27.06.19
Well then, off to Kyrgyzstan. The journey to the border passes without any incidents worth mentioning. Once there, it is very relaxed as we cross a small border and are quite early. The usual fuss begins, but is over in 20 minutes. Because we still have plenty of time, we decide to leave the main road and take a smaller one towards Bishkek.
Half the kilometres, however, the sat nav shows 2.30 hours longer. Let's see what happens. After half an hour we know why. The road resembles an access road to a gravel pit and the traffic is supergalactic. The direction of travel is only a vague guideline as there are cars on the left and right. If it continues like this, I hope we arrive in Bishkek in one piece. After some nerve-racking evasive manoeuvres and sweaty clothes we make it.
Arrival at Club Strelets Hotel in the early afternoon, we are already longing for the rewards as we drive in. It has a pool and the next surprise is that the receptionist speaks English quite well. She doesn't even want to see a passport and shows us a room that is second to none. For 25 € a night with breakfast for both, mega comfortable beds and a posh bathroom, it's clear that we're going to take a holiday from travelling here, because the 7000 km we've already travelled are really getting to us.
28.06.19
For today I can only write that:
Get up at 10 o'clock, breakfast, jump in the pool, then a cold beer and do nothing, except repeat the whole thing from "jump in the pool" and do it all day long.......
29.06.19
Breakfast ceremony and then explore the city. Bishkek is a beautiful city at 1600 m above sea level with a view of the mountains. We walk to the Osh Bazaar and spend the whole morning there. After lunch we don't want to walk back and flag down a taxi. Since we know what it may cost, thanks to Aidai, our hostel lady, we negotiate and drive off.
After 10 minutes I notice that the taxi driver is going in the wrong direction and try to explain to him where we are going. Since I gave him the business card of the hotel with the address, I assumed that he would know where it is. No such luck. Stop, please turn around.
Then it gets funny, because he starts sweating and doesn't know where to go, and we have already agreed on the price. So I navigate him back the way we came and he finds it funny because maybe I sound like "a guide - RRRRIGHT, LEFT, RIGHT OUT".
After 10 minutes we are there, all is well, he gets a tip on top, because for half an hour of taxi driving and that for 2 € and an unwanted city tour it is a great experience which the 20 cents tip is easily worth.
Back home, back in happiness, well guess what I do....richtisch....ab in den Pool und.......genau.... ein kühles Bierchen.......so we let the evening end, well not quite, I let the evening end like this, because Felix has caught a small cold at 40 degrees which I try to get under control with Schüssler salt and Echinacea. Well, let's have a look and see.
Thanks to Simona for the great first-aid kit! ! !
30.06.19
The day actually starts at night, because I can't sleep all night. Not too long ago, Felix had a quick Otto and now it's my turn. My stomach has been cramping all night and I have to go to the toilet all the time. It was probably the food at the bazaar that I didn't really want, but Felix ordered one meal and two teas and the good woman must have misunderstood and brought both twice. I choked down the food out of politeness and now I have the salad.
Well then, I guess there's nothing left to do but stuff in charcoal tablets and go on a diet. All day I eat 3 bananas and continue to eat the wonderful black tablets. I set a record in "going to the toilet", actually I sit on the bowl more than anywhere else.
Great, Felix is walking around in a cap with long sleeves and I'm reading almost a whole book on the toilet. So we add another day in the luxury domicile.
But if you stay too long in one place, you get lazy and so the next day we decide, with or without colds and shits, to go back to the hotel.
01.07.19
When I wake up I feel better, but somehow the motivation to leave is not quite there, well, chilled for too long. Doesn't help, we have to go, so the morning ceremony begins anew. Pack our things, have breakfast, say goodbye and get into our bike clothes....uff it's already so hot again, so we quickly set off to get some air and get out of the city.
After about an hour we are in Orlovka and start looking for the children's home. Lena, who lives in Bishkek and is Hans Peter's right-hand woman, gave us the name of a street, but our sat nav seems to have other plans. So we end up in front of an institution that has something to do with a project, at least that's what I think I can decipher. So I ask, and lo and behold, they know where it is. We hurry a little awkwardly through the dusty streets following the description and then find it quite well.
