Rygsækrejsen 2015-2016: Jety Oguz

torsdag den 14. maj 2015

Morning walk and relaxing day in Karakol

Beautiful morning. Got out of the tent and could almost see the sun shining through the clouds.

Decided to walk back the gravel road and wait for the truck. Lovely walk for about an hour.

Then the truck came. Not ours though, but an old Russian army truck with a few locals and some horses they were moving. Our truck came a bit later. Turned out it had been stuck in some mud and the locals had offered to help getting it back on the road again – for free. In the end they got a bottle of vodka for the favour. The universal currency around here.

Had a climb to enjoy the red rocks of Jeti-Oguz Valley in the morning sun before heading back to Karakol and our hotel. Stopping on the way to see bee hives and buy honey - in a Pepsi bottle.

Came in to Karakol before lunch. Had a much needed shower then went for lunch. Way too many big shasliqs (there seems to be a pattern here), went shopping with Mikkel's cook group and our local guide Begaim. Got a great coffee. Could hardly move because we were so full.

Relaxed in the hotel. Got our things sorted for the next day. Used the internet. Skipped dinner and went for a walk to see the Russian church and the memorial park for II WW where there were a lot of flowers because it's only a few days after May 9^th, their Victory Day.

Packing the truck

One of the five bridges which were a bit scary to cross

The truck that pulled our truck out of the mud

Fiona and Mikkel

Bee keepers

Russian church

onsdag den 13. maj 2015

Fairy tale canyon and cooking in the pouring rain

This morning a few of us went for a swim in the absolutely fantastic lake. No wind, sunshine and very cold water made all of us wake up instantly.

Leaving the yurt camp we drove along the shore of the lake towards the town of Karakol. We had a stop at the Fairy Tale Canyon where we hiked some 20 minutes to the canyon and then had 1½ hours to explore the hills and footpaths of the area. Very beautiful with the sun bringing the different colours of the rock formations forward.

Continued to a small town where we had time to do shopping for the bush camp in the mountains – and to get some lunch. Since we weren't in a hurry Mikkel decided to try the local hair and beauty salon. Around 10 minutes (70 Som/ USD 1,10) and the hair was very short.

Drove the truck towards the mountains and up the valley and onto some very narrow gravel roads and bridges. Made it to our camp site which was in the middle of the mountains in Jety Oguz. Very pretty with a small river next to where we put up the tent.

Decided to follow the river for a short walk and then return to the camp since Malene was on tonight’s cook team. Got back just in time since it started to rain. Best dinner on the trip so far with Asian style wok noodles. Perfect meal for a cold and wet evening. Luckily the rain stopped when dinner was served and we even managed to get a fire going. And then the rain returned. Fingers crossed that it will be over when we wake up tomorrow.