Weeks 9, 10 & 11: Beautiful Kyrgyzstan & Return to Kazakhstan & Russia– 3rd to 24th June 20146/24/2014 Salam! Over the past three weeks we have been travelling around Kyrgyzstan and crossed the border into Kazakhstan on Saturday 14th June and into Russia on Friday 20th June. Kyrgyzstan is a remarkable and beautiful country and truly has to be seen to be believed, with almost every type of landscape you could imagine, (except for sand dunes and desert). There are gorges with gushing rivers, sandstone canyons and flat humid pastures full of rice paddies. We have also seen stunning alpine scenery with wild flower meadows and glittering blue lakes, ancient walnut forests with pretty waterfalls, and the second largest alpine lake in the world (Issyk-kul). Kyrgyzstan could possibly be one of the most varied and beautiful countries we have ever seen, and perhaps in 20 years time, it will be one of the most popular active holiday destinations in the world. All we know is that we want to come back to this country one day. Albeit police corruption is rife. So, what have we been up to? We were in Osh nearly three weeks ago now and we enjoyed the Kyrgyz Capital of the south immensely, albeit a fellow Brit (James) we later heard, had some serious issues, being nearly mugged by the police! James and a friend had withdrawn dollars from a cash machine and then two police officers tried to bundle them into their car and demand the dollars from them. Luckily, we didn’t have any trouble there but it worried us a little to read his blog (121degrees.co.uk). Best of luck traversing China James. We are thinking of you! :p In Osh, the air was muggy and warm and had a sub-tropical feel that Ed thought akin perhaps to India. In the distance, the snow-capped peaks of China (Tian Chen) provided a wonderful backdrop for a leafy green city, with tree-lined avenues and bizarre sandstone rock features thrown into the mix. It couldn’t have been more different to Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. From Osh, we travelled north and then west, alongside the border with Uzbekistan’s Fergana valley. The scenery remained pleasant with rolling hills and cultivated fields. Occasionally we would pass slightly elevated areas of golden and grey-green sandstone mountains covered in spring shrubs, and we also passed a beautiful blue lake (where the locals were swimming and fishing) before driving further west into Jalalabad Province. One of the places we wanted to visit was a small rural village called Arslanbob, which contained three ancient walnut forests, stunning craggy mountain scenery and a couple of lovely waterfalls. We arrived on the outskirts of the village on Wednesday 4th June and bumped into a group of Dragoman tourists outside their homestay. They were a varied bunch of Brits, Dutch, American and Austrian, mostly travelling as individuals in a heowge orange Mercedes Truck and they invited us into the homestay for a beer and a chat. The two Dragoman drivers (Ricky and Emma) were legends and we ended up parking our truck next to theirs and spending the night there, sharing dinner with the Dragomans. It was great fun hearing about their stories so far. They were touring the Silk Road from Istanbul to Beijing and told us more amusing stories about Turkmenistan that corroborated other news we had heard of the country…. Lol. That night I had an awful fever, and so missed breakfast with the Dragomans. Ed joined them and made excuses for me. I think the (what I call vodka incident) of the previous week had weakened my immune system and I ended up with the worst sinus-cold of my life (still snivelling and coughing two weeks later). Subsequently, the next morning (me pale-faced) we walked a couple of miles up into Arslanbob and enjoyed the small Bazaar and then the pretty waterfall above the village. Randomly it turned out to be a ‘touristy’ spot with stalls all the way up to the waterfall selling yoghurt balls, ice-cream, raspberry sheets and horrendous Chinese plastic stuff that is too horrid to mention. Two ice-creams and a can of coke-cola helped me make it up the hill! The waterfall was very pretty and the view down into the valley below us was definitely worth the climb. On the way back to the truck, we purchased some beef from the local butcher (the first proper meat we had had for weeks) and then drove south from Arslanbob on route to our next destination (a Bio-Reserve with a beautiful lake, called Sary-Chelek). We didn’t really know where we were going, but the road to Sary Chelek was as dramatic as it was beautiful. We initially passed through some former coal mining towns, which included huge concrete Soviet block style flats which were a bit grim, before rising into desert-like sandstone mountains. Sometimes the sandstone would turn white and calcareous, forming wonderful knobbly features (including one such structure that looked like a male appendage). That night we parked up near the sandstone features in a peculiar valley covered in leafy plants, huge yellow flowering plants and wild herbs. It looked like a miniature jungle, or something from the land that time forgot. On Friday 6th June we arrived at the gates to the Bio-Reserve at