If Mongolia was adventure and China was food, what would the stans be? Adventure, food and friendship? The ultimate combination!We flew from Urumqi to Almaty, the old capital of Kazakhstan, with the intention of getting a visa on arrival. Which we did! After four hours of confusing conversations with the visa man. Classic! We got to our hostel around 1am and were happy to find friendly people and our beds still available yessss!
This hostel was the best place we could have chosen! We met some insanely lovely Russians, Vital and his brother, who showed us Russian hospitality, some acro yoga moves, told us some crazy stories and made us laugh. ahhhhh it was nice to have friends again! The owner of the hostel, Nick, was also outrageously lovely and he took us around the city for the two days we were there. We caught the cable car up to Shymbaluk for beautiful mountain views, ice cold beer and wild flowers. We ate traditional Kazakh food, a Japanese feast and Nick took us to Big Almaty Lake up in the mountains.
At Big Almaty Lake we walked past a family having a picnic and cooking up some shashlyk. They heard our accents and asked nick where were we from. Austria? No Australia. Australia?! The men came running over with two massive shashlyk fresh from the cooker and handed them to us. Traditional Kazakh food. Eat, eat! Well, who can say no? So we wandered on with massive kebabs in our hands taking in the sights of the bright blue lake. Just up the road was a border crossing into Kyrgyzstan with one lonely guard (that we could see). We had a glimpse into what lay ahead. wildflowers and quiet. Looked pretty good!
This hostel was the best place we could have chosen! We met some insanely lovely Russians, Vital and his brother, who showed us Russian hospitality, some acro yoga moves, told us some crazy stories and made us laugh. ahhhhh it was nice to have friends again! The owner of the hostel, Nick, was also outrageously lovely and he took us around the city for the two days we were there. We caught the cable car up to Shymbaluk for beautiful mountain views, ice cold beer and wild flowers. We ate traditional Kazakh food, a Japanese feast and Nick took us to Big Almaty Lake up in the mountains.
At Big Almaty Lake we walked past a family having a picnic and cooking up some shashlyk. They heard our accents and asked nick where were we from. Austria? No Australia. Australia?! The men came running over with two massive shashlyk fresh from the cooker and handed them to us. Traditional Kazakh food. Eat, eat! Well, who can say no? So we wandered on with massive kebabs in our hands taking in the sights of the bright blue lake. Just up the road was a border crossing into Kyrgyzstan with one lonely guard (that we could see). We had a glimpse into what lay ahead. wildflowers and quiet. Looked pretty good!
We said our goodbyes at the hostel and made our way to the airport for our flight to Kyrgyzstan. We barely had time to buckle our seat belts before we were landing! We thought the flight was just over an hour. Turns out its just over 20 minutes!! we were one of the first off the plane and first in line for customs. Our bags came through quickly and we found a good taxi! Things were coming up Milhouse!! Then the taxi takes a right into some backstreets. Here we go! Just when you think things were perfect......they are! He picks up his daughter from her aunts house and she speaks fluent English! We chat the whole way into the city non stop. Turns out she worked at the American base down the road but it had been shut down a few months earlier and the Americans shipped back home. Thousands of locals had worked there and were now out of jobs.
The father, daughter duo got us safely to our hostel which looked pretty swank! Nice pool, beer, nice rooms. Our room was past all the awesome parts and up in an attic with no opening windows, the light switch in the hall and the toilet two floors down. The showers only had shower curtains that opened up into a communal lounge area and we were given a fan that had to be plugged in on the floor below and only just made it to our door, which now wouldn't shut. Ahhhhh this was living! We ventured into the city for some dinner in a restaurant/dance club where smoke machines and trance music mixed seamlessly with pizza eating families. Kyrgz know how to do it!!
The main square was like the hawkesbury show (heaps less skanky) with carnie games, loud music, flashing lights and a whole area dedicated to hiring out cool stuff. We saw bikes, tandem bikes, blades, skates, pedal powered tuk tuks, kid sized cars and Cinderella style horse-drawn carriages. Down the road was a park filled with rides! We went on none of them.
