Published: 10.08.2024
Today was another special day. I had already prepared myself to continue my journey alone when Jerome proposed to stick together until just before Naryn and then part ways. Since this meant no change to my travel plans and traveling together is better than alone, especially in case of breakdowns, I didn’t have to think long. After breakfast, we were ready to go when Jerome discovered that the rear tire was flat. It was already noon by the time we finally set off. The first stop was the ATM, which unfortunately is out of service on weekends. I was looking forward to the well-paved road from yesterday, which would help spare my battered shock absorber. However, my joy was short-lived. At the edge of town, it was already over, and the next 150 km were over rough terrain again. Somewhere along the way, just as my fuel gauge was on reserve, Jerome's tire went flat again. While he repaired the tire, I tried to find water and gasoline in a nearby town. I got water but not gasoline. So we siphoned off 3 liters from Jerome and delivered it to my moped. The rest of the journey took us through very impressive landscapes over passes and through valleys. Fortunately, we managed to reach the next gas station and our accommodation without any further breakdowns. Tomorrow we will continue our journey separately. Jerome is heading up to Song Kul while I will continue over Naryn to Issyk Kul. Hopefully, the road will get better soon.