We are greeted by children of different ages as we roll in and I am amazed at how polite they all are, because they come up to us without shyness, shake hands and say their names. When they notice that we don't speak Russian or Kyrgyz, some of them bake out a few words of English and are obviously very happy about our visit.
After a while, a young lady comes up to us and greets us in perfect English. The girl's name is Aisuluu, which means "the beautiful moon", and she explains that Gulnara Apa (Mama Gulnara) had to come to Bishkek unexpectedly and unfortunately cannot welcome us, but that she is at our side. We are thrilled.
We get a luxurious room, one for each of us, and are allowed to make ourselves at home. I feel a bit ashamed, because I wouldn't have minded pitching my tent either, but that's how they are, hospitable from the bottom of their hearts. Immediately afterwards there is a detailed tour of the whole property and we are surprised how hard-working and organised they are.
New windows and a new heating system have already been installed in all 4 buildings. They whitewash, paint the floors, sweep the paths and the surrounding area, bake bread in their own bakery, cook, play with the little children and everyone has their own tasks.
They have classrooms with computers, which are not occupied at the moment because of course they have summer holidays here too.
A pool, a volleyball field, a huge playground with climbing poles and all kinds of things to play with are just as much a part of it as the cow that stumbles around every now and then between all the action.
It's a real pleasure to watch all the action and we are asked to join in again and again, so of course we don't have to be told twice, we're in.
Then it's time for lunch and everyone meets in the dining room, from big to small, and enjoys the fine food. To our chagrin, we are proudly presented with the beautiful
02.07.19
Breakfast is at new, we are already awake at half past seven and tidy up our seven things and check the mopeds.
After everyone has eaten, Gulnara Apa returns from Bishkek and we have a chat and thank her for the great hospitality.
Gulnara is a real mum, like something out of a picture book.
Everyone has a lot of respect for her, which I can fully understand considering the work she does, but you can also feel the warmth she radiates. Yes, she is the mum for everyone here, a great woman.
After the obligatory photo session, we set off towards Lake Ysykul with a little melancholy in our hearts.
After a few kilometres we are finally allowed to take curves again and get a panorama that almost takes our breath away. First we follow the course of the river through a canyon to finally reach a junction with a view of the lake. We don't quite keep up with the speed limits yet, because the speed limit is 60 and everyone is going almost 100. We step on the gas so that we don't always get pushed to the side by the overtaking vehicles.
Bing, here comes the ladle of the race control. Felix is lucky because he is overtaking a lorry and has not been speeded, but I am unlucky.
The policeman is very friendly and explains to me that the speed limit is 60 and that I was doing 82 km/h. First he asks for my driving licence, my vehicle registration and the speed limit. First he asks to see my driving licence, vehicle registration papers and passport. Then he says that the fine is 5500 Som, which is about 80 Euros.
Of course I never have that much money in my wallet and explain that he should issue me a ticket and I should pay it at the next post office. Mmhh, he doesn't feel like issuing a ticket and asks how much I have. 1000 Som, 2 Dollars and 5000 Kazakh Som (12,50€). He wants the 1000 and the 5000, which adds up to 24€. I can keep the 2 dollars, how kind.
Now he wants to know what I am doing here, and when I answer that I am on holiday and actually want to spend my money on food and tourist attractions, he wishes me a nice holiday. Thank you and goodbye.
For a moment I'm a little pissed off, but the view of the lake and the mountains quickly makes me forget the few bucks.
With our new app, IOverlander, we look for a place to camp. According to the app, there is a hippie campsite and since Felix wants to go there, we head for it.
20 km of sand track with washboard, deep sand, longitudinal grooves and always oncoming vehicles that you can see from afar through the dust cloud. When we arrive and stand in front of the gate, we are apparently no longer visible and disappear visually with nature, because despite waving, no one comes and opens the gate.
We call, who would have thought it, of course no one answers. After a few minutes, someone spots us and comes over. After a short explanation, he calls another number and e
03.07.19
A day of relaxing, swimming and enjoying the sweet "doing nothing", which only lasts until midday, however, because the weather throws a spanner in the works. It doesn't rain, as my weather app predicted, but it gets cold and windy. Well, let's get the down jacket out of the bag and put on the long trousers.
