Bishkek

The mountains we passed through to the southwest of the capital city of Bishkek were that good I would have been happy to spend weeks there.

The city couldn't be more dis-similar to the Yurt villages were rode through.  Once there we opted for a nice hotel where we could have several days off the motorcycles.  Bishkek is a city like most cities with traffic jams, noise and crowds.  There is not much to distinguish it from any other city and all traces of the ancient or traditional has been long consumed by urbanisation.

The city is still very much under the Russian influence.  It is the language spoken for business, in restaurants and hotels.  English is slowly gaining a foothold.  The Kyrgyz language is only occasionally heard.

It is not a cheap city for tourists.  The hotels know how to charge European prices for rooms and meals.  The locals couldn't afford to stay but the hotels are far from empty.  Commerce is alive and booming in Central Asia.  The veneer of westernisation is thin with telephone, internet, electricity and other infrastructure subject to meltdown from time to time.

The city has wide boulevards, parks and open squares as if some town planner has stuck religiously to the 'Town Planning' text book.  Other central Asian cities have been set out in an almost identical manner.  Tashkent being one of those cities.  In the mid 1960s the Tashkent suffered an enormous earthquake and the rest of the Soviet states came in and re-constructed the city.  Same, same, same, shame - what happened to a bit of flair, character and individualism!

This is the city where I thought the 'China' team would all come together.  Clive, Artur, Jim and myself socialised a bit and discussing our experiences so far.  We also discussed our plans for days to come.  There is a total of nine persons coming together in the next week for the China leg of the trip.  Jens and Jon have both travelled solo through parts of Iran, Afghanistan and other remote areas.  I am keen to talk to them and hear their experiences.

So far others in the team are doing their own thing.  We will be together for thirty five days - they may think that is going to be long enough.

After a day of looking for tyres for the trailer and general browsing at the bazaar we went for lunch.  Below the boys ( Artur on left, myself and Jim on right ) are having a Kyrgyz lunch which apparently includes Coke Zero.  They sit on a raised platform very similar to bed.  The 'day bed' is often seen and a regular type of furniture in restaurants, etc. 

A veritable United Nations we are - Brazil, Australia and Wales ( Don't say Jim is from England he has a fit ).