Geo: 41.0245, 28.9881Update: Monday 25th July: 1402 Local.Location: Balcony of Hotel Sultiana Istanbul.Its been a whirlwind 36 hours! We were picked up at 0730hrs yesterday in Bishkek by the ever faithful Altimbeck our tour leader and guide for the last 2 weeks. He and his team have been exceptional and without their skills and knowledge this adventure would not have been possible.We bade our farewells and were soon boarding the 1024hr Turkish Airlines (5hr 45m) flight to Istanbul routing due West over Uzbekestan, Azerbaijan, Georgia and finally for the last 2 hours over the Black Sea before descending down into the now familiar Istanbul Ataturk Airport.We were early.......landing just after 1300hrs Local and planning our afternoon's itinerary in this fascinating City........WRONG!..........we suddenly hit the rear end of a Passport queue from hell! I have had bad ... read more

Geo: 40.5236, 72.799Time Check: 0645Status: Up and refreshed after a great nights stop at a "good hotel" to recover after nearly a week of sleeping on floors in local homes at altitudes around 4,000m. The last few days have been both fascinating yet at the same time hard work. We have been traveling through breathtaking scenary with little or no Western facilities. The local people have been wonderful.We set off from the Murghab on the 18th and travelled via the Lake Karakul, one of the worlds highest salt water lakes (4,200m) and then made our way across the Takjekistan border into Kurgyzestan and arrived into Osh yesterday lunchtime the 19th. We were tired and dusty.........ready for a shower that did not involve walking 100m to a small shed in which we had to ladle tepid water ... read more

Geo: 36.7333, 71.6167Friday 15th JulyTime Check: 1610Location: Ishakamin Altitiude 2,500mI bring this report to you from the small first floor balcony of our little windswept abode for the night. Below me various locals are bustling about carrying small children in their arms or perhaps loading vegetables into their bashed up cars. This is a "Frontier" town with no paved roads or much if any Western culture but the people seem cheerful and are pleased to see us. The guest house was totally deserted and the key to the main front door was not lockable so our guide Altanboc used a nearby rock for security!We are bordered by the Pamir Mountains to the North and to the South East the "Hindu Cush"..........the gateway to Pakistan. This a "strategic zone" and only 180km (1 days drive) from the ... read more

Geo: 38, 72.22Wednesday 13th July Time Check 0600hrs Location: .......Rushan Homestay! We are setting into as lovely little rustic bungalow surrounded by beautiful flowers and fruit trees. Our little abode has three rooms, large dining area, bathroom and separate wc which will be "tested" to destruction. On the sleeping front there is the "ladies dorm".....a double for the two men and our little double (single). Cathy will sleep one way and me the other........ Sitting in the lounge round a low table bedecked in a brightly coloured plastic Arabic patterned table cloth we discuss the various regional differences in our respective Countries. Bavaria v The Prussians etc .......don't mention the war though......we have discovered that sausages are the main difference ....The "Sausage Equator" in Germany is the the Danube where the white and inferior... read more

Geo: 38.5654, 68.77580615Up and pottering: The bright morning sun rose at about 0445 and is already "opening and enlivening" the day by casting it's golden hue across the lush green cityscape and surrounding foothills . From our "perch' on the 6th Floor I can see some quite well appointed apartment blocks interspersed with neo classical style Russian buildings from the "Colonia era" which ended som 23 years ago on the collapse of The Soviet Union. Formerly called Starlinagrad this is a laid back City and is only 75km from the Afghan border and within a day or two's drive from Pakistan, Uzbekestan and China. The Group: There are 8 of us: 5 women and 3 men......all experienced Travellers..........and naturally treading carefully with each other at this early stage........well not so carefully to be frank.....last night we ... read more