On the road to Bishkek

Waking up to a cool morning, with the birds chirping and the river roaring, was pure bliss. After a tasty breakfast (and rather unusual music) we began the second day of travel that would lead us to Bishkek and the start of the Kyrgyzstan leg of our Silk Road trip.

As we descended from the mountains, the valleys widened and the grasslands gradually replaced the steeper terrain, though the mountains continued their watch from afar. Yurts, caravans and food stalls dotted the landscape. Priority was clearly with horsemen and their stock, slowing passage and entertaining wide-eyed tourists. Tiny colourful mosques heralded the presence of a village or at least a gathering of sufficient numbers to justify the cost. Highly decorated Muslim cemeteries contrasted with the stark unnamed tombs we'd seen in Kashgar.

"Would you like to stop for coffee?" Nastacia asked, much to our delight. A nearby petrol station offered half decent coffee and a shelf of vodka (if we were so inclined).

Lunch was an interesting affair. We'd stopped at a hotel/restaurant/theme park, complete with a lake, old cars, sculptures made from car parts and tyres and sneaky white swans. The menu included horse meat, usually a speciality dish but clearly this place was targeted at the tourists.

Finally arriving in Bishkek around 5 we were pleased to escape the confines of the bus. Meeting our group of 12 an hour later, the difference with our China tour group was evident, though not clearly definable. We were excited to take our next steps along the Silk Road.Read more