TuesdayMarch 19 

The morning has been taken up with visitors with health problems coming to our house. There are some There are speech problems for Catriona and Deanne and much more simple musculoskeletal problems for me - a breeze after yesterday.  After this session Catriona and Beth have gone horse riding in the hills and I've gone for a walk to try and snap some local interest photos.   I'm loving the times when I can do this on my own and not be feeling I'm holding others up.  Of course Catriona is still worried about letting me go.  She doesn't want to have to tell the family she's lost Granny.

Old woman with street stall of home grown produce

Local Corner Store complete with big add for mobile phone company

Hitec dish on meagre dwelling

Wednesday March 20


Off in the mashutka back to Bishkek today.  A big farewell to the family who has looked after us so well and the mashutka driver has to take a group photo on three different cameras. 

The day is promising to be quite warm and unfortunately the mountains are in deep haze.   I chose to sit in the front with the driver to try and catch some photos of typical Kyrgyz scenes, signs and characters.   BUT as we take off I find the seat belt has no clip to lock into AND I'm in the front seat, and the roads are fairly rough in places.   I can't really be rude and ask to go further back, so a prayer and the knowledge that this is the same careful driver we had coming over will see me through.   And the photos are worth it.

An even better roundabout than last time

 

We have booked into the Silk Road Backpackers Hotel and have been told we are overflow and are to be placed in a unit.  We arrive to find the girl who is to be preparing the beds for us is still there, stuff everywhere and at first we thought she was occupying it.  So it's downtown for a coffee at an old Soviet theatre, now a restaurant and very ornate. 

Back to the unit to find everything in order and I have a double bed to myself.  The block of units is about ten stories high and relatively new with another wing extension almost complete. Things are moving ahead in Bishkek and Catriona says she hardly recognises it from 13 years ago.

Tomorrow is the Spring Festival in Bishkek so we're looking forward to seeing some parades and dancing and maybe even a game of Ulak.