The next day we made it to our new apartment nice and early in preparation for the grande arrival of Mouse and Marty who would have a completely different experience with their arrival into Kyrgyzstan but I'll leave that story for them. Frosty and I stocked up on beer and food and made a feast for dinner. We got the call. They were close! Someone calls my name and we spot them! Dusty and weary looking. Mouse and I run into each others arms just like in the movies but probably heaps better. We celebrate by drinking many beers and relaxing in our swank apartment. We go to bed early for tomorrow is the day we get The Car.
We shop, we coffee, we lunch and frosty dances with a drunk Shaz before its time to head off in our Toyota Aveenis for our big adventure. Marty has kindly offered to drive us out of Bishkek, the scary part, and mouse is doing what she does best, navigating. Right here then left. Ah, no left turn. I'll just turn left there's no rules in Kyrgyzstan. Bam, cops waiting for rule breaking suckers like us. Marty uses his charm and flashes some cash and we are off again.The road signs here are obviously different to what we're used to and there are a few hair raising moments before we make into the north road of lake Issy-Kul. We spot a lovely beach and pull off to set up our camp for the night. We do some group yoga with the sun setting and shining on the snow capped mountains before eating a damn delicious camp dinner.
The father, daughter duo got us safely to our hostel which looked pretty swank! Nice pool, beer, nice rooms. Our room was past all the awesome parts and up in an attic with no opening windows, the light switch in the hall and the toilet two floors down. The showers only had shower curtains that opened up into a communal lounge area and we were given a fan that had to be plugged in on the floor below and only just made it to our door, which now wouldn't shut. Ahhhhh this was living! We ventured into the city for some dinner in a restaurant/dance club where smoke machines and trance music mixed seamlessly with pizza eating families. Kyrgz know how to do it!!
The main square was like the hawkesbury show (heaps less skanky) with carnie games, loud music, flashing lights and a whole area dedicated to hiring out cool stuff. We saw bikes, tandem bikes, blades, skates, pedal powered tuk tuks, kid sized cars and Cinderella style horse-drawn carriages. Down the road was a park filled with rides! We went on none of them.
The next day we made it to our new apartment nice and early in preparation for the grande arrival of Mouse and Marty who would have a completely different experience with their arrival into Kyrgyzstan but I'll leave that story for them. Frosty and I stocked up on beer and food and made a feast for dinner. We got the call. They were close! Someone calls my name and we spot them! Dusty and weary looking. Mouse and I run into each others arms just like in the movies but probably heaps better. We celebrate by drinking many beers and relaxing in our swank apartment. We go to bed early for tomorrow is the day we get The Car.
We shop, we coffee, we lunch and frosty dances with a drunk Shaz before its time to head off in our Toyota Aveenis for our big adventure. Marty has kindly offered to drive us out of Bishkek, the scary part, and mouse is doing what she does best, navigating. Right here then left. Ah, no left turn. I'll just turn left there's no rules in Kyrgyzstan. Bam, cops waiting for rule breaking suckers like us. Marty uses his charm and flashes some cash and we are off again.The road signs here are obviously different to what we're used to and there are a few hair raising moments before we make into the north road of lake Issy-Kul. We spot a lovely beach and pull off to set up our camp for the night. We do some group yoga with the sun setting and shining on the snow capped mountains before eating a damn delicious camp dinner.
There are lots of Russian tourists here because the lake, which is salty, is like a beach and they don't need visas. They like to wear tiny fluro bikinis, get sun burnt, and be larger than life. It was good for people watching! We even saw a female borat lounging in a revealing swimsuit.
All this people watching was boring the boys though who decided it would be nice to take our car off road for some adventure up to the three lakes. Bottoming out on big rocks, getting out of the car so it could make it up the hill, covering it in dust inside and out. We make it to the first lake. Meh. The next one better be worth it boys! Up one last ridiculous hill and there it is. The tiniest lake you ever saw. Surrounded by pine trees and mountains and with soft mossey ground. You're lucky boys!! From this idyllic spot we walked to find the third lake. It didn't exist but the walk was beautiful!