Sary-Chelek. That morning we had driven through a wonderful collection of valleys following a gushing blue river in the direction of the National Park. Ed paid the equivalent of about £12 for us and the truck to enter the reserve and stay there for two nights. Upon entering the gates, we passed into a glorious green verdant valley of walnut trees, ash, pistachio and long grass full of wild flowers. It took us quick by surprise. The path wound up and up following a beautiful blue stream and we marvelled at the views and the beauty of the place. We saw pink pom pom alliums everywhere, bright wild yellow fennel, dark cerise orchids, and beautiful dainty pink geraniums. I also spotted some dianthus and wild geums (almost identical to the ones we left in our cottage garden at lower deans). It was delightful. Eventually we rose to the top of the valley, just over 1700mASL and we parked alongside a small blue lake. Unfortunately, the rapid rise in altitude provoked my sinus cold, and I had to lie down (pathetically) for an hour or so, nursing a horrendous migraine… Not ideal. Later on in the day, I felt much better and so we went for a walk (in a cloud of mosquitos) around the small, stunning turquoise blue lake we had parked alongside and really had a chance to soak up the views, scents of the flowers, and for Ed, to spot fish in the lake. The following morning it rained, so we hid in the truck a little while relaxing, before setting off on foot further up the valley to the largest lake; Sary Chelek. The sun came out to greet us and it wasn’t long before we were alongside the magnificent turquoise blue lake we had read about in our Bradt Guide. It made us chuckle a bit, because we had seen a lot of locals driving past all evening the previous day and all morning. It seems that Sary-Chelek is a local tourist hotspot. They come here to enjoy the lake (swim in it) and have BBQs and vodka with the family. It was lovely and made us even more relaxed whilst we watched the locals having fun too. We followed a track alongside the lake which was just about wide enough for two feet. It was a steep climb through wonderful tall grass and more pink and yellow wild flowers with butterflies dancing around everywhere like leaves in the wind. We found a nice big rock to sit on and admired the wonderful view of the lake beneath us. Steep green carpeted mountains rose from every corner of the lake with the exception of a small forested area where the locals were jumping in the cool blue waters. The area was a designated Bio-Reserve to protect endangered species such as the infamous snow leopard, lynx and ibex. I got the binoculars out of my bag and raised my eyes to the peaks in the hope of spotting something. No such luck. Even in the warm sunshine, there was still ice at the very tops of the triangular mountains. After enjoying the lake, we followed the track back to the truck and beyond, walking down the path we had driven up the previous morning. Black thunder clouds rolled in behind us, but the air was mild. We didn’t mind a spot of rain and instead sat at a view point looking down at the green valley below us. On the ascent back to the truck we passed a mini-bus which had spilled its human contents on the side of the road! They were a lovely Kyrgyz family enjoying the scenery as well. It was hilarious, because within minutes, they had beckoned us over, whipped out vodka (which they insisted on us drinking) and soon they were piling Ed’s arms with bread, home-made dough-balls and green peppers. What made me giggle the most was that when Ed’s hands were no longer free (piled with food), the father of the group slipped a half drunk bottle of vodka into Ed’s pocket so he couldn’t refuse. It was hilarious! We chatted for a while and told them how much we loved Kyrgyzstan and the people were so kind. The whole family were tipsy and the replies were ‘yes, Kyrgyzstan is the friendliest country and we don’t care about the Government, we just want to have fun!’ It was an interesting comment – and they were definitely having fun. They all piled back in the mini-bus. It turned out one of the family had dropped his camera further up the mountain and when he returned (camera in hand) they set off again down the hill. We waved them off cheerily, again our hearts warmed by the generosity of strangers (and by the shot of vodka they had made us knock back!). Hehe. We spent a second night parked alongside the small lake, before descending the mountain the following morning and re-tracing the charismatic scenery on route back to the main road. Once we had made it back to civilisation, we pulled over for lunch and (luckily had a full mobile signal) and so managed to Skype the Crocker House. Joanne and Ed were home, and the entire thing (with a 3 second delay) was hilarious and it was nice to see everyone’s faces, albeit very blurry ones. Later that afternoon (Sunday 8th June 2014) we drove a most wonderful road following the turquoise Naryn River north through a stunning rocky gorge. The tight meandering hairpins and perfect tarmac would have to make it a road worth visiting by the likes of Top Gear or James Bond (we mused). Eventually we dropped down from the highest