Day 29, 28 June 2012 Bishkek to Chichkan

Today total distance traveled 248.8km

Today was one of the most exciting day we had since we left Penang on 31 May 2012. We started the day by visiting the Nadjeshda Children’s Rehabilitation Center and followed up by Kyrgyz Concept Tour management office. 

The highlight for the day would probably be the arrival of our VIP from Penang, Mr Saw Saik Mun, the current Old Free’s Association Penang Honorary Secretary. We were utmost excited for him to join us at this stage especially when we are 10,000km from home.

Nadjeshda (in English”Hope”) Children’s Rehabilitation Center was started on 17th Sept 1989 with 28 volunteer staff members. 

 Old Free's members Steven Foong, Adrian King and Sek Lam with sponsors gifts

 Daily morning meeting

Years ago, when Gert- Micheal Schalike was born, a woman in the same maternity room was crying and hiding her tears below the pillow. There were doctors standing around her bed, screaming and talking to her. A foreigner in Kyrgyzstan, the mother of Gert- Micheal wanted to understand what was happening to her neighbour. She insisted and found out that the woman was being asked to sign an agreement to give away her newborn baby because it was apparently handicapped.

Even nowadays multiple handicapped children are at risk of being removed from families and placed in institutions where barely no one cares about their fate. According to the Kyrgyz laws, these children are then classified as un-educatable and drop out of the school- system. Access to public kindergarten, public school or to any specialized school is prohibited. 

 Penang Global Tourism notepad

Twenty- six years ago after the sudden death of the little Gert- Micheal, his mother decided to help children with disabilities, starting with the saved boy from the maternity. This is how the chilcare center Nadjeshda was created. Here adults help children to sing, to paint and to learn to be happy like every other child on this earth.

(courtesy from Nadjeshda)

We spent about 90 minutes in Nadjeshda to understand how the center operates and we took a tour around including a visit to nearby horse ranch where the children undergo horse back riding therapy. 

Again, we would like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank all our generous sponsors from Kendall Motor Oil USA, Penang Global Tourism and Old Free’s Association Penang and Singapore for their wonderful gifts. Without these gifts, our visits will not complete. 

Thank you Kendall Motor Oil USA for the wonderful cap!

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR KIND GENEROSITY!

Next, both our vehicles were going on separate ways. Toyota Land Cruiser was on her way to Bishkek International Airport to pick our friend from Penang, Saik Mun and Toyota Hilux to Kyrgyz Concept Tour office under the invitation of their General Manager, Mr Daniar Amanaliev. 

Daniar and Steven Foong exchanging view on Malaysia

We are the first all Malaysian “Rally” team who entered Kyrgyzstan and Central Asia under Kyrgyz Concept Tour. We took this wonderful opportunity to promote Georgetown Penang as one of the premier tourism destination in Asia. 

 Friendly staff from Kyrgyz Concept Tour

The FIRST Malaysian "Rally" team handled by Kyrgyz Concept

Among the items shared with Kyrgyz Concept Tour were Penang Global Tourism brochures, recycle bags, notepads and even Penang tourism poster.

Our visits to Kyrgyz Concept Tour office lasted about 2hours where we both exchanged views and information for both Penang and Kyrgyzstan.

Ms. Asel, our focal person in Kyrgyz Concept

Soon after lunch, we quickly set off to our next destination Chichkan which is located approximately 230km away. 

Old Free's in Kyrgyzstan 

Chichkan is the name of the gorge which located within Kyrgyz National Nature Reserved Park. We stayed in the beautiful Oson Motel located along the famous Chichkan River. This Soviet era building belonged to the former Kyrgyz First Secretary as his weekend home before the building it was turned into Oson Motel in 2007.

 Old Free's members from left: Adrian King, Chuan Lok, Steven Foong, Sek Lam, Saik Mun and Kek Fei

Last but not least, do support our cause by visiting Borneo Child Aid Society to provide your financial support. As fellow Malaysian, it would be our responsibilities to offer our hand to under privileged Malaysian children and only through donations will the future for the work in Borneo Child Aid be guaranteed.

Day 28, 27 June 2012 Lake Issyk Kul to Bishkek

Today total distance traveled 263.8 km


We left the beautiful Lake Issyk Kul to Bishkek immediately after breakfast. Our drive brought us to Kyrgyzstan countryside.

The green, quiet and laid back Kyrgyz capital, Bishkek, feels like one big park with the Kyrgyz Ala- Too range creates a magnificent backdrop to the city.

The history of Bishkek goes back to 1825 when the Uzbek Khan of Kokand built a little clay fort in this place known as Pishpek.

In 1926, the town was renamed as Frunze but the name never sat well.

It was only back in 1991 the city became Bishkek, the Kyrgyz form its old Kazakh name.

We were honoured to have staff from Kyrgyz Concept Tour, our appointed tour agency to join us for dinner over at Azure restaurant.

Day 27, 26 June 2012 Naryn to Lake Issyk Kul

We awoke slightly late this morning to the smell of fried eggs and toast coming from the cellar kitchen. Had our coffee and eggs with sausage and good cheese that was smooth as butter.

Traditional Kyrgyz yurt 

Started our journey slightly past 0900hrs and drove towards Lake Issyk Kul, to the town of Cholpon- Ata.

Along our way, we came across a small group of children who were having summer camp with their teachers and decided to introduce ourselves. We thought this would a perfect occasion to share our gift of papers and pens to the children too.

  

We met a group of Norwegian traveling from Norway to  during our lunch stop at . They were five of them traveling on 02 Toyota Land Cruiser. Do visit www.transeurasia.no/ to show your support to them.

Lake Issyk Kul is basically a huge dent, filled with water, between the Kungey Ala- Too to the north and the Terskey Ala- Too to the south. Over 170km long, 70km across and the second- largest alpine lake in the world.

Some of us took the chance to swim in the cold Issyk Kul water, anyway we have traveled 10000km from our home in Penang and would be a pity if we not try the Issyk Kul.

Water temperature 20deg C, Air temperature 17deg C

Our night was spent at the Three Crowns Hotel, a beachside resort located on the northern side of Lake Issyk Kul, had excellent beds and very cool breeze.