Day 87. Kyrgyzstan.

I have a short if bumpy 30km ride to the border. The border procedure was painless and rather amusing, especially on the Kazakh side. Being a cyclist I am getting used to be pushed to the front of the queue past all the waiting cars and lorries. This time I was also put at the front of the ID check queue. I stood there in front of many patient Kazakhs and Kyrgyz people who had patiently queued and felt a little foolish! The border guards were hilarious however. I had two brothers, and the older one was training the younger. Except most of the training when I was there seemed to consist of play fights and mock punches that brothers do. The thought of checking ID cards sis not interest them at all! So with passport freshly stamped I went to customs, whose check consisted of a guard who wanted to chat and do the fisty hand shake thing. Smiling I walked through and onto the Kyrgyz side. Here I was checked, passport checked and then stamped in. No need for visas for many citizens of many nations here.

Entering Kyrgyzstan was exciting. Although initially visually similar to Kazakhstan, it was still very nice to hear "Hellos!" coming from many of the kids as I passed. I made Bishkek for sunset, only to get horribly lost. I had a plan to make a rather nice looking hostel, and although i found the neighbourhood it is in, I could not find the hostel itself. The side streets in Bishkek are not well lit and by about 10pm I had had enough, so booked in at the first place I could find and called it a night.