point of the gorge to the Toktogul Reservoir, a massive blue expanse of water that looked like a sea. Moody black, blue and purple clouds rolled above the mountains over the reservoir as we descended down to it. This coincided with a wonderful sunset of golden yellows and the scene was majestically atmospheric…. Very, very memorable. We stared in awe of the colours. I have never seen so many shades of blue in the sky, the water and the mountains. Just as the rain started spattering on the roof of the truck, Ed spotted an off road track that would conceal us from the road, but give us an amazing view of the reservoir, and so we managed another fantastic camp spot. The following morning, we were also lucky enough to the see the reservoir in the sunshine before heading further north through more of the wondrous scenery Kyrgyzstan had to offer. Within the space of one day, we passed though lowland rocky grasslands, another stunning grey rocky gorge with a beautiful gushing river alongside, the highest pass in Kyrgyzstan (>3600mASL) and suddenly we arrived on an alpine grass plateau filled to the brim with yurts and beautiful horses, grazing wild with their young flighty foals. Cows, sheep and goats also ran wild (including onto the road ahead of us!). It was a mesmerising scene with wild pink and yellow alpine flowers carpeting the plateau and a beautiful silver ribbon of a stream glimmering in the centre of it all. Ed was convinced there were trout in it. We must have come at the perfect time, as we were witnessing new families assembling their yurts, the high plateau being their summer grazing pastures. Locals sold milk and dried yoghurt balls alongside the road and every now and then there was a small BBQ cooking shashlik. There was a relaxed party-like atmosphere in the air as it seemed the local Kyrgyz were welcoming the summer sun and the bright green grass with open arms. Beautiful. After around an hour or so of enjoying the plateau, the road diverged, and we took a dirt track to the east, waving goodbye to the near-perfect tarmac road which continued north to Bishkek (Capital of Kyrgyzstan). The sun was fading and we managed to find a very lovely night-spot by a gentle bubbling stream, hiding just off the road in the trees and bushes. The following morning (Tuesday 10th June), Ed got his pump out and filled the water tank with the fresh mountain water from the stream and then we set off in the direction of Lake Issykul. Another long day of driving ahead of us, we passed through more wonderful scenery which included a red sandstone gorge and another beautiful river. Pretty leafy Kyrgyz villages and more rolling wild meadow pastures passed us by, always with stunning mountains in the distance, which in their twisted awesomeness, somehow they managed to look more like they belonged in an oil painting rather than actual reality. At the end of a very long day, with the sun beating down, we arrived at a small bustling village called Korchor in the evening sunlight. Fresh bread was being cooked in huge Tandoor ovens and fruit and veg stalls lined the road in an exciting bazaar. We were running low on fresh food including bread, veg and eggs, so we decided to pull over and get stuck in. After frequenting nearly all the stalls and some small shops, we returned to the truck to find a yellow van parked tightly alongside the truck, with a young lad hunched underneath the winch-plate. He was very cheekily eyeing up a huge metal shackle that Ed had used to connect the winch hook to the truck. Even as we approached the truck from the opposite side, the lad didn’t flinch. Ed wanted to walk up to him and shout ‘Oi’ as loudly as humanly possible, leading the lad to likely bang his head under the truck. Ed however, did not shout, but approached him quietly. The lad must have seen the shadow of his legs, and he jumped out of his skin and then scurried off, as did the yellow van alongside us. Cheeky buggers. After that, we thought best to drive on that evening and after a further 40km we reached the western (and very salty) edge of Lake Issykul. We spotted a dirt-track that took us almost down to the salt encrusted shore-line and we managed to find a couple of trees to hide behind and provide must needed cover, and shade. Lake Isskykul is the second largest alpine lake in the world at over 1700mASL with its blue depths reached more than 400m deep. It is partially saline and geothermally heated, and although winter temperatures in Kyrgyzstan plummet well into minus figures in winter, the lake never freezes. The following morning we explored the western salty end on foot, spotting curious red plants poking through the salt encrusted sand. They looked like the top of a ‘reed’, but they were red…. Very strange (see photos). Returning to the truck we continued back to the main road and then travelled due east along the banks of the lake. The lakes northern shore was lined with beautiful snow-capped mountains and the shore-line opposite us (the southern shore) soon began to reveal stunning red sandy beaches with a back drop of young leafy trees (possibly poplars). At times the scenery looked like Greece (my favourite Island; Skiathos). It was tranquil