Apr. 7, 2009
Tashkent
My flight by Uzbekistan Airways (18,820 baht one-way) departed Bangkok around 10 a.m. and arrived at Tashkent Airport after 7 hour smooth flight. The airport is quite small. After I got off the aircraft, I saw two buses waiting outside. Most people went to one bus and I followed them. When we were in the building, we formed a queue. The immigration officer asked everyone to keep in line and have the ticket ready. I wondered why they would like to see everyone’s ticket but didn’t think too much. When it was my turn I handed over my ticket. The officer asked “Tashkent”? “Yes”, I said. She then asked me to wait in the rest area and said somebody would call my name later. Somebody told me that they would like to proceed with the transit passengers first. I waited about one hour and nobody called me. There were always people in the queue. I then moved to the crowd trying to figure out if they could do it faster. An Israeli lady seemed to know my confusion and suggested I asked the staff to have a bus to take me to the immigration area. She said this area is for transit passengers only. Suddenly I remembered the other bus waiting outside the aircraft. But nobody was there telling me which bus to take (at least nobody gave direction in English there!) I then talked to the officer. She obviously forgot about me already but was quick enough to make a phone call and let me get through an internal door to the immigration counter. There were no people there. I was let in after a few simple questions.
After I reached the arrival hall, many taxi drivers approached me trying to get my business. I ignored them and went directly to the exchange counter to get some Uzbek sum. Even for US$50, I got more than 70 notes (the biggest note is 1,000 sum which is less than US$1).
The city bus depot is a short walk from the airport. Bus 67 was waiting there. The fair turned out to be 400 sum (pay to the conductor). The short bus ride gave me a good view of major Tashkent streets – very wide dotted with trees, etc. Even during rush hour, I didn’t see any sign of traffic jam. About 20 minutes later, the bus arrived at Kosmonavtlar metro and I got off.
Opposite the metro station there is an old building numbered 13. I booked a train ticket to Samarkand in the evening through Arostr (actually through Stantours – obviously they work together). Like David of Stantours, the owner of Arostr, Airat, also works from home. I called his mobile phone in front of the building. It was quite cold due to the wind. About 20 minutes later, a young girl found me and took me to the room. It was a very interesting setup: there is a bed, a working table with a laptop, and a kitchen – all in one big living room. Airat was not there yet. I enjoyed a cup of black tea and some snack and used their bathroom to add some clothes. The guy arrived some 20 minutes later and we shook hands. I also asked him to remind Kamila Hotel in Samarkand (also booked through them) to pick me up (I actually paid $30 room + $10 booking + $15 pickup – quite expensive but considering the after-midnight arrival and my passion for trains I had no choice but to be safe).
After leaving Airat’s home, I looked at my watch. It was about 6 p.m., 2 hours before my train’s departure time at 8 p.m. I decided to move a little bit north and do a little bit sightseeing on foot. I used the metro (400 sum) to get to Alisher Navoi station and tried to find Yunus Khan Mausoleum, but to no avail, after a few attempts. I decided to give up and walk west to Chorsu. Again the street is very wide and soviet style buildings are on the sides – they do look very solid. It was a pleasant 15 minute walk.
When I reached Kulkedash Medressa and Juma Mosque, it was almost dusk. Some children were playing in the area. The nearby Chorsu Bazaar is of no great interest to me and time was up. I jumped to Chorsu metro station and got to Tashkent metro (train station) about 7:40 p.m. There were police both on the streets and inside metro but nobody seemed to bother me.
The train was waiting on the first platform and it departed very on time. All the passengers were locals and Russians, I guess. I booked the Kupe class ($15 ticket + $20 booking). It’s a compartment with four passengers, similar to the soft sleeper in China. But the condition and quality are much poorer than those in China (one problem is there is no real light inside the compartment, that makes evening reading impossible), that makes the much cheaper 3rd class a better deal.
