Kyrgyz Taxi Driver Challenge

Whilst waiting for a car to take us form the bus station David began his odyssey of trying any and every local item of food and drink – some more successfully than others! He gave up for the time being after the tasty malt drink he purchased fermented in the sun and exploded stickily all over him.

Kumis was available by the bucket load too, a nice warm draught of alcoholic horses’ milk being a great way to begin a journey. But to the Kyrgyz this drink has tremendous significance – it is a gift from God from which they derive their energy and strength. Its importance is made more significant by its relation to the horse – the animal nomadic Kyrgyz life revolves around. Just fermenting cow’s or sheep’s milk is not the same. It is also an ancient practice, even mentioned by Hippocrates as a drink of “longevity, joy and mental maturity” – which has a nice advertising slogan ring about it.

The Taxi Driver Challenge was now in full swing, but by this time we were more of an even match for them! We had learnt that they will often agree a price with you and “show you” their car only to later substitute it with some clapped out banger hidden round the back. We were not having that. We were also ready and waiting with our pen and paper for price discussions involving not just sums of money, but sketches of how dodgy the local buses were and why we shouldn’t take them – enterprising! Eventually we agreed a price, and a car, and that we would share it with other travellers. However, our driver was trying to wait us out and made no attempt to find other passengers (unlike the others hawking away) wanting us to pay the price for the whole car. He merely sat on his heels and smoked. We took exception to this cavalier attitude and berated him for his laziness, eventually demanding our luggage from his boot so that we could travel in a neighbouring minibus. That’s when we discovered out remaining schoolboy error – letting him put our bags in the boot. Much ranting, raving and threatening to get the police involved later, not only were we the centre of attention for most of the other drivers, but we had just managed to save our belongings from disappearing in a cloud of smoke.

Eventually, we squeezed into a handicapped minibus along with a small village, and watched the short legged driver and his mate stretching out in comfort in the front as the rest of us went painfully numb. At least the view was sufficient to take one’s mind off the impact the journey was having on one’s arse.

For a country consisting mainly of mountains there is a tremendous variety amongst the native fauna and flora of Kyrgyzstan. From the lakeside to the high peaks we travelled past walnut, barberry, maple, apple, pear, juniper and fir trees. Fruits such as currents, pistachios, almonds and peaches are also endemic. It reminded me of a mini Switzerland – harsh terrain tempered by a surprising fertility for those who choose to brave the elements. Surprisingly, the walnut actually originated here and was taken to Greece by Alexander the Great.

Another horticultural fact that has been hushed up by Holland for decades is that Kyrgyzstan is the home of the tulip. The original plant has small yellow flowers and grows on the moss rich slopes of the mountains. The Kyrgyz even say that human happiness is hidden in these flowers, which is rather lovely.