and truly stunning. The sun shone warmly and after passing several stunning ‘beachy’ spots, we finally decided to get the truck down to the beach. We found a small little cove of our own, got the towels, sun-cream and ice cold cola out of the fridge and then did something we never expected to do on this trip in these land-locked countries…. We lazed on the beach. Lush. We also dipped our tootsey toes into what I can only describe as the ‘fluffy’ waters of the lake. The temperature was cool but not bitter by any means, and within seconds our skin was used to the water. In hindsight, we should have got our swims stuff on, but we just lazed on the beach instead enjoying the slopping sound of the waves on the shore (the only true give away that we weren’t by the sea). Behind us, pretty gnarled red sandstone formations and miniature gorges added further drama and majesty to the lake-side scenery. If Kyrgyzstan was selling land, we were musing about a wooden shack on our very own stretch of beach. Lol! They do flights straight to the Capital (Bishkek) from London by the way! That evening, we drove further alongside the lake and up into a valley (Jeti Oguz) which housed the most dramatic red sandstone rock formations of the region. These comprised a series of seven large square-shape pinnacles of sandstone which were a dark red ochre and weathered into wonderful horizontal striations, making them look textured and even more dramatic. We spent the night over-looking the rocks in the car park of a ‘Sanatorium’ built just beneath the formations (during Soviet times) and to our surprise, providing a Butlins-like holiday resort for the locals (minus the entertainment). A beautiful call to prayer (while we tucked into Ed’s yummy potatoe curry) reminded us that we were still in a Muslim country, as did some of the holiday makers walking around in traditional dress. There were an equal amount of western dressed locals as well however. Every seemed relaxed and happy to be on their holidays. We met one such lady the following morning as we were exiting the Sanatorium gates to get a closer look at the sandstone formations. Her name was Gulnara and she stopped us at the gate with a kind hello, asking where we were from. We still obviously stood out like sore thumbs even in a Kyrgyz touristy spot. We chatted for a little while and then she introduced her family to us and insisted we join her for tea. As we were all packed ready for a hike in the hills (into the Valley of the Flowers), we explained to her where our truck was parked and that we would return later in the evening, and is possible try and catch up with her. It was another blue sky, warm sunny day as we ascended into the Valley of the Flowers. The guide book promised wild tulips, poppies and even mushrooms, but (not disappointed) we spotted pretty pale yellow clematis, wild geraniums and dainty cerise pink flowers that we couldn’t name. The path followed the twists and turns of a shining aquamarine gushing stream, with sturdy thick wooden bridges occasionally crossing over it flanked by steep sided green clad grey rocky walls covered in spruce trees (growing at impossible angles). After a couple of miles, the valley opened up into wonderful grass pasture dotted with yurts and beautiful glossy horses with their sweet wobbly foals grazing wild and enjoying the cool waters of the stream. Golden rocks littered the landscape making a picturesque alpine scene (except it was hot, hot, hot in the sun). (Doc Ems, you would absolutely love Kyrgyzstan. There are horses everywhere grazing freely and they are so, so beautiful!). We found a quiet lunch spot along an adjacent tributary of the stream before descending back down the valley towards the truck. On route down the valley, a large MAN overlander was tackling one of the sturdy wooden bridges and driving towards us. It was the Dutch contingent we had met weeks back in Kazakhstan the morning of our Kazakh-Uzbek crossing; Jeroen, Virginia and Angelien. Sadly Jeroen’s wife had been taken ill with thrombosis and had to return to Holland for treatment. We said a quick hello (Jeroen didn’t initially recognise Ed due to his ‘now’ wild bushy beard) and promised to drive the truck up the valley so we could catch up properly later in the evening. We continued to the truck and had a nice cup of tea and some biscuits, leaving the back door open just incase Gulnara came by. An hour later, we thought it best to continue up the mountain to meet the Dutch, and just as we were about to drive away, Gulnara and her family appeared around the corner making a beeline straight for us. Soon we had been invited into the old Soviet hotel block of the Sanatorium, which looked much nicer inside than out. A table set for tea awaited us, with home-made cakes, biscuits, cold meats, traditional Kyrgyz dough balls. It was lovely actually. Gulnara’s daughter made us tea, and her mother sat at the table, so there were three generations of the family, all eager to talk to us, including Gulnara’s nephew. Gulnara’s English was fantastic, which she had learned from having American neighbours (now returned back to the states). She wanted to hear about our families, the UK and our trip