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Universally know as the country that will score you the most points in scrabble, Kyrgyzstan is the easiest of the Central Asian countries to visit. With easily accessible trekking, a partially intact nomadic life-style and a mixture of Soviet and Muslim cultures, it packs a lot of punch for it's diminutive geographic size.

As I had just finished working in China, the most interesting entry point into KG was the infamous Torugart Pass. Infamous due to the fact it is illegal for foreigners to cross, except it isn't. Unfortunately, this Pass comes at a price. From Kashgar, in China, you need to arrange private transport to the border and pre-arrange transport on the Kyrgyz side. The only exception is to join a group tour, like Intrepid. There are no other exceptions!! There are NO cases of "But I knew this guy...". There are no examples of "I heard you can take the public bus". I managed to get the price down to $300, but this took several days, countless cups of tea and speaking Chinese definitely helped. Some drivers started at $500. The pass itself is over-rated. The views are really nice, but not much different from Ishkrishim. And of course there are often problems. Because of a weird visa issue, I spent 3 1/2 hours in no-man's land, and had to pay a $40 bribe to the Kyrgyz officials.

Most transport will drop you off in the town of Naryn. It's a sizable town wedged into a narrow valley. Only 2 kms at it's widest point, it is disproportionately stretch to 20 km long. There really isn't much reason to linger in the town itself. Though Tash-Rabat, a deserted fortress nearby, makes for a nice day trip. From here it's easy to catch a mini-bus or shared taxi to other points in the region. I headed to Bishkek.

Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan, like most other Central Asian capitals is only a stones throw from the mountains. As i worked mostly in the afternoon, it left me the mornings to do whatever I so desired. Generally this included shopping at Ramstor (western-style grocery store), internet at Shmel (Bishkek's biggest internet chain), coffee at Fatboy's patio or just sitting on a park bench watching the world go by. Irkendik (freedom) Park was my favourite. It's a great place to see men in Kolpaks (traditional felt hat), watch the young folk flirt, kids play and families have impromptu picnics (with alcohol of course). Other than that there isn't so much to do. That being said a visit to Ala-too Square, a large concrete expanse, should be on the average tourist agenda. There's an hourly changing of the guard, people cooling down in fountains and the not-to-be-missed Central State Museum. The museum is the most fun you can have in Bishkek with your pants on. It's filled with soviet era statues, propaganda and a great mural of Ronald Regan riding a nuclear bomb.

When locals are asked what the best place in Kyrgyzstan is, the answer will undoubtedly be Issyk-Kul. A large, alpine lake located in the north-east of Kyrgyzstan. In my opinion, it is unbelievably over-rated. The lake is too small to get a feeling of vastness, but too big to clearly see the mountains on the far side. Not to mention the north side of the lake (especially Cholpanata) is inundated with Russian, Kazakh and Kyrgyz tourists. There blinding winter paleness unfortunately exposed by undersized speedos. The south side of the lake, even with colder water, gives an opportunity to have some peace and quiet. There is far less development on the southern shore, but home stays are easy enough to arrange.

Southern Kyrgyzstan offer a completely different experience. Whereas the north is highly Russified, the south is infinitely more traditionally Muslim. Conservative clothes and holy sites are the thing. The city of Osh, Kyrgyzstan's second largest city, is the place to base southern explorations. Solomon's Throne, which is actually a rocky outcropping, is the main draw here. Supposedly the Muslim prophet prayed from here and built a small mosque. This is considered an extremely holy site. And apparently helps women conceive. The market in town is worth checking out. It is probably the most "exotic" market you'll find in Kyrgyzstan. Not really for souvenirs, but you can find carpets, cloth and traditional felt hats.

From Osh, the best trip is to the mountain community of Arslanbob. It is home to the biggest walnut forest in the world. Now who can miss that? There isn't really much of a town. There are a couple of cool teahouses where you can check out local "whitebeards" discussing daily life. But the real attraction is the day hiking. With plenty of trails and a few water falls, it's quite pleasent strolling. CBT can arrange several excellent homestays in town. Some with great views.

TIPS - If you're flying into Central Asia, don't worry about getting your visa beforehand. You can get your visa on arrival at Bishkek airport without any supporting documentation. $35 at the time of writing.

CBT (Community Based Tourism) (http://www.cbtkyrgyzstan.kg/index.php?lang=en) could very well become your best friend in Kyrgyzstan. They are a tour booking office completely run by local staff. They can arrange homestays, transport, hiking guides and various other things. And while it is slightly more expensive than doing it your self, it reduces the stress factor and saves time. Just remember that you're in Krygyzstan when the staff aren't as efficient as you hope.

Take a flashlight and buy candles. The electricity in Kyrgyzstan, even Bishkek, is very unreliable.

Don't drink too much Kymyz. It a traditional drink made from fermented mare's milk. And is a very efficient laxative.

My View - The standard of living for the average Kyrygz is definitely improving. Even on a average salary of $200/month. However, I hesitate to call it a "developing" country. I think "stagnant" country is more like it. Due to unimaginable corruption of the government, KG is being sold off to no benefit of it's people. For example, they recently sold there water and power to neighbouring Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. Considering KG relies on Hydroelectric power, this mean there is no power for Kyrgyz people. Blackouts are not only common, but scheduled.

KG has the foresight to open to tourism. It is the easiest of the 'Stans to visit with visas being issued at the airport without any additional paperwork. However, this is possibly the only source of income. There is little to no manufacturing in KG. Natural resources are controlled by foreign companies, including a Canadian Gold mining company who is raping KG. Any money comes from people who have gone to Russia or Kazakhstan to work and send money back to KG. I don't know what the future holds.

What i do know is that the Kyrgyz people will persevere. They have a reputation of being hospitable. A reputation, I believe, which is only partially deserved. But they've been through a lot in recent times, and whatever the future throws at them, they'll deal with it.