There is no English available on the train. I somehow figured out there is a dinning car on the train and dinner is available there. I passed through 8 compartments to reach the dinning car and sat down at the only table not occupied. The next problem was how to order. English is useless there. The staff tried to recommend something. After I learned it cost 4,500 sum, I said “OK”, even without knowing what it’s supposed to be.
In less than 10 minutes, the food arrived. It actually had a bit of everything: bread, rise, pasta, mashed potato and minced chicken. I actually quite liked it.
The train arrived at Samarkand around 1:00 a.m. On the arrival hall I met the hotel boy easily. He actually just got a taxi nearby and took me directly to my room. The hotel is decorated in a traditional way and I was quite OK with the room (small but clean and comfortable).
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| Uzbek Milliy Akademik Drama Theater, Tashkent |
Apr. 8, 2009
Samarkand
After having the complimentary breakfast, I walked to the Registan. Contrary to Tashkent, roads in Samarkand are much narrower and buildings are smaller, except for those in the Registan Complex which are really magnificent. They charge 7,000 sum for foreigners plus 3,000 sum for camera (I later found nobody bothered to check if you paid for camera). Ulugbek Medressa on the left is the best preserved one. And the former dormitories become souvenir shops naturally. This is one of the few places I actually saw tourists during my entire trip.
After the Registan, I walked through Tashkent Road and passed Bibi-Khanym Mosque (didn’t get in because of lack of interest, but it looks very similar to the Registan from outside) and the opposite Bibi-Khanym Mausoleum. From the nearby bridge, I took Marshrutka 58 (400 sum) to get to Ulugbek Bus Station only to find out shared taxis to Denau actually depart from the far-away Grebnoy Kanal. A taxi offered to take me there for 3,000 sum. When we arrived it there, the driver helped me locate the right taxi to Denau. There were only 2 passengers so I had some time to have some simple lunch at a restaurant nearby (1,100 sum). When I was about to finish eating, they found another passenger – good timing.
The 6 hour trip to Denau cost 25,000 sum. A lady passenger was also going to Dushanbe. So the taxi driver decided to take us directly to the border for another 4,000 sum. At the Uzbek side of the border, I filled out the custom form declaring 300 dollars on it, thinking it’s just a routine. The mid aged officer smiled at me and asked me to take out all my valuables for checking. When he found I actually had more than 300 dollars, he tried to confiscate the rest of the money, obviously to his pocket. I responded by being persistent, a firm handshake, and a big smile. He actually smiled back. I have to say that the LP book helped me a lot.
The Tajik side was not that bad, though some officers tried to ask money to help me get a taxi. The border crossing took about one hour totally.
The lady passenger helped get a taxi. She said the fare was 5 Tajik somani. I didn’t have any somani at that time. She suggested I gave her 10,000 sum instead. Of course she made some money but I was happy too – I didn’t need sum anymore after all.
About one hour later, the taxi entered Dushanbe. It’s not as big as Tashkent but the city is quite neat and pleasant. The driver dropped me at Vakhsh, as I requested.
The lady at the reception is nice but doesn’t speak much English. She took me to a room upstairs where 2 Chinese guys stayed. One guy speaks perfect Russian and acted as my interpreter. All the rooms have 2 single beds. To ensure privacy, I have to pay for the whole room at $32. Discount is out of the questions. The Chinese guy told me that although the rate may not be the lowest, it’s still reasonable and the hotel is also used for some government guests (he was actually in Dushanbe for an energy project) so security should be no problem. Since it was already late, I decided to stay there. The hotel also changed some somani for me.
Opposite the hotel there is a fast food restaurant. Again there is no English at all and not many pictures on the menu. Luckily, there is a simple restaurant in the basement of the same building where you can pick your food (similar to Buffet but without a fixed price for unlimited eating – they calculate the price at the counter). I picked some chicken dishes, some salad and juice. They charged me 10 somani.
