This question is a really popular guy, everyone loves it. Luckily it’s also easy to answer. Kyrgyzstan just felt like a right place to be.
And another answer – I have to confess that I was too lazy to apply for a visa to Mongolia. So I decided, huh, it’s all the same. Central Asia. Which is a big lie. Like to say that Estonia is like Italy. Which might not be a problem for Estonians, but for Italians since we love to add pineapple to… Yeah, let it be.
Through Spanish lovely mountain village, Porto and Istanbul and here I am. It’s snowing in my lovely Bishkek. By walking on the famous road between Estonia and Kyrgyzstan it would take just 901 hours. But keep in mind a different time zone not to miss the breakfast here.
The first professional photo I took on my way from the airport to the city, around 5am. When the plane was about to land I was sure there’s no electricity in Bishkek as it was totally dark. It was snowing like in a fairytale and soon the princess had to fight with all the taxi-drivers until the prince (sent by the hostel) picked her up to his chariot.
Photo: Hassan Wali
“Are you travelling alone? Really?” – No, I have my little buddy Wandersell, who often have more adventures than I do. He saved my camera and computer from the wet death when my water bottle started to leak in my bag. Brave little guy absorbed all the liquid. Also, he got stolen by Mexican backpacker in Porto but hey, he made his way back!
Made in Turkey.
Estonians can stay in Kyrgyzstan without visa up to 60 days (I think it’s the same to all Schengen countries). So that means I still have 6 weeks, after that I have to cross the border to Kazakhstan which is just 30 minutes drive from Bishkek, or apply for the visa.
National language is Kyrgyz, official is Russian – in the city you can mostly hear Russian. Kyrgyz population is almost 6 times bigger than Estonian (1.3 million x6).
As it comes to money: 1 euro = around 83 som (KGS). With 83 soms you can take marshutka 8 times in Bishkek, buy one kilogram of grapes or eight bunches of dill.
Stay tuned for:
Where do I need to go with clean shoes?
PS. I work as a volunteer in Bishkek, gonna talk about that soon.
❤
Madlena
