Ramblings

---

So - various things come to mind as we are driving along, that don't easily fit into my diary. The main thing is that from our vantage point on the truck we have an amazing view of everything. A bit like being on the top of a double decker bus, so you can see over walls and into the distance.

Most of the rural houses are single storey, some with a hay loft above, and with corrugated iron roofs. They also mostly have an outside toilet again with a corrugated roof held down by large stones. One thing I noticed is that where we would put a caravan in the land of a new build, here they build a yurt, just as temporary but maybe more cosy.

And talking of yurts - the flag for Kyrgyzstan is a red background with a yellow sun - I understand that there are 40 flames around the edge of the sun representing the 40 regions of the country. In the middle is a circle, and the lines across it are the central spars of the roof of a yurt. One for the pub quiz!

The roads are of a very variable condition as I have mentioned before. The major roads are mostly wide enough for overtaking, sometimes with a rough 'undertaking' lane. If they are a dual carriageway, and for some reason one side is closed, they just put a row of stones across and divert everyone over the dust central reservation, and make the remaining road two-way. They also use rocks/stones to warn of broken down vehicles (of which there are many).

I have mentioned the flocks being brought down for the winter, these are usually herded by men on horseback, with one at the back and one at the front waving a red flag. The animals usually move over quite quickly. In the rural areas young boys become proficient horseman, riding horses and donkeys often bareback.

Bus stops along the roadside are often very decorative, many being covered in mosaic designs.

One thing that I didn't give any thought to was the fact that it would be Autumn here too. The trees are turning those lovely shades that herald the winter, yellows, reds and oranges.

And (George Clarke's Amazing Spaces eat your heart out) there are shipping containers everywhere. We have seen them used as houses, storage, shops and offices, sheds and fences.

---