During our research leading up to the trip, we corresponded with Azamat, a local living in Bishkek, via a blog on Trip Advisor. He said his parents lived a nomadic life just outside Naryn and we planned to stay with them should our plans line up. We spent a total of three nights here and it is by far the best yurt stay we have experienced.
Batma and her husband, Shaken, met us and brought us to their low or early summer jailoo. We spent the afternoon speaking in broken English, a little Kyrgyz and Russian but mostly gestures. It is amazing how must we were able to communicate despite very little common tongue. Shaken and Chad then engaged in multiple games of chess as the evening drew on. Near the end of evening we met Travis, an American doing research for a masters and living with the family on their farm for a few weeks and, Artur and Karol, two friends from Poland, literally spending a week wandering the hills around the family homestay.
The next day, the youngest son, agreed to drive us to see Tash Rabat, a caravansary, a few hours onward. It was said to be used by travellers along the Silk Road and was a beautiful stone building literally constructed into the hillside.
Our third day, we drove up to the see the family's higher jailoo. We hiked around the area all day with the two Polish travellers. Along the way we were welcomed into any yurt we passed and offered kymys kymys and more kymys. It honestly got to be way too much as the day went on and we tried to sneak it back into the barrel at any chance we got.
We were invited into one yurt shared by two families that presented us with our most obvious Muslim influence. As a woman, I was not addressed or greeted by any of the men. The father of the family asked the Polish (given that they speak Russian) about whether we have children and we were told that it was shamed not to reproduce and practice his word. Although strong in his convictions, the man was still curious and welcoming, to the men.
Our last night we arrived back late at the yurt camp and settled in to prepare for the long journey to Arslanbob.
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