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2008 Mongolia China,  Kyrgyzstan & Kazakhstan
  Tour Group Journal

Kashgar to Naryn From China to Kyrgyzstan Submitted by Vivian Weber masarcay@spiritone.com

Early start for the Torugart pass at 12,000’. We passed through 7 security points with passport checks and one with X-ray machines with our baggage-customs and immigration prior to arriving at the border. There we had to wait for the guards to have lunch for an hour. We had our own box lunches and used the facilities (a dirt outcropping for privacy since there are no bushes). Finally, we were checked briefly and allowed to pass but some yahoo drivers coming in the opposite direction had decided to pass another truck on a barely passable two-lane road thus causing chaos and a stalemate (Chinese version of a Mexican stand off). There were hundreds of trucks laded with scrap metal waiting to pass into China. This obstacle took another hour to clear. It was another hour before we reached Kyrgyzstan border where we left Wang, our driver and Ali, our guide for the day and met Nazar, our guide and our Russian drivers, Gregorie and Vadim. After being in small mini busses with non-existent shocks, it was a pleasure to get in a huge coach. We saw breath-taking scenery. The Kyrgyz semi-nomads live in yurts and adobe brick houses and grazing yaks, sheep, goat, horses and camels. They stockpile dung and straw mixed patties for fuel. The Muslim observance is not as strict as in other countries. The religions here were Zoroastrism, Nestorism, Menachaeism and Shamanism prior to the Muslim and Russian Orthodox that now predominate. All villages have a mosque and church. $1.00 = 34 som.

Bishkek to Naryn  Submitted by Meli Seval  melitour@yahoo.com

We had to leave soon after midnight. there was a full moon. Several hours I could not go to sleep. the shadows of the mountains were dancing in the light of the fool moon. But when the nature calls, the weight on my eye lids could no longer allow me keep my eyes open.
Trusting the driver in these very bumpy roads I fell a sleep. When the first rays of the sun started reflecting on the white foams of the Chu river, I woke up and realized that i still had a full day on this bus before I could finally meet the rest of my group. I was constantly on the phone with Deborah who was finally arriving to Kyrgyzystan  from the opposite end of the country. My group was arriving from China, Deborah was arriving from Kazakhstan and here I was caught in a bus for 20 some hours in between  the two arriving  parties. this was probably the excitement of the guides on the silk road after loosing part of their caravan in a sand or snow storm