and we all chatted away merrily for over an hour. We then wished Gulnara and her family goodbye leaving her our details and inviting her to stay with us if she was ever in the UK. It was a lovely experience and we won’t forget it. Late in the evening, we then set off up the dirt track back into the Valley of the Flowers and found the two Dutch vehicles at the top amidst the lush grass, horses and yurts. Soon we had been invited into Jeroen’s MAN truck and we were being treated to Jeroen’s edited videos of the Mangistau region of Kazakhstan and their adventures in Tajikistan. We also shared our pictures of the Pamir, which Jeroen had missed due to the violence in Khorog. The following morning (Friday 13th June) we waved goodbye to the Dutch and headed into Karakol for supplies which included a roast chicken! (I was so excited), before bumping into the Dutch again. Jeroen kindly offered us his Garmin GPS software, so we jumped at the chance to download and subsequently spent the remainder of the afternoon doing just that, parked in the Karakol Valley. A Russian couple also came to join us and we shared beer and food (the Russians brought dried fish and dried fish eggs in strips which I had never tried before. They were very salty! On Saturday 14th June we had to make our way to the Kyrgyz-Kazakh border passed an annoying checkpoint where the border guard took Ed into a back office and cornered him for a bribe. Ed however, bravely shrugged his shoulders and sauntered off snatching back our paperwork in disgust (I blame the beard)…. See pictures. About 2km before the border, we bumped into a couple who had hitch-hiked to Almaty and were now cycling through Kyrgyzstan! Their names were Wesley and Aurelie (English and French) and they were so sweet and lovely, we jumped out of the truck to chat to them. Ed filled their water bottles, bestowed them with our left over Kyrgyz Som and gave them a bungee cord to help fix their bags to their bikes which they had purchased in Almaty. They had decided against hitch-hiking in the Stans and we completely understood, because locals would expect money for hitch-hiking. If you are a tourist (especially) you will be expected to pay for the ride. Subsequently the couple had purchased bikes and fair play to them! As we swapped details, Wesley told us that they had bought a house with land in Bulgaria and he gave us the address and insisted we go and stay there, even though Aurelie and himself were travelling for nearly two years and would not be home. When they finally did get home, they wanted to try and be self-sufficient as much as possible. We thought they were a remarkable couple and we definitely would like to visit their small holding in Bulgaria on our return journey home! Ed and I mused; maybe we would buy a house and land there too and become Wesley and Aurelie’s neighbours! The dream of a beautiful home with land is still a reality in Bulgaria as they had purchased theirs for only £6K. Ed and I found them inspirational and definitely had lots to think about after meeting them. The border crossing was very easy and took just under 2hrs. As usual the truck was a hit with the border guards and they all wanted to get in (the cab and the back) to look at it. On the Kazakh side, one particular border guard insisted that his friends take photo’s of him as he posed in front of the truck (much to mine and Ed’s amusement). We then followed him into his office and he pointed to a brand new Toyota Land Cruiser which was parked out of the window, insisting he had paid $40,000 for it. He then began to coax Ed to swap it for the truck as he liked it so much! It was hilarious really and he wouldn’t back down until Ed made a joke saying ‘it’s a great vehicle but how will my girlfriend wash her hair?!’ Hehe. And then we were in Kazakhstan again. We spent 6 days driving north-east through the country to the Russian border, which we crossed on Friday 20th June (before my Kazakh visa expired on 22nd June). Our previous visit to Kazakhstan surprised me, challenging my pre-conceived ides of this remarkable country and our second visit was no different. On our first afternoon we followed the Charyn River, a beautiful silver ribbon flowing from the Tian Chen mountains beyond the Chinese border into a beautiful valley of long grassy undulating wild meadows. Ed thought it one of the most beautiful off-road drives so far and (albeit we didn’t go down it) we spotted the steepest off-road track we have ever seen in our lives. It was possibly more than 60 degrees and dropped steeply down to a small farmstead. We spent that night in a pretty flower meadow tucked away from the road enjoying the sunset over the green rolling hills. Delightful. The following day (Sunday 15th June) we enjoyed the Charyn Canyon and the ‘Valley of the Castles’ which comprised a stunning red sandstone gorge with a footpath down the middle and striated pinnacles of rock balanced in awesome shapes and positions either-side. The walls of the canyon were about 20m high and we walked the few miles down into the charismatic valley towards the Charyn River and sat along its pebbly banks for a few hours dipping our feet in the cool water. It was a hot