We had been cycling for 5 months, crossed eastern Europe, the middle-east, and were well on our way through central asia, when we stumbled across a true gem, a place that seemed lost in time. The leg of our Journey from Osh in the south of Kyrgyzstan to the Chinese border led us along a quiet highway, winding through outlandish mountainous landscapes, sparesely inhabited by a peaceful, curious and hospitable people. Never before had I felt so far from home. It wasn't just the fact that everything was so different from where I come from, but the the way that the locals reacted to us. It was clear to see that the inhabitants of this isolated valley had very little contact with outside world, let alone with the west or any sort of mass tourism. Their bewildered, curious glances were always followed by warm smiles, and then invitations, born of a hospitality of old.
One of the things that makes travelling by a bicycle so special, is the fact that you travel through rural areas, where locals are not accustomed to having many outside visitors. For a cyclist travelling outside of Europe, it is a common occurance to be invited in for food, or given a place to sleep, by complete strangers. In these Kyrgysytani mountains, where a European stranger is even more of a rarity, we were welcomed with open arms everywhere we stopped.
One of the reasons I left on my bicycle from Berlin so long ago, was the fact that I was not going to make do with a normal life. I have always read great biographies avidly, and know what can be done during one's time on earth. So often have I longed for the feeling of being on a great adventure, disconnected from everythng with which I am familiar, challenging myself and growing with every experience. Travelling through the high mountain valleys of Kyrgyzstan, I had that feeling. I felt like I was making the most of every second of my life. This was what I had set out for. The experience rof riding through this beautiful valley and meeting its wonderful inhabitants reinforced my resolve to make my life an adventure.
For the hard work and guts it takes to make big those decisions, and see crazy ideas through, you are rewarded a million fold, with memmories on a par with any dream, and the feeling of having not let life pass you by.
