Bits from Kyrgyzstan

We started off in Sary-Tash, which felt like doing a bit of travel back to a simpler time.

After spending a couple of days in Sary-Tash with the sweetest host family (just enough time to recover from the harrowing drive from China) we headed up to Osh.

It was a comfortable enough ride, especially once we shoved Sasha into the trunk (we needed our leg room!).

The scenery along the way was beautiful.

Apparently Osh was not very beautiful, because we have no photos. But don’t worry! We’ll be back in Osh on our way to Tajikistan. Things we’ll definitely do when we go back: eat more shish kebabs and soft serve ice cream (so creamy it must have been made in the cow).

Then we hopped in a car for an eleven hour drive to up to Bishkek, and it was nearly Kyrgyzstan Independence Day! No hotdogs or hamburgers, but we did get to watch a riveting game of sheep carcass polo. Actually it was terrifying. So, so violent. Apparently one of the horses broke his leg? Definitely nothing for any animal lovers out there.

Having had enough of big city living in Bishkek (mm maybe not quite), we went over to Issyk Kol to do some trekking, relax and swim.

We stayed in a yurt on the beach.

We enjoyed it.

A lot.

In Osh we stayed at the Osh Guest House, $7 for a four-bed dorm. Near Issyk Kol we stayed at a yurt camp in Tosor, also for $7 a night.

 

This post was written by Silvia Lawrence, who can be found blogging from Heart My Backpack.