day. Unfortunately we had to share the canyon and river bank with many other tourists, but it was still wonderful. On returning to the truck (which un-sensibly we had parked at the top of the canyon on a precipice) an almighty wind had built up and Ed was truly worried that the truck was going to be blown over. It was quick scary walking up to the vehicle actually. It was rocking horribly in the wind, so we quickly climbed in and very carefully Ed drove us to a place of safety! It was hair-raising for about 5 minutes and we wondered if the locals had been thinking ‘what a silly place to park’. We got some fantastic photos of the truck over-looking the canyon though! ;p That evening we went off-road again down a track from the north side of the Charyn Nature Reserve, and we think it was probably a dis-used track. Likely others had been put off by the huge ‘STOP’ sign as we drove onto the track, which naughtily we ignored…. We ended up in craggy dark red rocky hills covered in grey-green worm wood shrubs and we caught several glimpses of the gouge in the red earth below that was the Charyn Canyon, lined with leafy green vegetation. That night we slept in a spooky spot in the middle of nowhere in our very own mini red rocky valley as the wind and rain came in. There wasn’t a soul for miles and miles. The following morning (Monday 16th June) we returned to the main road (after spotting some old military bunkers alongside the steep banks of the Charyn) and then it clicked why the road was dis-used. Luckily the military bunker was dis-used as well…. The remainder of the day comprised a wonderful pretty drive through a variety of landscapes from sandy desert-steppe, to craggy rocky valleys, French-like arable land lined with mature trees and wonderful rolling wild flower meadows. The sun shone brilliantly and our hearts felt light and happy. That evening we parked alongside a lush beautiful stream surrounded by knee high grass, wild orchids and dancing with butterflies and dragonflies. It was divine and so un-like anything we were expecting to see in Kazakhstan. On Tuesday 17th June we continued north. Generally the roads had been very good until beyond Taldy Korgan where we stopped to register ourselves at a hotel that morning (tourists have to do this every 5 days). Prior to Taldy-Korgan we had attempted to off-road to some Petroglyphs (Eshkiholmes; as mentioned in our Bradt Guide) but sadly the bridge over the river (as described in the guide) was blocked by a huge blue gate, so mental note to inform Bradt (the Kazakh Guide is out of date, now published some 5 years ago). Disappointed, we continued north on terribly pot holed roads alongside more arable land lined with wild flowers, alternating with desert-steppe. At times the landscape was so flat, there was no horizon. For the most part however, mountains remained to the east, and when we finally parked up for the night alongside a most beautiful stream, the snow on the Tian Shen peaks shone pink in a wonderful sunset. It was a special spot and we got our deck chairs out and really soaked up the view and the atmosphere that evening. Ed had practically parked in the river, and the following morning he rose early and collected up his fishing gear. I watched him (at 6am) through the window casting joyously into the water. He was very happy and it was heart warming to watch. Unfortunately there weren’t fishes biting, although a gull had been swooping around and it had managed to catch a few tiddlers. We spent the entire morning (Wednesday 18th June) enjoying the river and the views, breakfasting in the sun and catching up with washing. It was lovely. We managed to put a good few hours of driving in later in the day and found a parking spot for the night (off road again) in a hollow of desert-steppe overlooked by a red craggy outcrop of weathered rock. The road had been exhausting and the Kazakh heat made it all the more uncomfortable. We mused that the road builder should be condemned. The tarmac at times looked good, but every few metres a ridge would appear in it and our bums would leave our seats. Also it was riddled with potholes. We must have been averaging 30mph since Taldy-Korgan. It was tiresome. On Thursday 19th June we pressed on towards Semipalatinsk (renamed ‘Semey’ in Kazakh and the Russian border. The roads remained awful until we reached a cross-roads near where we diverted north-west to Semey. From this point onwards the tarmac was as fresh as a daisy and we made good progress, eventually camping out in the desert-steppe some 30km south of Semey. The Bradt guide had informed us that Semipalantisnsk was associated with forty years of Nuclear testing completed by the Soviets from 1949. An area known as the ‘Polygon, located some 150km south-west of Semey is where more than 400 nuclear tests were carried out, with an additional 300+ in underground tunnels. They even used a nuclear weapon in an attempt to dam part of the River Chargan. The resultant crater in-filled with water and is now known as the atomic lake. Ed and I desperately wanted to visit it, but looking on the maps, it was within the ‘Polygon’ – The Restricted Area, so we thought best to leave it be, albeit a