Osh, Kyrgyzstan / Kerry Pan / Modern Silkroad: Hong Kong - Cape Town Overland / Border Crossing

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Border Crossing

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Osh, Kyrgyzstan
40° 31' N 72° 47' E
Jun 20, 2007 13:24
Distance 282km

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Border Crossing

Text written in: English

Took a share-taxi (a Russian jeep again) to Osh, this time the jeep was in good condition, and scenery was beautiful. Crossing border to Kyrgyzstan, in Tajik side was very smooth without hassle, but in Kyrgyz side I'd seen a dark side of this country just at the time I arrived. The border guard said that one of the local's (one of the passenger) passport photo doesn't match his face, and took his passport away, in the end the local man needed to paid some money to let go. after that I looked at his PP, I am sure that the photo and the man is the same person. It was just a kind of scam.

The scenery was changed immediately after the border, getting more green, the people riding horses instead of donkeys. Then, our jeep run out of fuel in the middle of nowhere. The people here seemed not willing to help, there was many traffic on the road but nobody stopped for more than half hour, or may be they don't like to help a Tajik car.

End up arrive Osh at two o'clock in the morning, I took a taxi and told the driver to take me to whatever a hotel he knows. Then I stayed in Hotel Osh, a bit expensive but what can I ask for?

I found out that there was no entey stamp on my passport, It might cause problem to me if I stop by police on the street and when I exit the country. So good that a lady in the hotel take me to a police office to make a registration, then I have a 'official' stamp on my PP that shows I am legally in the country. After that, I found out another problem, my Pakistani visa is almost expired, I don't have enough time to travel Bishkek and the lake area, so frustrated.

I made a hard decision, gave up Kyrgyzstan and go to Kashgar ASAP. Asked around to find a bus to Kashgar, Although there was some language problem but the local people tried their best to help me. The people in Central Asia are always kind, friendly and helpful.