Marty was kind enough to drive us out of the lakes and on the dodgy roads. We were on our way to Karakol but not before Marty gets pulled over for speeding. Don't laugh! It's not funny!!! This bribe was only a small one.
Karakol is a biggish town on the east end of the lake close to the Tien Shan mountain range. Kyrgyzstan has set up Community Based Tourism for keeping tourism community based. These offices can give you info on home stays and activities and that's where we wanted to go! Except they're on a lunch break. Hmm, well why don't we have one little beer while we're waiting. The beers aren't little here and are easy to throw down so we had a few more and added a lunchtime feast for good measure. Now we're ready for business! The boys go in and check it's open while Mouse and I test our back bend yoga moves on the footpath. All this waiting and he gives us the basic information we already know! Yet somehow we didn't feel like it was a waste of time hmmmm.
Now to find us some sleeping pits! We find a prime spot at riverside hostel with André our host from the Netherlands. More beers while we plan our trek into the mountains the following day. We agree that one night is probably sufficient but Andre suggests a three night trek. Sounds perfect! Can you pass my beer please? How we would curse his name later!
All this people watching was boring the boys though who decided it would be nice to take our car off road for some adventure up to the three lakes. Bottoming out on big rocks, getting out of the car so it could make it up the hill, covering it in dust inside and out. We make it to the first lake. Meh. The next one better be worth it boys! Up one last ridiculous hill and there it is. The tiniest lake you ever saw. Surrounded by pine trees and mountains and with soft mossey ground. You're lucky boys!! From this idyllic spot we walked to find the third lake. It didn't exist but the walk was beautiful!
Marty was kind enough to drive us out of the lakes and on the dodgy roads. We were on our way to Karakol but not before Marty gets pulled over for speeding. Don't laugh! It's not funny!!! This bribe was only a small one.
Karakol is a biggish town on the east end of the lake close to the Tien Shan mountain range. Kyrgyzstan has set up Community Based Tourism for keeping tourism community based. These offices can give you info on home stays and activities and that's where we wanted to go! Except they're on a lunch break. Hmm, well why don't we have one little beer while we're waiting. The beers aren't little here and are easy to throw down so we had a few more and added a lunchtime feast for good measure. Now we're ready for business! The boys go in and check it's open while Mouse and I test our back bend yoga moves on the footpath. All this waiting and he gives us the basic information we already know! Yet somehow we didn't feel like it was a waste of time hmmmm.
Now to find us some sleeping pits! We find a prime spot at riverside hostel with André our host from the Netherlands. More beers while we plan our trek into the mountains the following day. We agree that one night is probably sufficient but Andre suggests a three night trek. Sounds perfect! Can you pass my beer please? How we would curse his name later!
After an early night, a good sleep and great breakfast we are feeling eager for this trek. Get out into nature a bit. We head to the bazaar to stock up on our meals for the next four days and start our trek bright and early at 3pm. Oops. We only have a few hours to go the first day. We'll be fine. Mouse and I stop for a photo shoot and a giggle when I notice something dangling off a stick next to her head. Is that? It is! Mouse, raspberries!! We were in heaven! The whole side of the hill was covered in them! We were there for so long that Marty came back to find us. Later on we set up camp next to a river with beautiful views of the mountains. Marty even found wild strawberries! I picked some more the next morning for our porridge. This was the life!
The next day however, all that was to change as we crossed the bridge over to the other side of the river and into hell. Bit dramatic possibly. We climbed and climbed and climbed about 1100m. It was tough, hot, dusty and we were dehydrating but the views were amazing and we saw cutie little marmots. Demon marmots living in hell! Our destination was the lake at 3500m. We finally made it with enough light left to put up our tents and put on warm clothes. It was freezing up here! Damn you Andre! "it'll be fine" he said "It'll take five hours" he said. We cooked dinner in the dark and ate in our tent aka the games tent because we could play card games in there comfortably. We needed an earlier start tomorrow as it was the long day!