minor road did traverse the south-eastern side of the area on our maps….. On Friday 20th June we woke to more sunshine and soon arrived at Semey, hoping to stop and explore the town. It turned out however to be a very large place, bustling with traffic and we spotted very few places we would be happy parking the truck. Consequently we continued to the Russian border one day early. Our final 80km through Kazakhstan comprised spruce and ash forest lining the road which didn’t make any sense after the desert-steppe we had witnessed only one hour previously. We stopped for a rest and then arrived at the border around 2pm. It took around 3 hours to cross and this was mainly because it was a very busy border and we had to queue. Also the Kazakh border guards detained us for about 15 minutes because they had miss-read our visas and thought we only had a 5 day transit visa, confusing themselves (and us) with the migration card we carried from entering Kazakhstan, which stated that we had to register (as tourists) every 5 days…. Nothing to do with our visas…. We were a bit worried at first as we thought there was something wrong with our registration documents that we had obtained in Taldy-Korgan, but eventually it clicked for them (and us) that they hadn’t read the dates on our visas properly which stated we had a double entry and 60 days. They finally realised it was they’re mistake and without acknowledging it, or even indicating that we could proceed, they both literally ran away from us….. Ed shouted goodbye to them (slightly sarcastically) and then we made a sharp exit as well. Before the detainment, they had already stamped our passports anyway, so if Ed and I wanted to, we could have made a run for it! lol. Luckily we didn’t have too (mental note to learn Russian if we ever come to these countries again….. ). The Russian border guards were much more professional and faster and once again we found ourselves in Mother Russia. It was a glorious evening and the scenery changed to arable rolling fields lined with trees as soon as we crossed the border. It was bizarre after the desolate desert-steppe we had not long departed, and it made us wonder how clever the Russians were if they had knowingly chosen the magical line where desert-steppe became rich agricultural land. We enjoyed watching the long grasses and wild flowers bobbing in the mild breeze and every time we passed a river or lake (and they were plentiful too) the banks were covered in Russians tanning themselves and swimming in the cool waters. It was Friday night and the locals definitely knew how to enjoy themselves. We didn’t blame them one bit, and it made us look back on the Stans. No one there had time to kick back and enjoy the weekend. We were even more cheered when we happened upon our first big supermarket in nigh on two months! I was so excited, we jumped out of the truck and grabbed a trolly, filling it with ‘EVERYTHING’ including lots of meat, wine and cold fruit yoghurts. Both of us had been craving a healthy dose of meat, as the past few weeks we have mainly been living off potatoes, eggs and pasta. We have made amazing meals with these stable ingredients however. Gwen would be proud of our omelettes and some of our potatoe curries have literally been ‘immense’ (in the words of Nessa). That evening we found our own special spot alongside a stunningly beautiful river and parked the truck in a hollow situated within a pretty meander. The banks of the river were covered in lush grass, wild flowers, blue and white butterflies, turquoise damsel flies and some of the biggest dragon flies Ed and I had ever seen! Also as the sun faded, we were even luckier to see a small otter-like mammal swimming back and fore the river right in front of us carrying reeds. Ed thought perhaps it was ‘ratty’ a water vole, but it looked too big. Ed also thought it too small to be an otter or mink, so we are not entirely sure what it was, but it was delightful to watch. The following morning we got the deck chairs out and lazed by the river in the sun (after filling our bellies with a fry up now that we had some proper sausages!). We had also purchased Heinz Beans, but the label was in Cyrillic which amused us greatly. Earlier in the morning however, a local farmer had actually come to cut the long grass for hay. Firstly Ed asked him if it was ok for us to be in his hay field by the river and he nodded kindly, and (in Russian) Ed thinks he said ‘you are welcome’. Which was lovely. Secondly, a few minutes later a big red tractor appeared to cut the hay and within five minutes it had broken down! Subsequently we were left to enjoy the pretty flowers and butterflies before all was chopped down. The farmer later returned around 2.30pm and by then Ed had managed to sunburn his chest and the pair of us were in very relaxed happy moods and ready to push on. We drove a few hours through more rolling hills and arable fields akin to Wiltshire (near Stone Henge) and in some places even Kent. It was a revelation to see such a tiny corner of Russia, which is deemed in the minds of many to be a stark place; and cold. This area of Russia was none of these things. It was hitting around 35 degrees in the