Bishkek to Bangkok 2023: Osh to the Chinese border.

Continuing the descent from the mountains to the arid Osh landscape. A big change from the highlands of Kyrgyzstan. More obviously Islamic in influence and hot!

Found my pre-booked hotel (good deal on the web) and went to my enormous room; some mistake, surely? Unaccustomed luxury!

It was then time to go to the Dolce-Vita restaurant/bar to meet some of the China group:

Gerald (New Zealand) KTM 1090

Nigel (UK/Scotland) BMW 1200 GS

Nikolay (Germany) Yamaha T700

Nigel had already been stuck in Osh for a couple of weeks awaiting a Tajik visa (which he never got) and a leaking fuel pump (temporarily fixed with a cut down beer bottle). Gerald and Nikolay had been there a week or so after completing the Pamir highway in Tajikistan. They had basically moved into the Dolce-Vita, often eating there 3 times a day. Another rider:

Martyn (later joined by his pillion, Ali, both UK) BMW 850 GS

appeared and then disappeared after being struck down with a mystery illness. I spent 6 days in Osh, waiting for the China entry date. Too long really. Did a lot of walking, visiting the area I stayed in last time and the few tourist sites. Nice enough, but quite a dull town.

Old sacred tomb.

I did a recce of the first bit of the road to Sary-Tash one day, just to escape Osh for a few hours. Back up into some mountains, it looked promising for the ride ahead. More of the group appeared then disappeared:

Paulo and Sirpa (Italy and Finland) BMW 1250 GS

This only left 3 people yet to make an appearance. The arrangement was to meet in Sary-Tash, the last village before the border, the night before the border crossing. Everyone had booked into the same hostel. What could go wrong?

Just to escape Osh for a few hours.

3-Storey Yurt (closed!)

Local market.

Ubiquitous in Osh.

Finally, the departure day from Osh arrived. I met Gerald, Nigel and Nikolay at a roundabout on the route out of town and we were off up into the hills. The road, especially after Gulcha all the way to Sary-Tash (in fact all the way to the Chinese border and beyond), was stunning. Making it into my all time top 10 biking roads; jaw dropping mountain scenery, perfect weather and a (mostly) good surface.

Approaching Sary-Tash

We pulled into the small settlement of Sary-Tash and found the hostel. The whole group soon appeared apart from the 3 I'd yet to meet. As it got darker and colder, some concern began to creep in; but then the sound of engines and the "kids" arrived. The youngest members of the group:

JB (France) BMW 800 GS

Olli (Finland) Royal Enfield Himalayan

Colin (Switzerland) Honda CRF 300 Rally

So, finally all together. A diverse group, aged from 20 to 66. But everyone seemed to gel very well. An early night ready for an early start to the border in the morning.

A chilly night for the bikes.

Early start for the border.

Pamir Mountains

An early start and the gorgeous scenery continued as we approached the border post. First a slow checkpoint where I dropped my bike; it just fell away from me as I stood beside it. My pride suffered more damage than the bike. The Kyrgyz border was quiet and efficient; they didn't even seem particularly bothered that some of the group (somehow) didn't have Temporary Import Permits for their bikes. And then..............China!