Kyrgyzstan Part 2: An Introduction to Kyrgyzstan (kir-gee-stan, kirdge-ee-stan keer-ge-stan, koor-gah-stan…I give up!) (26th August - 8th September)

D-day had arrived and it was characterised by a mixture of excitement and although we tried not to admit it, a hint of trepidation. We tried to get to the border promptly but were a bit perplexed as to why we seemed to be going around in circles. At first we wondered whether it was a sign, but later we discovered that the people offering us directions, had simply misunderstood our pronunciation and thought we wanted to go back to the town of Taraz in Kazakhstan (where we had just departed from) and not the town of Talas in neighbouring Kyrgyzstan (where we wanted to spend the night). Eventually we crossed the border - along with other dodgy looking cars - after Col charmed the pants off the customs officials and I managed to haggle down our first border post bribe from a hefty $50 to $20 USD – cheeky buggers!

Upon entering Kyrgyzstan I think it took about 5 minutes (or about as long as it took for us to drive out of no-man’s land) for all our concerns to be swiftly forgotten. Although the landscapes in southern Kazakhstan had been pretty, we were immediately blown away and distracted by Kyrgyzstan’s good looks. Our route to the town of Talas took us through the spectacular Talas Valley. The sky and a nearby lake were both a brilliant azure blue and these were tastefully contrasted by the surrounding golden fields. The valley was hemmed in to the north and south by purple-tinged craggy mountain ranges and long avenues of green poplars lined the roads. Even the villages we passed through were picturesque with locals clad in colourful clothing riding in donkey carts and the villages’ cute alpine houses proudly displaying ornately decorated wooden doors and balconies. The fact that the Talas Valley rated only a brief, mention in the Lonely Planet made us realise, that if this was the understatement of Kyrgyzstan, how could we possibly save enough film to capture all the ‘must see’ highlights.

Our previous concerns were also kept at bay by the sleepy, chillaxed town of Talas, where we happily spent a few days. Talas is famous for a nearby mausoleum which supposedly houses the remains of Manas, the legendary Kyrgyz protagonist depicted in a 500,000 line epic poem, thought to have been passed down orally from the 18th century.

What’s more, the ethnic violence which had swept the country in June was still far away from here, the people of Talas were super friendly and mingling with one of them landed us an invitation to stay in a genuine yurt for the night – even if it was a slightly modern day version with electricity and a TV. The family who invited us generously gave up their beds for the night and cooked us the regional staple and favourite dish – Plov – a tasty rice, lamb and vegetable stew. Due to the fact that Talas sat at a slightly higher altitude and was markedly cooler than the previously visited sweat pits of Central Asia, this hearty food and cosy yurt were much appreciated.