B - reporting
Border Day again! After a nice start of peanut butter on toast and a smooth empty road our moods plunged after we were ripped off by a fat cop, who claimed we were speeding. G paid a 'fine' which went straight into the pocket of another guy in army gear, and we left, planning what to do next time.
We got to the Kyrgyzstan border at about 10, which was the usual scene of confused milling - the confusion on our parts as we couldn't read any of the signs. But random helpful men in the queue sent us to the right place. I wasn't allowed to stay with G in the car, so had to enter as a foot passenger and joined a massive queue.
I had a nervous few minutes at passport control, waiting to be stamped out of Kazakhstan, when the guard spent ages writing something down but this turned out to be what he wanted for lunch, as he gave the list to a man going to a shop. Then a quick stamp and I was out!
G and I went to the Kyrgyzstan passport control together, queuing in the wrong place twice but eventually getting stamped in and then waited for Customs to open. At one point we went to ask what time it opened, and surprised a man with Solitaire open on his screen...After about half an hour the customs women arrived and we filled in forms, were inspected and were in!
Bishkek is about 20km from the border, so we headed there for a late lunch. We had tea and kebabs in a cafe, the kebabs delicious beef, with salad and chips rolled up with the meat - which we felt was the height of sophistication. And the tea was free!
We then headed out east, to Lake Issyk-Khol. It took ages to get there due to lots of villages and us being super-cautious about the speed limit, which is not posted anywhere, apparently you are supposed to know by telepathy. The road went along a fertile valley, loads of agriculture and people selling lovely-looking fruit and veg by the roadside. And loads of donkeys! Then the road led through a narrow canyon with a river and insane drivers overtaking on blind bends, and we reached the lake.
We had intended to camp, but we ended up staying in Royal Beach Resort which was fantastic, a huge room and hot shower and we will camp another day!
Border Day again! After a nice start of peanut butter on toast and a smooth empty road our moods plunged after we were ripped off by a fat cop, who claimed we were speeding. G paid a 'fine' which went straight into the pocket of another guy in army gear, and we left, planning what to do next time.
We got to the Kyrgyzstan border at about 10, which was the usual scene of confused milling - the confusion on our parts as we couldn't read any of the signs. But random helpful men in the queue sent us to the right place. I wasn't allowed to stay with G in the car, so had to enter as a foot passenger and joined a massive queue.
I had a nervous few minutes at passport control, waiting to be stamped out of Kazakhstan, when the guard spent ages writing something down but this turned out to be what he wanted for lunch, as he gave the list to a man going to a shop. Then a quick stamp and I was out!
G and I went to the Kyrgyzstan passport control together, queuing in the wrong place twice but eventually getting stamped in and then waited for Customs to open. At one point we went to ask what time it opened, and surprised a man with Solitaire open on his screen...After about half an hour the customs women arrived and we filled in forms, were inspected and were in!
Bishkek is about 20km from the border, so we headed there for a late lunch. We had tea and kebabs in a cafe, the kebabs delicious beef, with salad and chips rolled up with the meat - which we felt was the height of sophistication. And the tea was free!
We then headed out east, to Lake Issyk-Khol. It took ages to get there due to lots of villages and us being super-cautious about the speed limit, which is not posted anywhere, apparently you are supposed to know by telepathy. The road went along a fertile valley, loads of agriculture and people selling lovely-looking fruit and veg by the roadside. And loads of donkeys! Then the road led through a narrow canyon with a river and insane drivers overtaking on blind bends, and we reached the lake.
We had intended to camp, but we ended up staying in Royal Beach Resort which was fantastic, a huge room and hot shower and we will camp another day!
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| Pit stop in Bishkek |
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| Central Asia! |
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| Sunset at lake issy-kol |
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