Having researched routes, visas, and currencies, Paul set out towards Central Asia on his KTM625 via Kazakhstan – a huge swath of flat, dusty desert.
‘Crossing into Kyrgyzstan was a very welcome change. The people at the Kyrgyz border were incredibly friendly – they helped me to fill my paperwork out, one guy translating Kyrgyz to Russian, the other guy translating Russian to something else, and the last one translating it into English – it was great fun. I headed straight for Bishkek where I met some other riders, and off we went for the less explored mountain roads’, - remembers Paul.
Staying in local yurts and camping around Kyrgyzstan’s pristine lakes, Paul says that the biggest challenge in Kyrgyzstan wasn’t the roads but the local cuisine. ‘The riding was absolutely excellent – probably 80% off road, up and down the mountains, mostly graded roads and mid – level off road tracks, and best of all, no traffic except for a few horse and donkey riders and cyclists. Finding a place to stay or camp wasn’t difficult, either; but the local specialties weren’t exactly appetite – inspiring: the goat stew we had at a few yurts was of such a peculiar taste that I was glad I was still carrying a huge bag of yak jerky with me since Mongolia, just in case’.
Even though the local Kyrgyz people were extremely friendly and helpful all the time, Paul says riding Kyrgyzstan wasn’t exactly a walk in the park. ‘The Kyrgyz are wonderfully hospitable people – they’d invite us over for tea, share their food, and they were always happy to see us. But riding there solo could be a challenge – you need at least a 250 mile range of fuel, and you need to know where you’re going because mountain passes are sometimes snowed in or blocked by huge landslides, so you may need to double back. There is no infrastructure and barely any people, so if you get into trouble you might have to wait for help for days on end’, - cautions Paul.
The Kyrgyz hospitality
Travel Story: Egle Gerulaityte - ASIA