Kyrgyzstan

Article by: Dean Starnes, February 2007

Forget the others. Kyrgyzstan is the best thing to come galloping out of the Central Asian mountains waving a headless goat since the collapse of the USSR. Indeed a healthy distrust of authority has meant that the Kyrgyz people retain many of their nomadic traditions, making the other 'Stans seem positively boring. Fighting talk? Why not? The national sport of kok boru resembles an all-out brawl on horseback. All you need is a dead goat and a pony with a death wish. The actual rules are obscure (I'm not sure there are any) but it's exciting to watch - especially when a quick little kid makes off with the headless carcass, hotly pursued by a mass of angry riders.

Nor does the rough and tumble stop there. Where else is kidnapping seen as an acceptable alternative to courtship? Rural men strapped for cash and unable to front up with the bride-price still like to sweep eligible young women off their feet - and straight into the back of a waiting taxi. The taxi driver often helps. I doubt other Central Asia taxi drivers are as accommodating to lonely nomads in search of love - bastards.

The national sport of kok boru resembles an all-out brawl on horseback.

The modern day Kyrgyz may no longer be born in the saddle but I doubt they have to crawl far to find one, and neither will you. Thanks to an excellent network of Community Based Tourism (CBT) projects, you'll be saddled up and on a horse in no time. True, the horses often give the impression they're only a hoof-beat away from reverting to their wild roots and galloping off to a distant mountain pasture, but it's all good fun. And look on the bright side - there are plenty of pastures to gallop to. Over 90% of the country is mountainous, packed with more trekking opportunities than you can shake a sleeping bag at. Not that you'll need a sleeping bag - CBT arranges yurtstays with nomadic families in traditional felt tents, which are great to stay in even though they don't have beds. Nomads don't need beds - even if you're sleeping on a couple of lumpy rocks, a snuggly shyrdak (felt blanket) and a swig of fermented mare's milk will settle even the slickest of city slickers.

Sometimes Kyrgyzstan feels a bit rough around the edges, like a gold-mining town without any gold - as if everyone is on the verge of packing up and heading to the summer jailoos (pastures) for good. But Kyrgyzstan is rich in forgotten traditions, friendly people and towering mountains, and one way or another it has a habit of leaving travellers flabbergasted and breathless - and not just from the altitude.