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| The Registan, Samarkand |
Apr. 9, 2009
Dushanbe to Kalaikhum
I got up early to try some luck for the Dushanbe – Khorog flight. Again not much English is spoken, even at the airport. The staff tried to tell me that it was impossible to take a flight to Khorog that day (for whatever reason). They asked me to come back tomorrow. I couldn’t risk one day for something not even sure. So I decided to use the road to reach Khorog (equally exciting to me).
The Badakshanskaya bus stand is actually “hidden” (cannot be seen from the main road) on a small road off the main road (near the railway bridge). A local guy directed me there. Once inside, it’s a huge depot with numerous vehicles. I didn’t see any “buses” though – mostly jeeps and cars (apparently they act as the “buses”) . Some jeep drivers approached me and told me it cost 180 somani to go to Khorog. As we were talking, a guy surprisingly asked me in Chinese if I wanted to go to Khorog and said his friend had a vehicle. Out of big curiosity, I followed him. He turned out to be a Murgab native studying Chinese at a university in Kyrgyzstan and also offered to help me when I arrived at Murgab. His friend, a Khorog native, also speaks Chinese. She and her fiancé driver seemed to be keen to earn some money by taking some tourists to Khorog. We agreed on $200 for the trip. It’s much more expensive than the shared jeep. But considering I could rest on the way, take some photo stops and especially the lady speaks Chinese and perfect English, I considered it’s worth it.
There are two routes from Dushanbe to Khorog. At the time, only the longer south road is available. The road passes the scenic Nurek Dam and we reached Kulyab, an important town before the mountains, about 4 hours after leaving Dushanbe.
Kulyab is quite a busy town with a big bazaar, and even an impressive hotel. I had some nice pelmeni (Russian dumplings) and kabob for lunch.
After Kulyab, the road becomes very bad but it’s also fun – driving through rivers and sometimes even under the waterfall! There are numerous Afghan villages on the other side of the river. Tajikistan may be the poorest country in the CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States). Compared with Afghanistan, it’s still a gem. The houses on the other side are barely livable and there is no road for the vehicle – people have to walk on a dirt road between villages. On the way there are many warning signs about the mines.
After Zigar, the road condition suddenly becomes perfect and we enjoyed some fast driving during this period. We finally arrived at Kalaikhum some 6 hours after leaving Kulyab.
The brightest building in Kalaikhum turns to be a Chinese built restaurant in the center of the town. We had some warm dinner there before arranging a homestay at a nearby house (40 somani for all the 3 people).
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| Nurek Dam |
Apr. 10, 2009
Kalaikhum to Khorog
Since the locals have a habit of getting up early, I had no choice but getting up at 7 a.m. to continue the journey to Khorog. The road is equally scenic and we arrived at Khorog around 1 p.m.
Khorog is a town with some size but most places are still within walking distance (though long walk) from my hotel – Parinen Inn. I decided to stay at this place ($35) mainly because I needed to change my clothes on this day and hot water is essential. I decided to use the half day for various administrative tasks – registering at OVIR, getting some arrangements for the trip to Murgab the next day, and going to an internet café to check emails. It turned out half a day is merely enough.
The LP book said registration at OVIR takes 2 minutes. It was definitely not my case and I doubt anybody can finish in that period of time. First the OVIR office doesn’t take any money and I had to go to the nearby bank to pay 2 parts of the money (one in dollar and one in somani) and get the receipts for OVIR. When I went to the bank, they said they were closed and asked me to come the next day. Again, I gave them a big smile and they agreed to help me. Another challenge was I had to make some copies of my passport and visa page myself and give to the OVIR office. I asked around and nobody seemed to know where I could do photocopy. Finally a boy on the street directed me to a company hidden on a side road where I got my photocopies, just in time before the OVIR office closed. I waited another 20 minute at OVIR to finally get my registration.