Up early, eat, tea, pack, ready. Sooooo where's the track? Marty finds it but we have to clamber up a steep rocky hill to get there. I don't like heights and my back starts to tingle when I climb up steep hills. Steven segal remembers this and helps me clamber up. He's so cutie pie! Right, back on the path. What is that? Up there. That tiny squiggly line that goes straight up the side of that hill covered in what looks like loose gravel. Yeh that big hill that drops steeply all the way to the lake. Oh it is the track?! Oh good, we need a team building challenge. On we plod. We are tired and it's hot so it's slow going. We get to the crazy part of the track and I just keep looking at my feet, step by step trying not to imagine the steep hill behind me. It's the top of the saddle! We made it! break time and photo shoot.
Yessss whoah that's a narrow saddle. Holy crap we're high. 3933m to be precise! All the pain of getting up the hill and I forgot we had to go down the other side as well. It's even bigger and steeper and crazier aaand im stuck to the side of a mountain! I can't move! It's too steep and slippery! Steven to the rescue takes my bag and I slide on my bum for about 600m. I start to get the hang of it and get my technique just right so I'm flying down full speed taking half the mountain's rocks with me under my bum. Mouse adopts the technique but manages to walk down parts of it without falling. How do they do it? Finally down the bottom safe and sound. A few minutes later on flattish ground Mouse falls over and then again a little while later. How she didn't go flying down that saddle I'll never know!
We did it! The hard parts were over. The rest was downhill in a beautiful alpine valley with shrubby grass, marmots, amazing views and high spirits. Our goal for tonight is to make it to Altan Arashan where they have hot springs! But first we have to cross this rushing creek by walking over some thin and slippery trunks lying across. will it ever end? HOURS later and after cursing André many times we finally make it to the wee little town. We scrap the tents, stay in a yurt, have dinner cooked for us and relax in the steaming hot pools. So sleepy we go to bed early. Would I do it all again? Yes!!
The next day we wake up stiff and sore. Today's walk is along a dirt road back into town and takes 'four hours' according to the Demon Lord André. Screw that! Let's get a hair raising Jeep ride back in. No seatbelts, loud Russian dance music and cigarette smoke from our driver. It's better than walking!
Back at Andre's my plans of punching him in the face went out the window after I realised I had accidentally taken his room key on the bush walk. You're lucky André!! To celebrate our awesome survival skills we eat out at our favourite beer place and order about a tonne too much food.
The next day however, all that was to change as we crossed the bridge over to the other side of the river and into hell. Bit dramatic possibly. We climbed and climbed and climbed about 1100m. It was tough, hot, dusty and we were dehydrating but the views were amazing and we saw cutie little marmots. Demon marmots living in hell! Our destination was the lake at 3500m. We finally made it with enough light left to put up our tents and put on warm clothes. It was freezing up here! Damn you Andre! "it'll be fine" he said "It'll take five hours" he said. We cooked dinner in the dark and ate in our tent aka the games tent because we could play card games in there comfortably. We needed an earlier start tomorrow as it was the long day!
Up early, eat, tea, pack, ready. Sooooo where's the track? Marty finds it but we have to clamber up a steep rocky hill to get there. I don't like heights and my back starts to tingle when I climb up steep hills. Steven segal remembers this and helps me clamber up. He's so cutie pie! Right, back on the path. What is that? Up there. That tiny squiggly line that goes straight up the side of that hill covered in what looks like loose gravel. Yeh that big hill that drops steeply all the way to the lake. Oh it is the track?! Oh good, we need a team building challenge. On we plod. We are tired and it's hot so it's slow going. We get to the crazy part of the track and I just keep looking at my feet, step by step trying not to imagine the steep hill behind me. It's the top of the saddle! We made it! break time and photo shoot.
Yessss whoah that's a narrow saddle. Holy crap we're high. 3933m to be precise! All the pain of getting up the hill and I forgot we had to go down the other side as well. It's even bigger and steeper and crazier aaand im stuck to the side of a mountain! I can't move! It's too steep and slippery! Steven to the rescue takes my bag and I slide on my bum for about 600m. I start to get the hang of it and get my technique just right so I'm flying down full speed taking half the mountain's rocks with me under my bum. Mouse adopts the technique but manages to walk down parts of it without falling. How do they do it? Finally down the bottom safe and sound. A few minutes later on flattish ground Mouse falls over and then again a little while later. How she didn't go flying down that saddle I'll never know!