heat of the day and Ed and I were roasting. On Saturday evening (21st June) we found another fantastic camp spot at the corner of another hay field, but this time it contained mature trees, Again we parked in a hollow of the field, out of site of the road and shielded by some mature ash trees. Again as dusk approached, we heard squarking noises out of the window. Gazing out, we were treated to the sight of an owl hunting stealthily just out of our window and the squarking noise was her chicks from a tree not 10 metres from where we were parked. We watched in silence until the sun went down enjoying the spectacle. On Sunday 22nd June we arrived at Barnaul, a large Russian town where we were able to buy a dongle for more internet access (if we had a good signal). It was another very hot day and we wandered (very relaxed) about the town in the sunshine. I was especially happy as I could don some shorts and a T-shirt now that we had exited the Stans. Barnaul was pleasant and had a town square which included a large fountain, filling a shallow rectangular area with water. Amusingly the locals and their children were cooling off in the fountain and treating it like the local Lido! We joined in too and sat on the wall of the structure, dipping our feet into the water. It was lovely. We also found another supermarket and bought more food, aware that we needed to stock up before entering Mongolia on 25th June. That afternoon we drove south-east from Barnaul and spotted more and more locals sunbathing and swimming in the river which flowed south from Barnaul. It was lovely to see everyone enjoying themselves, relaxed and happy, and we couldn’t help feeling the same way too. Before Barnaul the scenery comprised more arable rolling fields and meadows, and we also spotted large allotment-like areas, filled to the brim with very quaint and beautiful ‘small’ houses. They were two stories and generally about the size of a large garden shed. Ed thought they were summer houses for the locals. It all reminded us of the ‘Good Life’ again. Everyone was tending to their vegetables and it was all so pristine and well cared for. The Russians in these towns were obviously a proud and hardworking bunch. On Sunday night we settled in a spot within a spruce wood during a muggy lightening storm. We had struggled to find anywhere suitable as every inch of the land either side of the road comprised private farmland. Eventually we happened upon a track and it wound into the woodland. There were bright orange flowers dotted about and (sadly) mosquitos in their hundreds, so we jumped in the truck sharpish and only a couple of the beasties got in. We woke to more sunshine and continued our journey south-east, now in the Altai region of Russia. We were informed that Vladimir Putin has a summer villa in this region, so we kept our eyes peeled for it! Very soon the rolling hills of the past previous days were replaced by mountains. We passed dense spruce forests, and craggy granite hills. At one point the road unexpectedly rose sharply to over 1600mASL, which amused us greatly considering only the previous morning (at Barnaul) we had been at 99mASL… one of our lowest elevations on the trip. By late afternoon the Altai mountains began to rise in the distance and the sloping green fields either side of the road were filled with beautiful orange flowers in their thousands. These were accompanied by bright pink wild peonies and an array of purple and blue flowers including grandmothers bonnet. We drank in the colours. They were glorious and they seemed to go on and on either side of the road. That evening we found a spot next to another stream after driving through a dramatic granite gorge. Amusingly, as well as grazed grass underfoot, the truck was also parked in a patch of Marijuama growing wild! It’s not the first time we have spotted a load either. It is now Wednesday 24th June and our Mongolian visa begins tomorrow so we intend to be at the border early in the morning. We can’t quick believe that the truck has made it this far and we are so pleased to be here. It truly has been a remarkable experience so far. We have had some hairy moments, but for the most part we have been enjoying ourselves and taking each day more and more in our stride. Ed has dreamed of Mongolia for so long, and I am so very happy to be the person who will be sharing his first glimpses of it. We are aiming to spend 6 weeks in this special country and we are not entirely sure if we will get any phone or internet access. Hopefully we will! You will know about it if we do. One thing is for sure, Ed is likely to get use of his winch! You should see him by the way. He has the biggest beard growth of his life and he has shaved his hair off…. He looks like a young Walter White from Breaking Bad and even the Russians are frightened of him…. I am thinking of buying him a black hat….. lol. I’ll put a picture of his current growth online. You be the judge! With much love. (Hairy-Ed) and Ros.
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AuthorRos: Both Ed and I will be updating the diary blog as much as possible! WTS. Archives
September 2014
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