I then walked to a small road, trying to locate a travel agency mentioned in the LP book. Obviously there was no sign of any travel agency there. A guy passed by and took me to a company inside the building. Inside the room there was a very tall lady who looks like American (with black hair though). She said they were an organization to protect animals in the Pamirs and was willing to help tourists like me. She said her colleague was going to Murgab the next day. But that guy charged $700 to take me there. That’s too much for me. She then suggested I contact PECTA, an organization that can help tourists, and gave me directions to the place (in a park nearby).
On my way to PECTA, I spotted Pamir Silk Tour. When I got in, the staff were running out to go home. I had a chance to talk to the last lady about to leave. She spoke reasonable English and offered to help me get a vehicle next morning. Her sister happened to live in Canada. She even offered me to stay at her home if I didn’t get a hotel yet (what a regret!) Although this lady was helpful, I really wanted to have a vehicle settled ASAP. As I walked out of the building, a guy asked if I was looking for PECTA and gave me again the direction to the park. When I was in the park I had no clue where “PECTA” is located. Some helpful people finally directed me to the other side of the park. Surprisingly a lady working at PECTA was already there waiting for me.
More surprising came when I saw “De Pamiri” when I entered the building. It turned out to be Tour De Pamir travel agency. I wondered what the hack PECTA is about. The room inside is quite packed but everyone speaks perfect English. After I told them what I wanted, they asked me to contact somebody who can arrange vehicle to Murgab. When I called that guy, he said that he was not in Khorog at the moment and asked me to call him tomorrow at 8 a.m.
A little bit disappointed but with no other options (it was already dark), I went to the nearby post office (closing at 9 p.m.) to get online for about one hour before jumping into the same restaurant where I had lunch for dinner. The lack of visible restaurants in Khorog made me use the same place for two meals – something I rarely do. The beef steak was actually quite good anyway.
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| On the Way from Kalaikhum to Khorog |
Apr. 11, 2009
Khorog to Murgab
I got up early and walked to the bazaar/bus station area to try to find a vehicle. As I was wandering around, a guy asked if I am “Jack”. He turned out to be the guy who asked me to call him at 8 a.m. (in Khorog people always find you). I told him that I wanted the cheapest vehicle available. He then offered to help me get a shared taxi if there is any running. Because I wanted some side trips to Bulunkul/Yashil-Kul and Bash Bumbaz (to see the Chinese tomb), I suggested I needed more flexibility and was willing to pay more as long as it’s reasonable. He then called two drivers and asked them to come to his office to offer prices. Since it took some time for the drivers to arrive, he took me to his office to rest.
When I entered his office, I saw the sign “Pamir Tourism”. Amazing Khorog – full of surprises. This guy is the owner of “Pamir Tourism” but he was recommended by the staff at “Tour De Pamir”. I really admire the cooperation between the travel agencies in the city.
The first driver who came is actually the president of some drivers’ association. This guy speaks good English. Since he has a good jeep, his lowest price was $550 for my trip. That’s too much for me obviously.
The second guy came in shortly. This guy doesn’t speak any English and has a Russian jeep. We could only agree on a lowest price of $340 (asking $360) for me trip. According to him, the price was a little bit higher than that in the summer due to the snow on the road. Since I didn’t have other choices, I had to agree to it.
The Russian jeep is not very comfortable and caused some problems in the beginning. He solved the problem and drove me to a house to do some maintenance for the trip. After a while, he told me that he decided to use a better jeep to serve me for the same price. Later I realized it’s such a wise decision for both of us.
We left Khorog around 11 a.m. My Pamir journey officially started. The initial part of the road is nothing unusual (there is a checkpoint shortly after Khorog). After about 2.5 hours the road started to be covered with snow and it felt much colder outside. The road to Bulunkul was particularly bad and we got stuck on the road for 30 minutes. The driver finally cleared the road. When we arrived in Bulunkul, it was already 5:30 p.m. (Murgab time). We got to a local family for some food. It’s an old couple with a daughter who speaks very limited English. Although food was very simple (bread, cookies and tea), the family was very nice and seemed to be happily living there. I left 10 somani and the daughter seemed quite appreciating it. They told us that it was impossible to drive or walk to Yashil-Kul due to heavy snow. It was quite disappointing to learn that. However, I was still happy to be able to reach Bulunkul.
