Cycle complete!
It was never in the blueprint to have to voyage so far north my quest to avoid war torn Afghanistan however Kyrgyzstan came as a welcome surprise. It was my first taste of Russian influence on the saddle and it was a plesant thing to finally be in central Asia proper and to be done with problematic spicy curries and to move on to milder tastes with bread and kebabs reigning king of central Asia's menus.
When you come to Kyrgyzstan the first thing that will hit you is just how green it is. The country is literally sprawling in a soft green carpet which gives the impression of it being incredibly lush. On the grassy steppe and the rolling hills horses are widespread, and it's a regular occurance to spot skillfull men on horseback rounding up flocks of black and white sheep with such ease and experience. I must admit it made me wonder if it was a greener place than Ireland but as I thought about it, it didnt have the variety of green often seen back home, and so I've convinced myself that Ireland has won that battle. Secondly it must be noted how friendly the people are. I wouldn't have mentioned this point normally as it can be said that all places I've visited have been warm towards me however when EVERY SINGLE person waves and smiles at you as you cycle by, then you have to admit that there is something special here alright. I've been offered countless cups of chai, beds to sleep in and even a full on breakfast with horsemeat on one occasion! Food!!! Why should I leave the best till last! Cherries and tons of them abound here and they make a tasty snack at any time of the day. Just wish there was no pips! Shashlyk (Kebab) and Non (bread) are the staples here and if one needs some greens to make one feel healthy then usually whatever isserved will also come with a cucumber/tomato salad. So at least you're getting some of your 5 a day into you! But back to those kebabs, outside the front of most restaurants a charcoal bbq with several fresh kebabs will easily lure you to a chair and table from which you can order several of the delicious morsels. Generally served in 3 different ways they being; minced, beef chunks and lamb chunks each are sure to leave your stomach full and your taste buds well satisfied in the way that only a meaty barbeque can do so effectively (well for me anyway!) And is there any flaws to Kyrgyzstan.... Well its hard to think of any really. You combine all the points I've mentioned above, then throw in the unbelievable fact that it is visa free for 90 days and also contains some of the best mountain climbing ranges around. Oh now that I jog my memory there was one incident on the border on my first night which involved a drunk soldier awakening me at 4am... But that one's for another day I reckon!
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The AuthorName: Daniel Ross Top Tips:
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October 2016
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