The noise is deafening. The smell is appalling. The view is spectacular. I am on board on a former Russian military helicopter, flying over the Tian Shan mountains in Kyrgyzstan. Looking around, I can’t help smiling. Last time I did a helicopter glacier ride (New Zealand), we were sitting in rows, wearing seat belts and ear protection. And we were not even allowed near the helicopter before having received numerous safety instructions about how to behave in and around it.
In Kyrgyzstan things are different. Hikers, climbers, backpacks, supply packages and a sheep are randomly spread around in the helicopter. Nobody (except possibly the pilot) has been near a shower for a while, but everyone has been doing strenuous mountaineering. Hence the smell.
Our destination is the South Inylchek glacier, where base camp for climbers of Khan Tengri and Pobeda Peak is located. We don’t mean to attempt any of these, but it’s possible to join the climbers in the helicopter and go back again after having explored the area and admired the breath-taking views.
Today is not our first encounter with the renowned Russian helicopter. A few days ago, our hike came to an abrupt stop because of a river with abnormally high water levels. There was no safe way of crossing. We met a couple of other hikers facing the same issue. What to do? Advice number one: always carry a radio, so you can call for help. For moderately high river crossings, horses might be sent, but in this case, the helicopter was needed.
Generally, I remember my hiking trip in Kyrgyzstan as full of the unexpected. There are no trails and finding a manageable route isn’t always straight forward. At one point, we simply couldn’t see a way of getting from A to B by land, so in the end we decided to walk a stretch in a freezing cold river. What we hadn’t foreseen was, that the bank soon was high above the river and we couldn’t get back up. When we finally found a place to climb up, the feeling in my feet was long gone and I was somewhat puzzled to observe, they were still there.
My dislike of screeing also got tested, when we had to get down a mountain. It was uncomfortably steep and the surface was so loose that wriggling your left ear, would cause the whole mountain side to start moving. Goodness. We all made it down, some with scratches, bruises and very sore body parts, but no serious injuries.
If you like to get off the beaten track, I can highly recommend Kyrgyzstan. I guarantee, it will be a holiday to remember!
✧
Jamilia by Chingiz Aïtmatov
Chingiz Aïtmatov may be the Kyrgyz author, who is best known internationally. According to Goodreads, his work appeared in over one hundred languages, and received numerous awards, including the Lenin Prize.
Jamilia is considered his break-through work. It’s a short novella, taking place during Word War II in a small Kyrgyz village. The men are away on the frontline, the women and children are looking after the farms. Whilst being described as a love story, it certainly isn’t a traditional one. Daniyar, a young soldier, returns to the village with injuries on body and soul. He doesn’t interact with the other villagers and is soon the object for equal amounts of pity and ridicule. Jamilia is the sister-in-law to the young narrator of the story. She is a strong unusual women with a mind of her own. The two of them seem like an unlikely couple. But when Daniyar sings, magic happens, which affects and inspires both our narrator and Jamilia.
I felt it was not simply a love for another person, it was somehow an uncommon expansive love for life and earth. He had kept this love within himself, in his music, in his very being.
I really enjoyed this unusual little novella. The writing is wonderfully descriptive and all the way through I could picture the sparkling river, the symmetric yurts, the beautiful horses, the numerous sheep…. Maybe one day, I’ll go back.
Title: Jamilia [1958] Author: Chingiz Aïtmatov, translated by James Riordan Format: Physical copy Genre: Fiction, Kyrgyz Literature
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Wow. Amazing post. I love reading about book reviews and travel adventures. The pics are awesome.
I am glad you enjoyed it, since books and travels are some of my biggest passions! Thanks!
Delightful post. Thank you. Did you read Jamilia in English?
Thanks so much. Yes, I read Jamilia in English. I wish, I could have read it in its original language though. I read an extract from two different translations and they were very different. Made me wonder about the role of the translator…
Wow what an amazing trip! Love the photos but don’t envy the hiking!
It really was amazing! The hiking was rather unpredictable, but I guess that’s part of what made it fun!
Very cool! And so glad you got to read some Aitmatov. He’s great, isn’t he? 🙂
Yes, I really ought to read more translated literature from different parts of the world. It does bring something new to the table. Aitmatov is certainly an interesting writer based on Jamilia!
Off-the-beaten-track for sure. You had an amazing and dangerous adventure in a region that most people never heard of.
It really felt like an adventure and it was so much fun. Sometimes, it’s worth to go to the less visited parts of the world.