Since it was extremely cold, I put 3 pairs of socks to make myself warmer. Back on the Pamir Highway, it started to get dark. At Alichur, a major settlement before Murgab, we dropped in the fish restaurant (with even a Chinese sign) shortly only to be told that Bash Gumbas was impassable due to heavy snow. Another big disappointment! I guess the travel agencies in Khorog never got tourists in spring. They had no idea that most places on the side roads off the Pamirs are not passable in April.
We had no choice but to continue to Murgab (I guess that’s also what the driver wanted) and finally arrived in the town around 10 p.m. The outside temperature was -7 degree. I called the guy I met in Dushanbe who offered help at Murgab but his mobile phone was turned off already (Understandable. People there go to bed early). The driver seemed to know somebody and took me to a family on the edge of the town.
Obviously the home is not an official “homestay” but the host family is a quite nice one. They prepared similar food as in Bulunkul. Somehow I didn’t have any appetite.
That night was the worst in my entire trip. Even with 2 heavy quilts , I felt cold especially on the feet (even with 3 pairs of socks). I also felt nausea and eventually vomited. I didn’t sleep at all and was not sure if I could continue my trip the next day.
Apr. 12, 2009
Murgab to Osh
After getting up, I didn’t feel anything unusual. So we decided to get to the bazaar to find a vehicle to Osh. When we got there, somebody asked me to take a phone call. It turned out to be the guy I met in Dushanbe. He said that a jeep could take me to Osh for 700 somani. It’s quite below my expectations so I agreed instantly.
It turned out there was another couple going to Osh as well. But it was not a big deal. I was put on the front seat and they still allowed me to have occasional photo stops on the way, including the Ak-Baital Pass at 4,655 metes above sea level, the highest point on the Pamir Highway. Surprisingly, I didn’t feel anything at the pass, despite of all the bad feelings the previous night.
We stopped at Karakul for lunch. The lake was still covered with snow but it was a pleasant town. The border with Kyrgyzstan is just another hour away.
At the Tajik border, one officer seemed to be very curios about my mobile phone and didn’t want to give it back to me. Again, being persistent and a big smile helped me smooth it away.
The Kyrgyz checkpoint (another hour drive away form the Tajik one) was much easier. The driver actually collected my passport to do the work for me. No bags were checked and they did stamp on my passport.
On the entire Pamir Highway until Sary Tash, traffic was very light. Totally I saw less then 10 vehicles. After Sary Tash, traffic increased dramatically, including Chinese trucks. We arrived in Osh in the evening, after an 11 hour journey. In Osh, I asked the driver to drop me at Hotel Alay. The staff there are friendly but don’t speak much English (though they have a language book on the desk). The only room with shower is the suite charging 1,250 som. After I explained that I only stayed for the night and would leave early morning the next day, they agreed to give it to me for 1,000 som. Again I changed some som at the hotel.
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| Kids in Karakul |
Apr. 13, 2009
Osh to Bishkek
Solomon’s Throne indeed can be seen from most part of the city. The best spot seems to be on Kumanjan Road near Hotel Alay. The shared taxi stand near the local bus station is not difficult to find. A seat at a shared taxi to Bishkek costs 1,000 som. It seemed not many people were going to the capital when I got there. I waited two hours before the driver finally started the car. Oddly enough, the driver spent another two hours driving around the town, obviously to locate a passenger. He finally found the place. By the time we left Osh, it was 1 p.m. already.