We did it! The hard parts were over. The rest was downhill in a beautiful alpine valley with shrubby grass, marmots, amazing views and high spirits. Our goal for tonight is to make it to Altan Arashan where they have hot springs! But first we have to cross this rushing creek by walking over some thin and slippery trunks lying across. will it ever end? HOURS later and after cursing André many times we finally make it to the wee little town. We scrap the tents, stay in a yurt, have dinner cooked for us and relax in the steaming hot pools. So sleepy we go to bed early. Would I do it all again? Yes!!
The next day we wake up stiff and sore. Today's walk is along a dirt road back into town and takes 'four hours' according to the Demon Lord André. Screw that! Let's get a hair raising Jeep ride back in. No seatbelts, loud Russian dance music and cigarette smoke from our driver. It's better than walking!
Back at Andre's my plans of punching him in the face went out the window after I realised I had accidentally taken his room key on the bush walk. You're lucky André!! To celebrate our awesome survival skills we eat out at our favourite beer place and order about a tonne too much food.
On our way back to Bishkek we take the south road along Issyk-Kul in the rain. Its a lot quieter,more desert-like down here with the massive mountains in the background. We pass one mountain that has fresh snow covering it. Glad we're not bushwalking today! We drive all the way to Kochkol and stay in a home stay run by a nan looking lady in her nan looking house.
Our last night together is spent drinking too much beer and eating some amazing food. To top it off, Mouse and Frosty drink tap water that Frosty swore was filtered water making them a little sick the next day. Much to Marty and my amusement.
Marty had kindly offered to drive the last part to Bishkek. We took a lovely mountain pass but not before Marty was fined for driving with his lights off. I heard that!! No laughing! It's not funny!!!!
Mouse and Marty had a late taxi drive to the airport so we were able to fit in some dinner at a crazy restaurant that had bouncers who patted Marty down and then wouldn't let him in with bottles of water even though they didn't have any for us. Raging place. My favourite part was that we could hear their pumping tunes floating straight into our hostel window alllll niiiiiiight looooooooong.
With mouse and Marty (finally) gone we let our hair down and got an apartment, cooked up a storm, had cocktails and nuded it up in the local baths even indulging in a nudie massage which was the second best massage I have ever had! Aunty Facy will always hold the top spot. I also used their burning hot steam room and icy pool. The pool was in a dome covered in blue and white tiles. It was really peaceful and lovely, well, until two massive ladies bombed in and started jumping up and down on the spot with their tall Kyrgyz hats on.
I like you Kyrgyzstan. I like you a lot!
Next stop, Turkey!
Our last night together is spent drinking too much beer and eating some amazing food. To top it off, Mouse and Frosty drink tap water that Frosty swore was filtered water making them a little sick the next day. Much to Marty and my amusement.
Marty had kindly offered to drive the last part to Bishkek. We took a lovely mountain pass but not before Marty was fined for driving with his lights off. I heard that!! No laughing! It's not funny!!!!
Mouse and Marty had a late taxi drive to the airport so we were able to fit in some dinner at a crazy restaurant that had bouncers who patted Marty down and then wouldn't let him in with bottles of water even though they didn't have any for us. Raging place. My favourite part was that we could hear their pumping tunes floating straight into our hostel window alllll niiiiiiight looooooooong.
With mouse and Marty (finally) gone we let our hair down and got an apartment, cooked up a storm, had cocktails and nuded it up in the local baths even indulging in a nudie massage which was the second best massage I have ever had! Aunty Facy will always hold the top spot. I also used their burning hot steam room and icy pool. The pool was in a dome covered in blue and white tiles. It was really peaceful and lovely, well, until two massive ladies bombed in and started jumping up and down on the spot with their tall Kyrgyz hats on.
I like you Kyrgyzstan. I like you a lot!
Next stop, Turkey!