Asalama ellekum Kyrgyzstan

With unbelievable charm and speed we were processed (in almost disbelief) out of Uzbekistan and into Kyrgyzstan. The Kyrgh was faster than the USA. They must really want us here. Even Sura got through in reasonable speed and with a bit of negotiating, the entry fees were reduced.

We met our local guide Erkin, pleasant and well spoken. I changed my last US dollars into the local currency. Yikes! Erkin promised that we would have no trouble at an ATM once we got to one in four days. In the meantime it is crackers and vodka.

Kyrgyzstan is the least visited country in the world. It's 5 million people are mostly nomadic. It is a country of high high mountains, forests and lakes. It is also home to the highest concentration of snow leopards in the world...fancy that! It's wealth lies in gold, water (that they sell to Uzbekistan) and natural wonders. For the next 15 days we will be camping, staying in yurts, hiking, rafting, horseback-riding and experiencing an amazing culture. A shower is assumed once every four days or so! :-)

Our drive from the border was pleasant with grand views of the snow capped mountains we would encounter tomorrow. The green rolling foothills were lush with grass and crops. The sunset was spectacular. We reached our homestay at midnight. It seems we have another local guide that misrepresents time and distance...and did not know where we were going. We were split up into three different private homes and served a lovely dinner. We are at 5,000 ft and it is rather cool. Tomorrow is an early morning hike before breakfast.