Apart from that, nothing much really happens on this day, so I'm looking forward to the night to see if the Wau Wau's make a racket again, but if they do, there's trouble with the Alfa dog - The Raindog. Before I go to bed I have a serious word with the rascals and say goodbye to my cave.
04.07.19
What a beautiful night, no dog barking, no snoring from Felix and the temperature was also ok. Wrapped up warm too, because the night before was another lesson for me.
Every day is good for new surprises, today I wake up because it almost blows my tent away and inside it feels like a waterfall is breaking over my cave. Since we are camping on sand, the pegs don't hold so well either, which is noticeable after a short time on my outer tent. In the vestibule it is already dripping from the ceiling and I start to build a temporary solution so that it doesn't drip onto the inner skin. After half an hour of tinkering I've had enough, because it's raining in from the other side.
So, fa-giss-it. Luckily I sleep on an air mattress that now floats gently on the small waves in the tent. With my seven things together, I play Captain Jack Sparrow and wait for better times.
After 1 1/2 hours the spitting is over and because the sun has already come out again, the temperature in the tent rises to 30 degrees. So we take everything out and hang it on the washing line, make a café and then we'll see.
After everything has dried in no time, we pack up, saddle up and the beater does its job. The ride back to the road is still a bit tricky because the ground is so soft and mixed with tufts of grass it is always fun to accelerate. We make good progress and stop briefly at "The Last Chance", the supermarket between civilisation and the no man's land we have just come from.
Now we are on the southern route of Lake Ysykul and follow the sun in a south-westerly direction. We continue to Kochkor where we treat ourselves to a home stay with dinner, breakfast and bike garage next to a yurt.
05.07.19
We set off in the morning in the direction of Songkul, which, as you have already noticed, always means Kul, which actually just means "lake". We stay on the asphalt for a few kilometres, but then it's time to eat dust again. I wanted to refuel in the morning, but Felix said: "There's still something to come. He was not entirely wrong and we are richer by one experience. When we read the sign Songkul 70 km, it is clear to us that if we turn off now, there will be nothing more until we get there and probably not even if we drive on. So we stop at the roadside at the small huts and ask for the next petrol station.
The answer was not very pleasant, but the good man told us how much we needed. We say 20 to 30 litres and he says that is no problem. After a short whisper with his little son, he disappears and returns with a colleague and two military canisters full of petrol.
Once again it's a spectacle, because everyone standing around comes over to take a photo and act as a substitute petrol pump attendant. When I take out my special petrol filter, the "village square" has become a discussion platform. Yes, yes, the Germanzkis again, what they conjure up out of their motorbike cases.
Well then, the bike is full, the engine is started, the indicator is on the right and off we go onto the gravel. What fun, first it's a gentle climb up the hill and because we don't know what's coming around the next bend, we drive in a nice, orderly fashion, which changes after half an hour, because there's simply no oncoming traffic. Which for us means - exactly - cock on, grin on our face.
We drive along wild rivers in which horses and donkeys bathe and now and then there are isolated yurts from which children always come running out and wave wildly at us. I check the map and the lake should be there soon, but suddenly we see what lies between us and the lake. It's a pass, but it's a tough one. Imagine riding up the Weisshorn from Molins on a direct route.
The sweat is pouring and concentration is required, there are what feels like 1000 hairpin bends interspersed with dried-up watercourses and, to make matters worse, we are met by cyclists. They think it's great that we're going up there and just stop in the middle of the path and wave. Great, if I stop here I'll never get off, it's too steep for that.
What do you do, right - honk and accelerate and it works because they jump to the side. When we reach the top and enjoy the view, we talk about how everyone else gets up here and just at that moment a Mercedes Sprinter comes from the other side and stops at the top of the pass. I have a chat with the driver and he explains to me that he is travelling with a group of Malaysians and has driven them up and they are now all cycling back down.
To my question
06.07.19
The next morning is quick. Breakfast, pack up and off we go towards another pass, Kazarman is our destination today before we tackle the pass of the same name the following day. The early start was great in the morning, but on the way there are always a few bumps.