‘Intrepid’ doesn’t begin to describe this experience, which you’ve brought vividly to life – having lived to tell the tale! This account, as much as your review, has made me eager to read Chingiz Aïtmatov. And Jamilia is available in our library system! I’ve put in an order. Thank you!
Haha, “intrepid” might be a suitable description. When I think back on my holidays, it tends to be the crazy, unusual and unexpected moments, I remember best. And there were enough of those in Kyrgyzstan. I hope you will enjoy Jamilia!
I’ll let you know.
Thanks Margaret, fingers crossed.
What an amazing trip. The scenery is spectacular. Riding in the helicopter as you describe it sounds very much like riding the busses in Mali–people, sacks of grain, goats, chickens and the stench of it all.
I did love the scenery in Kyrgyzstan. Haha, I haven’t been to Mali, but these busses sound pretty crazy. It must be an experience to ride one (although maybe not for a long time).
Loved this post! Very unusual. I have to say I know pretty much nothing about this country, better rectify that! 🙂
Yay, I’m glad to hear that! I didn’t know much about it either before going there. Generally, I am fascinated by the Central Asian countries and hope to visit more of them.
I’m a very bad traveller so I’m content to read/watch about other countries instead of visiting in person 🙂
I also enjoy to travel via books. And it’s a lot cheaper! 😉
Those pictures are so stunning 😍 And what an interesting helicopter ride. Excellent review and post!
Thanks Tessa! It was a helicopter ride to remember!
Wow!
An extraordinary place and trip, and how clever to tie in your amazing photos and story with your book review.
Thanks Rose, I really enjoy to write these posts, which combine two of my passions, books and travel! 😀
Great piece, stunning photos and many thanks for the book recommendation.
Thanks so much Julia, I am glad you enjoyed it!
I’m with Rose – Wow! I’m in awe of your sense of adventure, Stargazer, and very glad you made it back to tell the tale. Thank you also for bringing Kyrgyzstan to life for me. Over the years I’ve made a fair few loans to women in this country (through Kiva) but now it seems much more real. The book’s on my list now 😊
(I loved the sheep on the helicopter. It looked so relaxed. Clearly a seasoned traveller!)
It really felt like an adventure, I am glad you got a sense of that through the post. Kiva sounds like an interesting way of supporting people if different parts of the world. I like that the money goes to a very specific business opportunity. Was it a coincidence, you decided to lend money to projects in Kyrgyzstan? And yes, that sheep was certainly a seasoned traveler, more calm and relaxed than the rest of us! 😊
It was coincidence. Looking at my stats I’ve made more loans to Kyrgyzstan than any other country. Over the years I’ve found that the money is repaid on time to Kiva which means I can use it for another loan. Also if I’ve understood correctly, the interest rates charged are among the lowest on Kiva. I like being able to support individuals and hoping it has made a difference to their lives.
I’m thinking, I might give Kiva a try. Maybe I’ll start with smaller contributions and see what happens. Thanks for making me aware!
This is all so interesting, thank you Stargazer and I hadn’t come across Kiva so that’s news too. Your photos really give a sense of your adventure, wow! Jamilia is on my list.
I’m glad you found it interesting. Kiva was a revelation to me as well – you live and learn! Hope you’ll enjoy Jamilia if you decide to pick it up!
Wow what an adventure! Stunning photos. Beautiful. When did you go there? Little did I know that you have been to such cool far-flung destinations. Very interesting. And I like how you read an author from there too. Were you able to communicate with the people at all? They seem friendly. thx for the post!
Thanks so much, it was such a fun holiday! I think it was the summer of 2009, so quite a while ago. Yeah, the idea with these posts is to link books and location, which I enjoy. There were people who spoke English, but outside Bishkek, our communication was basic.
You brilliantly put together your reading experience with your travel experience in this one! I was quite amazed when I first heard of Kyrgyzstan in a geography class. I’m impressed by what you got to experience. Must have been unforgettable! Great post! 😀
It was unforgettable! Generally, I’ve enjoyed all the countries I’ve visited, but Kyrgyzstan stood out. Also, opposite the more popular hiking countries, you won’t meet many other tourists, which is nice. Thanks!
So that’s the literary part! I like that you review books by authors from where you travel. We don’t often read truly different perspectives.
Yes, the idea is to combine reading and traveling, my two favourite hobbies. It’s also fun to read literature from foreign parts of the world. As you say, you get different perspectives and quite often different writing style as well.