Horse Trekking in Kyrgyzstan

By |October 10th, 2013|Asia, Central Asia, Featured, Horseback, Journeys, Kyrgyzstan, Outdoor|

“Who needs pre-booking? Let’s do it on our own!” This is what we said, when we got the quote from the trekking company. Almost 280 USD per person would the three-day horse trek to Song Kul cost. It’s including transport and meals, but we are in Kyrgyzstan and there must be a cheaper way. Song [...]

Tashkent: Sights and Animal Rights

By |October 7th, 2013|Asia, Journeys, Uzbekistan|

"What was your first impression of Uzbekistan? " the students ask. "Many passport controls," I reply. We are at the Amir Timur museum in Tashkent. I'm standing in the middle and the students in a semicircle around me. I start to think, they are not here for the ruler of the 14th Century, but to [...]

Taking Stock of Snow Leopards

By |September 17th, 2013|Asia, Kyrgyzstan, Making of, Outdoor, Wildlife|

At some point during my biology studies, I was interested in eco-volunteering. On the internet, I found a snow leopard monitoring project in Kyrgyzstan. "No clue where this country is," I thought, “I should check it out.” However, it cost too much and I didn’t apply. The idea remained. Every time, when I was fed [...]

The Red Fox

By |September 7th, 2013|Asia, Central Asia, Gear, Kyrgyzstan|

It may happen that you start traveling in summer and, unintended, are not yet back in winter. Because there was no room in your 70-liter backpack for the thick down jacket, you will just stand there, clueless and freezing. The purchase of winter clothing can be fatal for a small travel budget. In this situation, [...]

Couchsurfing in Bishkek

By |September 5th, 2013|Asia, Couchsurfing @en, Kyrgyzstan, Topics|

"The shower is over there" , my couchsurfing host, Erdem, shows me his apartment. " A bathroom!? INSIDE the house?" I have not seen this for a long time. Erdem takes a beer from the fridge and puts it in front of me. Then he shows me the WiFi access. I 'm in seventh heaven. [...]

How to Build a Ger

By |September 3rd, 2013|Asia, Journeys, Mongolia|

Start with the door ...  

Beer for Breakfast

By |September 2nd, 2013|Asia, Journeys, Mongolia|

Life Tip: Drinking beer at seven in the morning might be a good idea when you are 20. At 30 this is not such a good idea. The hung over will occur right around lunch time and stay for the rest of the day. Some people say you just need to continue drinking, but this [...]

Hay – The Making-of

By |August 31st, 2013|Asia, Making of, Mongolia, Outdoor|

In the supermarket, in front of the vodka shelf: " Do we really need the big bottle ", I ask, "doesn't the medium one suffice?" Kishig and Mukhan look at me with big eyes and shake their heads in sync. "It's for the horsemen," says Kishig. "Yes, many horsemen," Mukhan adds. Well, I buy the [...]

Flesh and Blood

By |August 29th, 2013|Asia, Journeys, Mongolia, Outdoor, Wildlife|

If you are traveling with a Mongolian man, it may happen that he turns the car off the road and drives straight into the steppe. "A shortcut maybe," you think and stay quiet. Then he stops at several yurts and seems to ask the farmers for directions. At that point, you start to wonder what [...]

Riding a Motorbike in the Icy Rain

By |August 24th, 2013|Asia, Featured, Journeys, Mongolia, Off Road, Outdoor|

The first time we stop because the gear chain is loose. I climb off the motorbike, Basa does, too. He sits down behind the bike and pulls a wrench from his Deel, the traditional Mongolian coat. The colorful garment has no pockets, just a fabric belt that's wrapped around the waist. Basa keeps the tools [...]