The journey from Osh to Bishket is not a bad one. The most scenic part is in the middle around Toktogul Reservoir. Snow mountains began to emerge when we approached Bishkek. We finally reached the capital around midnight. The capital of Kyrgyzstan is the least attractive of all the capitals I visited in this trip. It looks like a boring town in another country. I gave the driver 3 hotel names and asked him to drop me at any one. He didn’t seem to know any of the places but managed to find another hotel near Park Hotel. It was very late. He asked 200 som and I gave him. Overall he is a good driver and the journey was pleasant.
To my surprise, the hotel staff speaks good English. She said I could take a bed in a 3-bedroom for 450 som. I accepted immediately – I was quite sure nobody would join me at that hour. The Russian maid arranged my bed quickly. They even have hot water that works!
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| One the Way from Osh to Bishkek |
Apr. 14, 2009
Cholpon-Ata
The same friendly lady gave me the direction to the bus station. It was a smooth ride by bus 35 (6 som). The next bus to Cholpon-Ata was full and I had to wait for more than one hour for the following one. I decided to take a minibus leaving in about 30 minutes (200 som). The journey took slightly more than 4 hours with a lunch break.
The resort characteristics of Cholpon-Ata can be seen everywhere in the town, although I didn’t see any tourists during this time. Lake Issyk-Kol can hardly be seen on the streets of the town. I finally managed to have a driver take me to the petroglyphs and back for 200 som. The stones are dramatic. They could be of more interest to archaeologists. The view to the lake is good but at that time visibility was not very good.
Another minibus took me to Karakol for 100 som (a little bit more than 2 hours). It’s not difficult to find a taxi to get into town for 50 som. I stayed at Neofit Guesthouse. A single room costs 300 som. A bigger room with private shower is 880 som. After negotiation, they gave me for 600 som. There were no other tourists there. This room has two beds. The bathroom is particularly nice.
Like many towns in Central Asia, there are not many visible restaurants in Karakol. I ended up having breizol at Zrzu Café (105 som including bread and tea, delicious).
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| Petroglyphs (Snow Leopards) in Cholpon-Ata |
Apr. 15, 2009
Altyn Arashan
The road to Altyn Arashan was still not passable due to avalanche. The only way to get there was by walking. Minibus 350 took me to the intersection for the mountain in the Ak-Suu area for 20 som. I made a big mistake by not buying food & water the previous evening (it was actually too late and all the shops seemed closed). Since I started early in Karakol (around 7 a.m.), there were no shops open in town. There are no shops of any kind around the intersection. As I walked back, I saw a guy smiling at me, he ended up driving his car to take me to a shop in the center of Ak-Suu and back to the intersection for 30 som. Lovely.
The 4 hour walk to the village of Altyn Arashan is a pleasant one, although the view is not extremely beautiful. There are many pine trees in the area. In April part of the mountains are still covered by snow. The first building you see in the village is the Yak Tours Camp. The owner of the company, Valentin, had informed me the previous day that the lady in the camp could provide food. I said hello to her and headed for the next building to enjoy the hot spring. It’s a complex of several buildings. I paid 200 som to get the key to one pool (there are two totally). There were no other tourists at all so I could use the pool solely. All the loneliness and fatigue were released once I was in the hot water – really relaxing.
After the bath, I went to Yak Tour Camp and had some quite delicious and mostly vegetarian food for 200 som. I met 2 other guys from Europe there. They actually camped themselves nearby and seemed to only use Yak Tour Camp to rest.
The road back took slightly over 3 hours and I hitched a car to take me to Karakol for 100 som (when I arrived I handed a 200 note and the driver could only return me 70 som change).
I continued to stay at the Russian-run Neofit Guesthouse. Last night was very pleasant but this time it's totally different. Fist I wanted some hot water to drink but they gave me a pot of tea and charged 15 som due to miscommunications. Later I found the heater stopped working. They offered more quilts for me. Lastly electricity was suddenly cut off around 9 p.m. when I was just about to take a hot shower. After talking to the staff in the reception (no English spoken), I finally realized it was impossible to get electricity back that evening. They offered a basin for me to get the hot water from one tap so I could use the original way to take a shower. Overall those Russians were helpful. I guess it’s just culture differences and language difficulties.
