Silk Road - 25 May 2009 - from Kashgar, China to Naryn, Kyrgyzstan

Breakfast was at the usual time in Kashgar. Before breakfast, I reached Marla on AIM and apparently all is well. We are scheduled to go through the Toragard pass into Kyrgyrzstan. It is over 12,000 feet and there is 163 km to the pass. About half the way is paved and the rest is gravel. At the border we go through Chinese customs again.

I didn’t think about it, but in China the beds were quite hard and the streets are very clean. You do not see trash by the side of the road or in the streets.

We left China on National Highway 341. About 60 miles from the border we stopped for the formalities of leaving China. Our luggage was sent through an x-ray machine which proclaimed that it was film safe. There was no further inspection of our luggage, which surprised me. Naturally there was only one person checking passports. We spent hours waiting on line for Passport Inspection. After passport control, our passports were checked on the bus again. The whole process took 2 ½ hours. We are going up another 6,000 feet and 60 miles to Kyrgyrzstan on awful roads. The roads are gravel and full of holes. For quite a while, it felt like I was in a vibrating chair and my back started to itch. We stopped for a bio break by the side of the road. The cold winds were blowing meaning that I needed my jacket. We came to another check point, where we fortunately did not have to get out, but it was a problem, because there were these large trucks bringing scrap metal to China. A soldier got on the bus and told the driver and Chinese (actually Uygur) guide that the bus was taking him to the next check point.

Leaving Kashgar
Leaving Kashgar

Side of road leaving Kashgar

Heading to the Toragard Pass
Heading to the Toragard Pass
Heading towards Toragard Pass
Heading to the Toragard Pass
Heading to the Toragard Pass
Sheep gazing by the side of the road
Road to the Toragard Pass
Heading to the Toragard Pass
Bio break location
Heading back to the bus
Heading back to the bus
Grazing livestock
Fascinating Colors
Interesting colors
Heading towards Toragard Pass
Sheep Grazing
Sheep Grazing
Old watch tower

We left China on National Highway 341. About 60 miles from the border we stopped for the formalities of leaving China. Our luggage was sent through an x-ray machine which proclaimed that it was film safe. There was no further inspection of our luggage, which surprised me. Naturally there was only one person checking passports. We spent hours waiting on line for Passport Inspection. After passport control, our passports were checked on the bus again. The whole process took 2 ½ hours. We are going up another 6,000 feet and 60 miles to Kyrgyrzstan on awful roads. The roads are gravel and full of holes. For quite a while, it felt like I was in a vibrating chair and my back started to itch. We stopped for a bio break by the side of the road. The cold winds were blowing meaning that I needed my jacket. We came to another check point, where we fortunately did not have to get out, but it was a problem, because there were these large trucks bringing scrap metal to China. A soldier got on the bus and told the driver and Chinese (actually Uygur) guide that the bus was taking him to the next check point.

Into Kyrgyzstan - change buses

We moved down the road a short distance and the driver pulled over. Our guide announced that it was the custom to have a welcome to Kyrgyrzstan drink. We were offered a choice of cognac, wine or vodka. We sat and drink for a little while before moving on.

In Kyrgyzstan



Video Clip of Kyrgyzstan



Video Clip of Yaks on the move

Yaks
Yaks
Horses
Yaks in the background

There is a lot of water in Kyrgyrzstan, which comes from the snow and glacier melt. 94 percent of the country is mountainous. The capital is Bishkek with a population of about one million. The total population of the country is about six million. Agriculture and herding are the biggest industries in the country.

We stopped to see a herd of Yaks, which apparently are not as common as sheep, goats and cattle. Suzie ran off and one of the herders put her up on his horse. We continued on. One place in the road, the bridge was out; consequently the driver drove through the stream. We saw a Mountain Hawk Eagle eating a prey which was probably a marmot.

Suzie riding one of the herders horses

Mountain Hawk Eagle eating prey

Stopped for pictures

Almost sunset
Sunset in Kyrgyzstan

We are staying in the Celestial Mountain Guest House in Naryn. While it is not a five star hotel, it does have indoor plumbing although not in the rooms.