This morning in Bishkek was cool and cloudy. I woke up not particularly rested. As much as I like Kyrgyzstan, it seems that it doesn’t like me all that much, as the country appears to have declared war on my…
Rocks and towers
Greetings from Bishkek. I’ve made it to Kyrgyzstan’s capital and most populous city. With a little over a million people, Bishkek is the face of young, cosmopolitan Kyrgyzstan. In contrast to the rural, agrarian countryside, Bishkek is full of cafes,…
A day at the beach
When I booked this Silk Road trip, I specifically said that I knew it wouldn’t be a day at the beach. Well, it seems that I lied, because here I am, in the lakeside resort town of Cholpon-Ata, spending a…
Dobro pozhalovat’ v Karakol
The Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, but someone forgot to tell the people of Karakol. This very Russian city east of Lake Issyk-Kul is our stop for the night. Most of the people here appear to be Russians, not Kyrgyz,…
Community-based tourism
Greetings from Kochkor, Kyrgyzstan! As you can see, I have internet access again, even at this homestay in a tiny village in the Kyrgyz mountains. I suppose there’s no such thing as “off the grid” anymore. In addition, it’s exciting…
Welcome to Kyrgyzstan
I’m in Kyrgyzstan! Even just saying that makes me grin like a fool. I absolutely love it here and I’ve only been here for a day. I have so much to update, I hardly know where to start. Crossing the…
China’s western limit
The city so great, they named it twice Hi from Kashgar, or if you prefer, from Kashi. This city, known as Kashgar in the local Uyghur language or as Kashi in Chinese, is the westernmost point in China, near the…
Transit day
Today was a travel day, pretty much. We started off with another lazy lie-in until check-out at noon, which was much appreciated by all the people on our tour battling this cold. The day was, shockingly, chilly and rainy. Just…
Lowest point in China
Welcome to Xinjiang Province Hi from Turpan! This ancient Silk Road city of just over half a million people is notable for being the lowest point in China, at 192m below sea level. That makes it the second-lowest place on…
Sand, sand and more sand
Hello again from Dunhuang, where the desert surrounds us on all sides. Ancient Silk Road travellers would form caravans to head across the desert by camel. The hundreds of miles of hot, hostile territory would be laden with dangers —…