August 10, 2011
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The Silk Road (Sort Of) Overland
Wednesday 10 August 2011Today has been a totally magical day, one of those days that make all the hassle of travelling through Central Asia absolutely worth it.
The tour company lead turned out to be more than just a lead. In fact it was a firm commitment from the tour company as they showed up just after 9.00AM at my guesthouse, ready to take me wherever I wanted.
I knew that the 11th and 12th century mausoleums in Ösgön, 55 km from Osh, were an absolute must for today (as all Silk Road remains are long gone in Osh itself). “No problem. We’ll take you there.” I also wanted to see Osh itself, as this used to be a major Silk Road hub, and since Osh itself has roots that go back 3,000 years. If nothing else, I can at least get a sniff of business and trade at the bazaar to remind me of Osh’s substantial Silk Road past. “Of course. No problem.” And since I really must move on very soon, I also want to get a feel for Kyrgyzstan’s great outdoors and countryside. Mumble, mumble for a while between the boss/driver and the guide. “Sure, we can take you to see a real Kyrgyz village as well.” And could I walk around there, near some mountains? “Yes, of course.” And off we went.
The mausoleums in Özgön were absolutely gorgeous. Three connected terracotta-buildings nearly a thousand years old, with beautiful brickwork and interesting patterns/Arabic script. Plus a minaret I could climb.
The Kyrgyz countryside was as stunning as any of the outdoors I’ve seen so far, with incredibly green fields, rolling hills and mountains, lively rivers and rows of cypresses appearing with regular intervals. On top of that, I was invited for lunch at an incredibly picturesque farm and being offered the most tasty, home-made food – with kids, dogs and chickens all around.
And there’s more. We drove for quite a while, deeper and deeper into a mountainous area with our 4×4, on roads that were chocking but no problem for our driver. We ended in a secluded village that had been used as a summer camp for young people prior to the fall of the Soviet Union, now a collection of houses and play grounds and a pool – all in dilapidated glory. This is where I went for a nice long walk in the beautiful Kyrgyz outdoors.
My guide was a 19-year old Kyrgyz by the name of Azamat who had lived in Lewisham, London, for a while and who said “innit” every two minutes. Azamat was a great, knowledgeable and entertaining guide. “This food is completely natural, innit? That’s why Kyrgyz are never sick.” By the end of my country tour, I felt ready to give up Diet Pepsi and move to the green countryside of Kyrgyzstan.
We finished the day by climbing up to Solomon’s Throne, a 100-metre plus rock/mountain that sticks up right in the centre of Osh. Fabulous views from there! And, before I forget, the tour company is called Avantia (www.avantiatur.com) should you ever be in Osh.
I’ve got pretty much everything I wanted from my visit to Kyrgyzstan in one single day and I’m ready (eager!) to move on, especially since I lost five days in Almaty, waiting for my Uzbek visa. I’m also so impressed by Avantia that I’ve asked them to arrange for my journey into China tomorrow. The result is that I’ve got two taxis arranged, one for each side of the border, plus a booking for a hotel in Kashgar. The journey will take ten hours plus and take me through the Irkeshtam Pass (3,600m) into China.
The taxi will come at 6.00AM. I’ll better get some sleep.
