this trip which is great as they can be quite exhausting. We halved the prices they offered and they accepted.
The hostel is two storeyed and we got the only double room they have. It cost $US 9 for a dorm bed in a room of 8 or 6 bunks and for $US 3 more we have our own huge room with a TV and desk, and air con. There are twenty Turkish electricians staying here working on upgrading powerlines. None of them spoke English and they took over one of the small lounge areas as their prayer room. The hostel is spotless and staff clean the showers and toilets every half hour or so. The kitchen has all the things we need so we opted out of the local breakfast in the mornings
We need to get a visa for Uzbekistan but discovered that Ramadan ended on Sunday night and Monday is a holiday so we had to wait until Tuesday. John spend Monday getting an online e-visa for Tajikistan and I researched some of the web sites that offer drivers and 4x4 vehicles to cross the Pamir Highway and its passes. We also discovered that Turkmenistan is having the Asia Indoor and Martial Arts Games over the time we pass through and prices for accommodation have doubled as a result.
The temperature in the city has been around 37C. The night and the mornings are a cool 19C and it heats up mid afternoon. We managed a walk around the city centre and even had a few spits of rain. There is not much to see other than a few parks and squares. It is easy to find everything with our map apps so we don't have to jam in over packed mini buses or taxis.
Countdown to World Nomad Games!To get our Uzbek visa we had to first register online and then print off the documents and phone for an appointment. On appointment day we caught a taxi and arrived to a very small courtyard full of others wanting to get theirs. We were the only native English speakers and were able to help some of the others waiting who didn't know they had to register online first. Everything was in order and the grumpy secretary huffed and puffed when we asked questions. Of course she could avoid such hassles if she posted the information for everyone to see, so maybe she enjoys it. We were given a deposit slip and had to queue at a bank 2 kms away to pay for the visa and then had to get back to the office before it closed at 1 pm. We caught a taxi to the bank that had just let other visa hunters off and then walked back with lots of time to spare. We can now visit for 30 days.
A wooden house from the Soviet days in our street
We usually call home to catch up with the family around lunchtime in NZ. Heard our grandson fell back from his chair and gashed the back of his head on the edge of the bench. He got the gash glued up and was back to his usual self after a good sleep. We were also able to talk to a niece in hospital who is having problems with her pregnancy. The internet here has been so strong and constant that we are able to do lots of calling, chatting and researching. I have been able to update the blog without too much trouble which is a great relief.
Met Guy from Israel and together we caught a taxi to Ala Archa National Park. We had to pay for the taxi to enter the park and drop us at the start of the trails. Guy was headed off to the mountain hut to stay the night even though he didn't have a sleeping bag and warm clothing. We opted for the trail to the waterfall.
A bus from Rotel tours arrived before us and spilled out lots of grey haired German tourists. These well equipped tour buses are all over the world and having been operating for decades. They have adapted the buses for camping and cooking if needed.
The trail was pretty muddy and slippery in places and rocky in others. There were lots of meadows of wildflowers. Some Germans pointed out an edelweiss flower to John but we also saw, wild irises, burgundy granny bonnets (columbine), poppies, and wild roses.
We hiked up the left fork of the canyon and when we got to the first river crossing and could see the waterfall I decided it was not worth the extra one hour plus hike and left John to carry on to about 2800m. In the end he did not make the falls as he though he would need another hour. The peak of Alamudin was covered in cloud so we never got to see it. We didn't want to leave the park too late in the afternoon as we needed to hitch a ride out and back the 20 kms to Bishkek. The buses do not go to the start of the trail which is odd.
Met a Swedish guy who was carrying a lot of gear as he was cycling and camped near the hut. He was also going to cycle the Pamir Highway. Another travel friend of ours cycled it and it took him 6 weeks.
Next stop Tamchy.
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