Bazaar Korgon - Arslanbob - Jalalabad

After having breakfast by the shore of the Toktogul Reservoir and clearing our campsite, it is Sunday, November 17, 2019, around noon, time to continue our journey towards the Ferghana Valley. We drive along the water and have to go around it three-quarters of the way before we have to climb another small mountain pass. Once we have overcome the approximately 2000m, we roll comfortably along the Naryn River downstream. By now our heating works and we are nice and cozy in our Russian car. Along the way, we stop in the mountains for a coffee and refill our drinking water reserves. Next stop is in Tasch-Kumyr, where we buy a few things and refuel. We continue driving while the visibility becomes increasingly hazy. A veil lies over the valley and obscures the view. In Bazaar Korgon, after some searching, we finally find a room in a small hotel. According to my map, it is marked as 'an old creepy junk hotel not clean'. The description does justice to the accommodation. We prepare a small dinner, use the shower, and then relax. I wanted to take Rango to the room, but the lady in the reception area is keeping a close eye on things, and in the end, the fat one in the Moskvich is probably more comfortable.

On Monday morning, we have breakfast in the rundown dormitory at around half past eight, and then we head back to the mountains. About 50 km away is the world's largest walnut forest. It is drizzling on the way, and we pick up two locals who are freezing on the side of the road. In Gumchana, we check out a possible camping spot but continue on. At the upper end of Arslanbob, we finally park Schrotti and walk to another camping spot marked on my map. Much better than the first one. We hike around the area and climb up to the big waterfall, among other things. The weather is cloudy, but otherwise quite pleasant (the drizzle from the morning has disappeared). Nevertheless, we are the only walkers far and wide. Then we return to Schrotti and go for a little shopping in the center of Arslanbob. After a tea and some biscuit roll, we walk the approximately 3 km back up the mountain village to our Moskvich. We initially plan to drive to the scouted camping spot but give up the attempt. The road is no longer passable for Schrotti. So we pack our backpacks and walk the kilometer on foot. We reach our campsite in the gathering darkness and set up our tents. Then Marcus takes care of dinner, and I go searching for firewood. After a few difficulties getting started (the wood is damp), we end the evening by the warming fire.

It is Rango once again who wakes me up on Tuesday morning (19.11.2019). He found a bone on the way to the campsite and apparently didn't chew it carefully enough. After I throw the fat one out to vomit, I enjoy the first warming rays of sun slowly making their way to the tent. After breakfast, we break camp and carry our stuff back to Schrotti. Then we drive to the walnut forest. Unfortunately, we forgot to turn on the fan for our short drive, so a coolant hose tears at my improvised heating connection. Stupid. We park the car and first go for a walk in the forest. It is still sunny, and I quickly start sweating due to the constant ups and downs. After about 8 km, we take a break at the Dashman settlement. Then we head back to Schrotti. It has just become dark when we make it back. I fix our coolant hose with some insulation tape, and then we push the car. To make matters worse, we also forgot to disconnect the ignition. Then we drive through Arslanbob down the valley, buy a few things along the way, refill our drinking water, and also give our tires some air. In Basar Korgon, we have two shish kebabs almost on the go, accompanied by some bread. Then we continue driving to Jalalabad. After a short search, we find accommodation in the Orto Asia Hostel. It is a bit cheaper and a bit less unpleasant than the place in Basar Korgon. Nevertheless, Marcus, for good reason, asks for a new sheet before going to bed.

On Wednesday, we leave the hostel at around nine. We take a detour through Jalal Abad in the morning, then treat ourselves to a hearty breakfast at a diner of sorts, and wander around a bit. It is around noon when we continue our journey to Osh. Along the way, we get fuel for our AZLK and locally produced vegetables from a roadside stand. In Osh, we check-in to two beds at the Rest Box, a hostel. We make coffee, I do a few more laps around with the fat one, and in the evening, we have fried potatoes with lettuce. It is time to retreat to the sleeping box around midnight.