Spectacular Finale

Two months have passed since we returned to Germany to be with our families and friends. One of the most valuable insights from traveling is that there is no place like home. Experiencing this firsthand has filled us with great satisfaction. Additionally, the joy of reuniting with familiar faces and indulging in delicious food, wine, and beer has made it difficult to sit down and write a blog post. But now, we are ready and excited to introduce you to the last country of our nearly eleven-month journey. Just a preview: we were overwhelmed!

Although only an arbitrarily drawn border separates the two countries of Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan, we felt like we were in a completely different world after crossing the border. Instead of white Chevrolet cars, German cars drive in Kyrgyzstan, which we had already encountered in our childhood. Everywhere you look, there are snow-covered mountains, and even in larger cities, you may come across a rider on the street. Or a small herd of sheep grazing around the ATM machine in front of the bank building. The people are warm, open-minded, and very interested in us. Everyone tries to communicate in a few words of German or English, even if it often only extends to 'Volkswagen' and 'Mercedes'. Some people approach Matthias on their own and ask him to take their picture – surprised, he doesn't hesitate for long.

We get a first deep insight into the country at the animal bazaar in Osh, the second largest city in the country. Here, horses, cows, sheep, and goats are bought and sold every Sunday. Many men also come simply to meet, chat, and discuss. On our trip, we also met many men who work at the animal bazaar: early in the morning, they buy animals to sell them later in the morning at a higher price. We are a little surprised how this system can sustainably function and support so many families. Especially since it feels like everyone in the country knows about livestock.

We don't stay in the cities for long. The mountain landscape surrounding them is too tempting. Additionally, the Kyrgyz people lived as nomads until the recent past, so the cities usually don't have much to offer and there are few historical buildings. But that's not a problem for us, because we had enough of that in Uzbekistan. On three multi-day treks, we explore different regions of Kyrgyzstan - twice with a guide and once without, carrying our own backpacks and once using a packhorse. The combination of rugged mountain ranges and the seemingly endless expanse of the high pastures, which resemble a softly dropped velvet cloth, is a sight we have never experienced before.

It is the encounters with people in these remote and rugged regions that leave us speechless and etch themselves into our memory. Meeting these people, who, depending on the perspective, have comparatively nothing - or comparatively everything, against such a breathtaking backdrop and being able to enjoy their hospitality, is what drives us to visit these places. We both agree that we have not traveled to a more authentic and wild country. We are drawn not to solitude, but to the people in such remote areas. People who seem to effortlessly defy the forces of nature and derive their livelihoods from them. They are fully aware of this and are not surprised by our willingness to endure the hardships in order to visit them in these places.

During our time in Kyrgyzstan, we were able to enjoy a comforting mix of challenging days in the mountains and relaxing weeks in the valleys. It was the perfect balance for the final weeks of our journey. But eventually, we knew it was time to come home. And when five- and seven-year-old girls point out holes in your shoes and unruly hair, as happened to Matthias, it's a clear sign.

Here we are. And we feel great.