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| An Old Man in Altyn Arashan |
Apr. 16, 2009
Karakol to Taraz
The previous day Valentin of Yak Tours helped me arrange a taxi to take me to Kegen of Kazakhstan through the Karkara Valley for 2,000 som. He asked me to go to his office at 8 a.m. When I got out of the guesthouse in the morning, I saw snows - first time since I was in the Pamirs. It was surprising to me since the previous day was quite warm. When I arrived at Yak Tours, there was no taxi waiting. I called Valentin and he said that the taxi driver had informed him Karkara Valley was not passable due to the snow.
A little bit disappointed, I walked to the Southern Bus Stand and caught a minibus to Balykchy along the south shore of Lake Issyk-Kol. I have to say that I made a right decision. The south route is not heavily inhabited and offers much better and closer views of the lake. Strangely enough, at one point on the way there is a big sign “Tourist Information”. It took less than 5 hours to reach Balykchy where I managed to have a driver take me to Bishkek for 400 som (I was in a hurry and didn’t have time to wait for public bus/minibus).
At the Long-Distance Bus Station in Bishkek, I was lucky enough to catch the 4:30 p.m. minibus to Taraz in Kazakhstan (225 som). Border crossing was OK although both sides were quite curious about me and asked a few questions. When the minibus arrived in Taraz, it was over 10 p.m. already.
A taxi took me to the train station for 500 tenge. At the train station, I found there were a few trains going to Tulkubas in the next couple of hours. I picked the 4 a.m. one in order to have a few hours sleep in a dorm at the station (500 som).
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| Lake Issyk-Kol |
Apr. 17, 2009
Aksu-Zhabagly Nature Reserve
The train (No. 85) actually came from Astana, the new capital, and arrived at Taraz quite on time. I paid 250 som to have a sheet and pillar cover to rest for about 2 hours. Slightly over 6 a.m. the train arrived at Tukkubas.
It was still early in the morning. I walked to the waiting room of this small station to finalize the ticket to Almaty in the evening. A mid-aged Russian looking lady approached me and asked in perfect English “do you need any help”? She turned out to be Svetlana of Wild Nature. She was waiting for 2 customers from Almaty on Train No. 11 (more than 1 hour later). I actually planned to take a taxi to Zhabagly to contact them there. What a coincidence! The 2 people from Almaty wanted to see the Red Hill and Aksu Canyon and she offered me to join them and share costs. That’s exactly what I wanted. She helped me finalize a ticket to Almaty around midnight and the No. 11 Train was approaching.
The 2 people from Almaty are actually a businessman and his son. They are originally from Russia but had been living in Kazakhstan since their parents’ time. They both speak a little bit English. Svetlana charged a total of around 15,000 tenge for the whole package (sightseeing, guide by her, taxi to/from Tulkubas, entrance/ranger fees and 3 meals), after sharing part of the costs with Russian family. I consider it quite reasonable.
After breakfast and a short rest at a homestay, we started our journey to the Natural Reserve. It was quite cold outside so I put on the warmest clothes I used on the Pamirs again. We went to Aksu Canyon first through a bumpy road. The canyon is not the best I have seen but is still worth seeing. The opposite fields are also dramatic.
After a cold lunch on the spot, we went to another direction and reached the so-called Red Hill: numerous tulips on a hill. It’s amazing. After Red Hill, the Russians decided to visit Stalactite Cave but we needed a touch. Unfortunately after driving through the surrounding area we couldn’t find any shops selling touches. We finally gave up and went back to the homestay.
At the homestay, I had some nice pelmeni for dinner, chatted with the Russian family and had a nap before the driver woke me up around 11:30 p.m. Good service.
