Woke up at 7:30 and took a taxi to the meeting point. I had only slept four hours and my head felt heavy the whole time.
Got into a minivan at the meeting point. All the members were Russian speakers. There wasn't a single person who spoke English.
Bought pizza and bread at a nearby supermarket. I had only eaten three bananas, so my stomach was already at its limit.
Jumping into an all-Russian tour
The guide could speak English, which honestly helped. But I felt that throwing myself into the Russian-speaking environment would help me grow and become stronger. I thought forcing myself into that kind of environment would be interesting, and the tour began.
The guide spoke entirely in Russian, and I could understand only about 30%. On the other hand, I didn't have to overthink things, which was a relief.
After a bit of driving, introductions began. Starting from the people in the back, everyone spoke in Russian in turn. I couldn't understand much, but I was thinking about what I should say. I wasn't nervous.
My turn. I said I was a traveler, that I was interested in the tour, and my age. The guide was a bit puzzled, asking "You... speak Russian?" but I could speak normally, in familiar Russian. I wondered if this was growth too.
The environment really changes people. In Japan, I would have worried about others' opinions and been much more nervous.
Alamedin Gorge, encountering wild horses
We arrived at the entrance of the gorge. It was clear and 31°C; we started hiking in short sleeves and long pants. The chain of mountains looked like Switzerland.
We just walked deeper into the gorge. Along the way I met a Ukrainian named Artyr. He said he has been living in Japan for about three years. He suddenly spoke to me in Japanese, so I was like "No way!"
Along the way, a herd of wild horses were grazing. It was my first time ever seeing wild horses like that, and it was very moving. Next to them was a foal. It looked so small I figured it must have been born recently, and it was super cute.
The complex social life of cows
We stopped to rest on a big plain. The scenery was like something out of Heidi in the Alps, with many cows and horses grazing. They were peeing and pooping without a care, which was hilarious. Also, they kept staring at me as if they were paying attention to me. There was even a cow that peed while looking at me; it was too funny (lol).
Apparently they're managed by owners, but not all the time—just checked periodically. They're friendly with their owners, but not so much with others. Also, cows have relationships like friends or lovers among themselves. I realized cows live with more complex relationships than I had thought.
I took a lot of photos and videos. I used the Fuji camera I bought for the trip. I'm still not used to operating it and don't know which film simulation is best. I want to keep learning more.
I also asked about the hat the guide was wearing. It's a very tall hat characteristic of Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan. It was interesting, so he let me try it on and took photos. He also gave me a piece of chocolate. He was such a kind guide.
The waterfall I saw at the end of a 6 km walk
From there, we walked relentlessly toward the waterfall. We had to cross a part where the river flow was strong and the stones were almost submerged. My shoes got wet.
Still, after walking about 6 km, we finally reached the waterfall. There were many local Kyrgyz people and Russian travelers. The waterfall itself was pretty ordinary, and compared to a waterfall I saw on Java in Indonesia, it felt a bit underwhelming. But the waterfall wasn't the main thing. The hike was the main thing.
Of all the hikes I've done in my life so far, I feel this was the most interesting and the toughest. Ijen in Indonesia was tough, but this time I was even more exhausted. My 1-liter bottle of water was almost gone, and I was a bit worried.
Cow bones under the Kyrgyz sky
We sat on the plain again for lunch. Just one piece of bread. Even so, a Russian man gave me a piece of sesame candy. Another Russian shared a banana. They spoke to me at native speed, and I hardly understood, but that was proof they were including me in their community. I was happy. My listening is gradually improving, and I could pick up words even in fast Russian.
While we were eating lunch, we found cow bones. They'd already been eaten by someone and were completely bleached white. I took it and took a photo with it (lol).
After eating we descended the mountain and returned the way we came. Surrounded by mountains. It was clear with not a cloud in the sky. I was in Kyrgyzstan. I had come to Kyrgyzstan, which I'd been dreaming of for a long time, and was hiking in nature. It didn't feel very real, but I thought again that I'm doing something amazing.
The guide's daily life and the hearts of the Kyrgyz people
We arrived at the parking lot. I tried to go to an old nearby toilet, but it was too dirty—there were about 30 flies—and I couldn't use it. I bought water at a shop with a sign that said "Kafe", and they let me use the toilet for free.
On the way back I talked a little with the guide. He said he works as a tour guide on weekends and does system work at an IT company from Monday to Friday. That alone surprised me. I couldn't hide my astonishment. I wondered if he worked every day and almost never had days off.
I worried if that was okay, but he didn't look tired at all. Maybe because he's in touch with nature daily, his mental state doesn't wear down. The Kyrgyz people all have beautiful hearts, and I had never seen someone walking while looking at their smartphone. Because they live such human lives, it seemed like fewer people have mental health problems.
I don't know if he has a family, but it's really impressive that he works every day. Compared to him, I felt that I'm privileged.
Sushi and a night of nocturnes
The bus arrived safely. I said bye to everyone and returned to the hostel with Liza. I was hungry, so I ordered sushi at a nearby sushi restaurant. 16 pieces for 1,780 yen. Extremely expensive. I thought Kyrgyzstan is no longer a cheap country. I need to earn properly too.
Lately I've felt that Kyrgyz people can't eat out every day and their money is limited, so they mostly eat at home. Still, when you actually go outside, everyone seems happy. In Japan, I often see tired faces and people who look like they have no room to breathe. Many seem to have suppressed emotions and left their humanity behind somewhere. Compared to that, Kyrgyz people have smaller salaries and aren't necessarily wealthy, but their faces are lively. So in the end, it's not about money. Good human connections, being surrounded by nature, a human life. I thought that's what's really important.
At night there was a movie night, and some members from the day before gathered to watch a film together. There was a piano, so I played a nocturne there. I made new friends and, although I forgot their names, we played "Love Story" together (lol).
He seemed surprised by my playing and went outside immediately when I finished. He looked overwhelmed somehow. And that's fine (lol).