The funniest thing was when we met construction workers who had a tyre burst on their lorry. They really managed to get the tyre off the rim and then they had the salad. Rupture in the tube......na there they were. They tried to explain in a very complicated way whether we could get help in the village, but I had an idea.
What works on a motorbike should also work on a Lorrie. Felix and I simply fixed the hose with our tools and the three boys stood there wide-eyed. Yes my name is Dr. Zigmund from Hackenflash and I am a Bush Doctor.
The biggest and most beautiful thing we experienced that day was a canyon that would make even Carl May turn pale.
Arrived in Kazarman we first visit a kiosk to buy our well deserved cold beer and what do we see, an Iranian with a 220 cc chopper motorbike who actually rode the same way as we did. Dirt bike, off road, I feel like a chav ?!?
When we are looking for accommodation we meet Andrew from Siberia, who has already done the Pamir and is on his way home. At Home Stay we meet another cyclist, Emmet from Australia and a Frenchman who is hitchhiking the whole thing. So you can imagine what a funny round we had. We end the evening on a happy note and then meet up again for breakfast.
07.07.2019
As the Kazarman Pass is not easy to pass according to all descriptions, we want to start early to take advantage of the good weather. When it rains, this pass, which is only open 3 months a year, is said to be impassable. We are lucky again because the weather couldn't be better. On the way to the top of the pass we realise what everyone thinks. Even the dry road is a bit swampy in parts, we can't imagine what it would be like if it rained, the whole thing would turn into a mud battle.
On the first of 2 passes we are greeted by officials. Three children on donkeys who really want a photo session, well we are happy to do that and as a thank you they get nuts from us, which they are obviously happy about.
On the second pass, the Töö Pass (3600 metres above sea level), there is still an eagle from Soviet times, but it is missing its beetle and watches headless over the mountains and the snow.
We are almost back at the bottom when the rain starts and we realise once again how lucky we were, because the last few metres become small streams that have to be crossed. Then the asphalt comes back and we pick up the pace and make it to the top.
08.07.2019
Today it's time to screw the moped. I haven't had a service for 16,000 km and the Yami is crying out for one. We go to the garage "Zorro Motor" in Osh and are warmly welcomed by a Swiss, Dave. We rent the garage for half a day and start work early in the morning.
However, as there is always someone new coming and there is always something to talk about, all the tinkering drags on until the evening hours. But that doesn't matter, because we get so much information and contacts that you wouldn't get otherwise.
After the work is done, we go out for dinner and meet up with our new acquaintances in a restaurant not far from the hostel. The evening is excellent and very amusing, with all the nationalities and stories everyone has to tell. After this wonderful experience we go back to our hostel on the outdoor couch.
09.07.2019
We meet up with Marvin, whom we met yesterday and who joins us to drive to Lenin Peak and then onto the Pamir Highway. The morning departure takes a long time because we have to refuel, do some shopping and change money which takes us about 3 hours. We have to change money at the bazaar because the banks don't want to have the local currency back, which is no wonder at this rate. They only want to exchange dollars or euros.
At the bazaar you can change at a good rate, but unfortunately they don't have that much. The largest amount we can change is the equivalent of 25 dollars and we need 300. So it becomes a gauntlet under the watchful eyes of the curious Kyrgyz.
Once we have done that, the three of us set off for Sary Tash, which is about 200 km away and the start of the Pamir Highway. After it was still scorching hot in Osh, it starts to rain as we leave the city and somehow it doesn't want to stop. The temperature drops and it becomes unpleasantly cool as we slowly climb up. After 2 hours in the rain, we stop at a bus stop and decide to cook.
Mashed potatoes with fish fingers, something different from all the borsch and stuffed dumplings, which I'm getting sick of. But we can't talk about "cooking in peace", as we start, the first children already come to the photo shoot and want to invite us to their homes for chai afterwards. That's nice, but we don't feel like it, we're hungry and we don't feel like chai and the usual questions.
No sooner have the children left than two cars pull up and what looks like a football team gets out. And guess what they want? They want to take photos, pose, ask the usual questions - where do you come from, where do you want to go, how fast does the bike go, how much horsepower, how much room does it have, etc. ......ect....ect.....
When the gang finally leaves, we can eat and drink in peace.