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| Red Hill, Aksu-zhabagly Natural Reserve |
Apr. 18, 2009
Almaty
The Train No. 24 (originated from Aqtobe) arrived at Almaty I around 1 p.m. (about 1 hour late). Bus 73 (50 tenge) took me to Pushkin Road near Hotel Turkistan where I stayed for the night for 3,000 tenge. The room has a private toilet but shower is outside. It has all the stuff found in a business hotel. I chose this one because of the great location – close to both downtown and the road to the airport.
My half-day sightseeing of Almaty started by a walk to Qorqyt-Ata Café, a local fast food restaurant with English speaking staff. The food is so-so but the environment, the English, the low price and the central location made it not a bad choice. After buying an English language Almaty map at the nearby Akademkitap No 1 bookstore, I crossed the street and walked into the famous Arasan Baths. The bathhouse is really popular with men and women walking in and out. The ticket for a bath is 2,000 tenge and I also paid 500 tenge to buy a bunch of leaves, not even knowing what to use with them. Inside the bathhouse, I found that you need to bath totally naked (same as in Georgia). I paid 1,000 tenge to a clerk to teach me how to use the leaves. He then took me to the sauna room (very hot) and used the leaves to pat me! I saw other guys thrashing themselves hard all around. Good experience, and relaxation too, I guess.
After the bath, I walked lightly in the nearby Panfilov Park and paid respect to Zenkov Cathedral, before catching bus No. 79 to see the Abay State Opera & Ballet Theater. It’s an impressive architecture, and there is a show that evening at 6:30 p.m. However, everything is in the local language. I decided to move on to check out the Almaty cable car.
There are many community parks and sculptures around the city. Perhaps that makes Almaty a “leafy” city. The cable car station is besides Palace of the Republic, an entertainment venue where you have a good view of Hotel Kazakhstan. A return ticket for the cable car costs 1,500 tenge. I have to say that the Almaty cable car is perhaps the single most overrated site in Almaty. Although there are a lot of people riding the car, most of them seem to be locals or tourists from other CIS countries.
It was getting dark and I decided to go back to the city center. Trolley buses 5 & 6 didn’t seem to be available along Abylay Khan Road so I walked all the way to Yubileyny Restaurant where I hoped to have some nice and cheap dinner to finish my last day in Central Asia. Again there was no English spoken. I pointed to one item on the menu and they tried to tell me that one was only a drink. I then pointed to another more expensive one (about 600 tenge). They indicated it’s OK. After 10 minutes, the food arrived. It turned out to be 5 pieces of manty. Not too bad. After the meal, I asked for the bill and it showed more than 1,300 tenge. It turned out the tea I ordered was almost the same price as the manty and they added service charge too. Yubileyny is definitely not the cheapest place to eat in town as indicated in the LP book. Never mind. I walked back to the hotel to have a good sleep for tomorrow’s return to Bangkok (Air Astana, 17,715 baht one-way, scheduled to depart at 10:15 a.m. but changed to 8:30 a.m. brutally without advance notice - luckily I arrived at the airport quite early and didn't miss the flight).
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| Zenkov Cathedral, Panfilov Park |
Overview
Central Asia is still mostly “off the beaten track”. During my two week trip, I only saw 9 visible tourists totally (2 in Samarkand, 5 in Altyn Arashan and 2 in Aksu-Zhabagly Nature Reserve). There is not much English spoken, even at tourist facilities like hotels and airports. One exception is Khorog where I found many people speaking good English. Food is good if you can figure out how to order, although there are not a lot of vegetables. Trains in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan are a comfortable way to travel around, while minibuses and shared taxis in most areas are convenient and frequent. Vehicle hire along the Pamir Highway is expensive but can still be done quickly. Although some customs officials try to steal your money and valuables, most local people are friendly. I found people in Tajikistan particularly hospitable and helpful.
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